First Home Buyer Loans for Single Women in South East & South West Queensland

Updated October 2026 to reflect the current Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme and Queensland grant settings.

Navigating the Queensland Property Market: A Guide to Government Help for Single Women

Buying your first home on one income is a big milestone, and it can feel like the numbers are stacked against you. The good news is that state and federal programs can cut both your deposit and your upfront costs. Knowing which ones you qualify for is the first step.

Queensland First Home Owner Grant

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant is a one-off $30,000 payment for eligible first home buyers purchasing or building a new home valued under $750,000. The $30,000 amount was due to drop back to $15,000 after 30 June 2026, but the Queensland Government has confirmed it continues for eligible contracts signed from 1 July 2026.

Eligibility for single applicants: single buyers are fully eligible if they meet the criteria, including:

• You're an individual aged 18 or over.
• You're an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
• The home is a new build valued under $750,000.
• You haven't previously owned a residential property in Australia that you lived in.
• You live in the home as your principal place of residence for at least six continuous months, starting within one year of completion.

Queensland stamp duty concessions

Eligible first home buyers pay no transfer (stamp) duty on a new home, with no price cap. On an established home, there's no duty up to $700,000 and a partial concession up to $800,000.

Source: Queensland Government, First Home Owner Grant

Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme

The federal scheme previously called the Home Guarantee Scheme is now the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme. From 1 October 2025 it has no income caps, no limit on places and higher property price caps. In Queensland the caps are $1,000,000 for Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, and $700,000 for the rest of the state.

1. First home buyers: 5% deposit

Eligible first home buyers, or people who haven't owned property in Australia in the last 10 years, can buy with a deposit of as little as 5% and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). The government guarantees up to 15% of the property value to the lender.

• Australian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or older.
• No income test.
• You must live in the home (no investment properties).
• The price must be within the cap for the location.

2. Single parents: 2% deposit

Single parents or single legal guardians of at least one dependent child can buy with a deposit of as little as 2%, with the government guaranteeing up to 18% of the property value. This stream was previously known as the Family Home Guarantee.

• You must be single, meaning no spouse or de facto partner. Separated but not divorced doesn't count as single.
• No income test.
• You don't need to be a first home buyer, but you can't own any other property once the new home settles.
• You apply on your own and live in the home.

You don't apply to the government directly. The application goes through a participating lender, which is where a broker can compare your options.

Source: firsthomebuyers.gov.au, Single Parents

Putting it together

For a single woman buying a new home in Queensland, the grant, the stamp duty concession and a low deposit scheme can work together, which can cut tens of thousands of dollars from what you need upfront. The part people underestimate is borrowing power. On one income, how a lender treats part-time hours, child support or Family Tax Benefit can matter as much as the deposit.

If you're in Logan, Beenleigh, Scenic Rim or the Gold Coast, Gwen at Ferns Finance can map the schemes you qualify for and compare lenders for your situation. Single parent home loans has more detail on the 2% option.

Disclaimer: General information only, based on publicly available information as at October 2026. It does not consider your personal circumstances. Eligibility criteria, price caps and lender credit criteria apply and can change. Confirm current details with the official sources above or speak with Ferns Finance.