Queensland Budget 2025: First-home buyers get a leg up with Australia’s most generous shared equity scheme

Investments into home ownership, housing infrastructure and new social and community housing are among the measures in the Queensland 2025-26 budget announced today, aimed at providing more Queenslanders a place to call home.

Premier David Crisafulli said the budget was striving to secure the housing foundation for Queensland to have the highest home ownership rates in the nation during the next decade.

 “We’re delivering practical support to unlock home ownership for young Queenslanders and in indigenous communities, while building more homes in every corner of our State,” he said.

Across five years, $8.1 billion will be invested to help lay the foundation to deliver one million new homes over the next two decades. 

Boost to Buy boon

A new nation-leading home ownership scheme to help reduce the deposit gap for first-home buyers was announced, with the $165 million Boost to Buy scheme.  

The scheme delivers an equity contribution of up to 30 per cent for new homes and 25 per cent for existing homes with a sale price of up to $1 million, for households earning $225,000 or less.

The Boost to Buy scheme is in addition to Home Buyer Grants, which also received a $30,000 boost until June 2026.

Real Estate Institute Queensland chief executive Antonia Mercorella has praised the broadening of the Boost to Buy scheme as a smart, timely step to match market conditions and help more Queenslanders achieve home ownership.

“We called for expanded access to shared equity because we know high deposit hurdles are keeping aspiring buyers from getting onto the property ladder,” she said.

She said the income eligibility thresholds reflected modern property prices across Queensland, making it the most attractive in the nation.

“In Greater Brisbane, the annual median house price is $895,000, and in the Brisbane LGA it’s $1.21 million,” she said.

“Even for units, annual median unit prices are $770,000 and $735,000 for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast respectively.

“The generous cap ensures the scheme is relevant in all corners of our state including high-demand areas like Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast, where the median house price now sits above $1 million.

“Without this adjustment, the scheme risked being out of touch with the reality faced by many first home buyers today.”

Property Investment Professionals of Australia chair Nicola McDougall said the budget showcased that Queenslanders achieving property ownership was front and centre, and praised the pragmatic and market-aligned initiatives.

“It’s clear that the Queensland Government is serious about addressing the housing crisis as well as helping more young people achieve property ownership, given the property price and income thresholds for the new Boost to Buy scheme are more in-line with market and economic realities,” she said.

 A streamlined ex-gratia process to support housing delivery

Plans to streamline Queensland Revenue’s ex-gratia relief process for foreign-owned housing projects that deliver economic or community benefits was welcomed by REIQ.

“When housing projects meet the public interest test, whether by enhancing community outcomes or increasing much-needed housing stock – then relief from punitive surcharges should be a straightforward and swift process,” Ms Mercorella said.

“Foreign entities cop extra surcharges despite being instrumental in delivering new housing supply. Until now, ex gratia relief has been available, but the process has been slow and uncertain, making it unworkable for many projects.

“Today’s budget commitment to reform and fast-track this relief is an encouraging step that will drive capital to Queensland and help get more housing projects off the ground.”

Other measures announced

A $2 billion Residential Activation Fund was also unveiled, which is set to fast-track critical infrastructure needed for housing, unlocking critical enabling infrastructure and accelerating new housing developments across the state.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the fund was set to unlock thousands of new homes across Queensland.

“We are unlocking the land for housing and delivering the critical infrastructure needed to get new homes out of the ground sooner,” he said.

“We’re delivering funds to support shovel-ready projects, to help get homes built faster.”

Looking ahead to what’s next

Housing Industry Association Queensland executive director Mike Roberts said while the additional funding and opportunities to assist new home buyers get into housing were welcomed, the issue of supply remained.

“The funding that’s been set aside to assist the delivery of social housing was necessary and is also welcome, but at the end of the day, it’s the private sector that’s going to build the bulk of the housing that’s needed to meet the growing demand in Queensland,” Mr Roberts said.

“And the government needs to get on and do everything that needs to be done to facilitate an increase in the supply of housing.”

The supply crisis remained Queensland’s most pressing housing challenge, Ms Mercorella said, while stamp duty reform remained high on REIQ’s wish list.

“It is a long-standing policy direction of the REIQ to see a phased transition to a land tax-based model starting with first home buyers, as well as abolishment of stamp duty for downsizers aged over 55 moving to a home with fewer bedrooms or a retirement home,” she said.

Ms McDougall said she would welcome an opportunity to discuss policies that will not only encourage more property investors into the market, but also motivate them to stay long-term to underpin a stable supply of rental accommodation across the Sunshine State.

“Removing stamp duty disparities between owner-occupiers and investors, and updating land tax thresholds to match today’s values, would be simple but powerful next steps,” she said.

The post Queensland Budget 2025: First-home buyers get a leg up with Australia’s most generous shared equity scheme appeared first on realestate.com.au.