Boost to Buy eligibility, ongoing obligations and exit process

Applications for the Boost to Buy home ownership scheme open from Monday 15 December 2025.

Homes you can buy

An ‘eligible property’ must:

  • be an existing or newly built residential property, such as a house, townhouse, unit or apartment (with a certificate of occupancy issued)
  • be located in Queensland
  • have a purchase price of $1 million or less.

Ineligible homes

Properties not eligible for the scheme are:

  • off-the-plan purchases – for newly built homes, a Certificate of Occupancy must be issued before you sign the contract to buy the property, so off-the-plan purchases won’t qualify for the scheme
  • vacant land
  • properties bought at auction – as auction sales are unconditional, properties bought at auction are ineligible.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for Boost to Buy you must:

  • be an Australian citizen and/or permanent resident aged 18 years or older at the time of applying to the scheme
  • be a first home buyer i.e. neither you nor your spouse own or have owned real property in Australia
  • have a minimum deposit of 2% of the purchase price (which must represent demonstrated savings and cannot include the First Home Owner Grant). (Note: Your savings must cover any acquisition costs, such as transfer duty, conveyancing costs and mortgage registration fees)
  • be within the relevant income threshold, either:
    • a single adult with an annual income of up to $150,000
    • two adults (with or without dependant/s) with a combined annual income of up to $225,000
      or
    • a single adult with dependant/s with an annual income of up to $225,000
  • intend to be an owner-occupier and registered owner of the purchased property
  • be applying as an individual and not a company or a person acting as a trustee
  • intend to purchase an ‘eligible property’
  • ensure applicant name(s) are consistent across the property title, scheme application form and loan documents.

You must not be receiving assistance from:

  • a home-buyer guarantee or shared equity scheme provided by a Commonwealth entity or Commonwealth company
  • a loan or guarantee provided by or on behalf of a state or territory government to support home ownership.
list_alt_check Check your eligibility

Ongoing obligations

There are a range of ongoing obligations you must comply with to remain eligible for the scheme. The full list of obligations is available in the Participation Agreement, completed as part of your application. Some of your ongoing obligations are:

  • the property purchased must be your principal place of residence (you will need approval to vacate the property for more than 3 consecutive months)
  • your income must not exceed the relevant income threshold by 25% or more, noting income thresholds will increase each year based on the wage price index
  • you must not rent out your property (though you may rent out a room/take on a housemate)
  • you (and your joint applicant if applicable) must remain the only registered owners of the property
  • you must not acquire any additional land or property while in the scheme
  • you must maintain the property, keep things in good working order and fix any defects
  • your property must always be insured against damage, destruction (including by fire, flood, storm, cyclone etc) and any other risk required by your lender
  • you must pay all property-related expenses on time, including council rates, utilities costs and expenses, and body corporate fees and charges (where applicable)
  • you cannot increase your home loan amount other than to repay some or all of the Queensland Government’s equity
  • you cannot refinance unless it is with a scheme approved lender
  • you are required to remain in the scheme for at least 2 years from the date of settlement. After this time, you can exit the scheme
  • you must immediately notify the Scheme Provider of any changes to your circumstances that would impact your eligibility
  • you must complete a scheme eligibility audit every 5 years.

Read about complying with ongoing obligations.

Scheme exit

You are required to remain in the scheme, owning the property as your principal place of residence, for at least 2 years from the date of settlement.

After this time, you can exit the scheme by either:

  • selling your property (the proceeds will be used to repay the loan and the Queensland Government’s equity and any remaining proceeds will be your equity)
  • repaying the Queensland Government equity in full (you can do this by using your savings or by increasing your home loan via refinancing).

Read more about exiting the scheme.

Resources

More information

Disclaimer
This information provides a general overview of the Boost to Buy scheme and does not consider your individual financial situation or needs. Before making any decisions, assess whether the scheme suits your individual circumstances and seek advice tailored to your needs (such as financial, tax or legal) from a qualified professional.

Note: Scheme applications are subject to Scheme Provider approval. Loan applications to the approved lender are subject to credit approval, terms and conditions and fees.

Last updated: 12 December 2025