The Easiest Way to Access Stamp Duty Concessions

Western Australia offers some of the most generous stamp duty concessions in the country for first home buyers and off-the-plan purchasers, but accessing them requires precision in both timing and structure.

Henley Brook sits firmly within the City of Swan corridor where house prices have remained accessible while benefiting from improved connectivity to the CBD since the Ellenbrook train line opened in December 2024. The suburb's position makes it a practical choice for buyers who want to maximise stamp duty savings without compromising on future growth potential.

How WA's First Home Owner Rate of Duty Works

The First Home Owner Rate of duty applies a single statewide threshold regardless of location. No duty is payable on homes valued up to $600,000. A concessional rate applies on homes valued between $600,001 and $800,000, calculated at $16.15 for every $100 or part thereof above $600,000. The maximum dutiable value to access the concession is $800,000.

For vacant land, no duty is payable on land valued up to $450,000. A concessional rate applies on land valued between $450,001 and $550,000, at a rate of $20.14 for every $100 or part thereof above $450,000.

At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and each applicant must occupy the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of completion.

Combining the First Home Owner Grant with Duty Relief

The First Home Owner Grant delivers $10,000 for eligible buyers purchasing or building a new home. From May 2026, the link between the grant value cap and duty concession eligibility was removed. Buyers can now access a duty concession on transactions that exceed the grant value cap of $800,000 for homes south of the 26th parallel.

Consider a buyer purchasing a new home in Henley Brook at $750,000. The purchase sits below the grant cap, so the full $10,000 grant applies. The property value exceeds $600,000, so stamp duty is calculated at $16.15 per $100 on the amount above $600,000. That means $150,000 multiplied by 0.1615, or approximately $24,225 in duty. Without the concession, standard duty on $750,000 would be approximately $27,000. The buyer saves around $2,775 in duty and receives $10,000 in grant funds, totalling $12,775 in direct savings before considering deposit and LMI benefits.

Off-the-Plan Duty Concessions for New Developments

The off-the-plan duty concession applies to all new dwellings purchased off-the-plan or under construction in strata, survey-strata, or community titles scheme arrangements, and runs until 30 June 2028.

For pre-construction contracts, a 100% concession capped at $50,000 applies on dwellings valued up to $800,000, reducing proportionally to 50% for dwellings valued between $800,001 and $899,999. A 50% concession applies on dwellings valued at $900,000 or more. For under-construction contracts, a 75% concession capped at $50,000 applies on dwellings valued up to $800,000, reducing proportionally to 37.5% for dwellings valued between $800,001 and $899,999, and a 37.5% concession applies on dwellings valued at $900,000 or more.

This concession is available to buyers beyond first home buyers during the eligible period. Buyers can layer this concession with the First Home Owner Rate of duty if they meet all eligibility criteria for both schemes, though care is needed in the sequencing to avoid disqualification.

How the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme Changes the Equation

The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme enables eligible first home buyers to purchase with a deposit of as little as 5% of the property value. Housing Australia provides a guarantee to the participating lender of up to 15% of the property value, enabling borrowers to reach a combined deposit and guarantee of 20% without paying LMI. No income caps apply, and no annual place limits apply.

In Western Australia, the property price cap is $850,000 in capital cities and regional centres and $600,000 in other areas. Henley Brook falls within the Perth metropolitan area, so the $850,000 cap applies. Both the purchase price and the lender's assessed value of the home must be at or below the applicable cap.

A buyer purchasing at $825,000 in Henley Brook with a 5% deposit avoids LMI that would typically cost between $20,000 and $30,000 at that price point and LVR. When combined with the stamp duty concession, the total saving exceeds $50,000 before accounting for the FHOG. Applications are made through a panel of participating lenders and cannot be made directly to Housing Australia. Fixed rate, variable rate, and split rate structures may be available depending on the participating lender.

Structuring Your Home Loan Application to Preserve Concession Eligibility

Eligibility for the First Home Owner Rate of duty requires that neither the buyer nor their spouse or domestic partner has previously held a relevant property interest in Australia. A relevant property interest includes ownership of residential property, whether as sole owner, joint tenant, or tenant in common. Prior ownership disqualifies the buyer permanently.

Buyers who have previously owned commercial property, vacant land held purely as an investment without development, or property overseas may still be eligible depending on the specific circumstances. RevenueWA assesses eligibility on a case-by-case basis where the prior interest is not straightforward residential ownership.

Where two buyers are purchasing together and one has previously owned property, only the eligible buyer can be named on the title and the loan application. The other party can contribute financially through gifted funds or savings held jointly, but cannot appear as a registered proprietor or borrower without disqualifying the transaction from duty relief. This structure has implications for borrowing capacity and should be discussed with a broker before contracts are exchanged.

Timing Completion to Meet Residency Requirements

The duty concession requires buyers to occupy the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of completion. Completion is defined as the date of settlement for established homes and the date of practical completion for new builds.

Buyers purchasing off-the-plan in Henley Brook or nearby Brabham or Aveley need to factor construction delays into their residency planning. If practical completion occurs 18 months after contract signing, the buyer has 12 months from that completion date to move in and commence the six-month residency period. Failure to meet the residency requirement triggers a reassessment and potential clawback of the concession.

Buyers working FIFO or temporarily relocating for work can still meet the requirement if they maintain the home as their principal place of residence and return during non-work periods, provided they can demonstrate genuine principal place of residence status rather than investment use. Where doubt exists, buyers should seek a private ruling from RevenueWA before settlement.

Why Henley Brook Suits Buyers Maximising Concessions

Henley Brook's position in the Swan Valley corridor delivers access to both the Ellenbrook train line and proximity to the Tonkin Highway, giving buyers connectivity without the price premium of inner suburbs. The suburb is part of the City of Swan, which has delivered consistent residential growth driven by master-planned estates, improved infrastructure, and demand from buyers seeking larger blocks within commuting distance of the CBD.

Nearby suburbs including The Vines, Upper Swan, and Ellenbrook East share similar characteristics but vary in price, yield, and transaction volume. Henley Brook sits at a median that allows first home buyers to access both the FHOG and the full duty concession without breaching the $850,000 cap on the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, making it one of the few corridors where all three benefits can be layered without compromise.

The suburb's appeal to families and long-term owner-occupiers means resale is supported by genuine end-user demand rather than speculative activity, which insulates values during periods of broader market softening. Buyers who meet the residency requirement and hold the property as their principal place of residence for at least six months preserve their concession entitlement and build equity in a corridor that has demonstrated consistent fundamentals.

Call one of our team or book an appointment at a time that works for you. We work with participating lenders across the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme panel and can structure your application to preserve concession eligibility while maximising your borrowing capacity and deposit flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions