Shared Equity Schemes in Australia (2026): Help to Buy and Every State Scheme

What shared equity is

In a shared equity scheme a government contributes part of the price of your home, so you need a smaller deposit and a smaller loan. You pay no rent or interest on its share. When you sell, or buy its share back, it receives the same percentage of the home’s value at that time.

The trade-off is always the same: lower repayments now, in exchange for a share of the growth later. The national scheme is Help to Buy; four states also run their own.

Every scheme and its status

From each scheme’s official page, read 7 October 2026.

Scheme	Where	Status	Headline terms
Help to Buy	Australia-wide	OpenOpen in every state and territory since 9 June 2026	Up to 40% of a new home or 30% of an existing one; 2% deposit; income limits $103,000 single, $165,000 joint or single parent
Boost to Buy	Queensland	Open, limitedRound 2 open with up to 500 places; South East Queensland appointments are all taken, so regional places only	Up to 30% of a new home or 25% of an existing one; 2% deposit; $1 million price cap; income limits $155,000 single, $232,000 couples or with dependants
Keystart shared ownership	Western Australia	OpenSharedStart, GoodStart and Sole Parent loans offered; Urban Connect Shared Equity launched 8 October 2025	Urban Connect: new apartments and townhouses up to $730,000, government share up to 35% or $250,000
HomeStart Shared Equity Option	South Australia	OpenOffered	A 5% to 25% share; net household income up to $120,000; $750,000 price cap
MyHome	Tasmania	OpenOpen, applications through Bank of us	Up to 40% or $300,000 of a new home, up to 30% or $150,000 of an existing one; price caps $800,000 new, $750,000 existing
Victorian Homebuyer Fund	Victoria	ClosedClosed to new applications on 10 September 2025	n/a
Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper	New South Wales	ClosedClosed on 30 June 2024	n/a

You can only use one

Help to Buy can’t be combined with any other shared equity scheme or with the 5% Deposit Scheme. It can be combined with first home owner grants, stamp duty concessions and the First Home Super Saver Scheme.

Victoria and NSW: the closed schemes

The Victorian Homebuyer Fund closed to new applications on 10 September 2025, and the State Revenue Office lists it among its closed schemes. NSW’s Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper closed on 30 June 2024. In both states, shared equity now means Help to Buy:

Victoria: $950,000 in Melbourne and Geelong, $650,000 elsewhere. Help to Buy in Victoria.
NSW: $1,300,000 in Sydney and the named regional centres, $800,000 elsewhere. Help to Buy in NSW.

The state schemes still open

Boost to Buy (Queensland)

Round 2 open with up to 500 places; South East Queensland appointments are all taken, so regional places only. Up to 30% of a new home or 25% of an existing one; 2% deposit; $1 million price cap; income limits $155,000 single, $232,000 couples or with dependants. Official page.

Keystart shared ownership (Western Australia)

SharedStart, GoodStart and Sole Parent loans offered; Urban Connect Shared Equity launched 8 October 2025. Urban Connect: new apartments and townhouses up to $730,000, government share up to 35% or $250,000. Official page.

HomeStart Shared Equity Option (South Australia)

Offered. A 5% to 25% share; net household income up to $120,000; $750,000 price cap. Official page.

MyHome (Tasmania)

Open, applications through Bank of us. Up to 40% or $300,000 of a new home, up to 30% or $150,000 of an existing one; price caps $800,000 new, $750,000 existing. Official page.

Help to Buy is also available in all four states: Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia and Tasmania (see the price caps).

Help to Buy or a state scheme?

Where you have a choice, compare on four things:

Income limits. Help to Buy’s are $103,000 single and $165,000 joint. Boost to Buy’s are higher; HomeStart’s is set on net household income.
The share. Help to Buy goes to 40% of a new home; Boost to Buy to 30%, HomeStart to 25%.
The price cap in the area you’re buying.
Availability. Open in every state and territory since 9 June 2026; Boost to Buy has regional places only in its current round.

The Help to Buy calculatorshows the national scheme’s numbers; for a state scheme, ask its lender for the same figures and compare.

Getting out of a shared equity scheme

Under Help to Buy you can buy the government’s share back in steps of at least 5% of the home’s value, or all at once, at a valuation you pay for. Selling repays its share from the proceeds. Refinancing to a lender outside the scheme means repaying its share in full. State schemes set their own rules, so read the scheme’s terms before you sign.

Sources and methodology

Housing Australia: Australian Government Help to Buy scheme · read 7 October 2026
Queensland Treasury: Boost to Buy · read 7 October 2026
Keystart: Shared ownership home loan · read 7 October 2026
HomeStart: Shared equity option · read 7 October 2026
Homes Tasmania: MyHome · read 7 October 2026
State Revenue Office Victoria: Victorian Homebuyer Fund · read 7 October 2026
Revenue NSW: Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper · read 7 October 2026
Help to Buy Program Directions 2025 · Help to Buy can't be combined with other shared equity schemes (s17(d), Sch 1 cl 1.6)
Housing Australia: Help to Buy customer guide (1 July 2026)

Take the full guide with you.

The complete guide to buying property in Australia: what you can really spend, the 2026 schemes state by state, how not to overpay, and how the selling side plays you. Free PDF, personalised to your situation, in your inbox in 60 seconds.

Get the free buying guide

Common questions

What is a shared equity scheme and how does it work?

A government contributes part of the price of your home, so you need a smaller deposit and loan. You pay no rent or interest on its share. When you sell, or when you buy its share back, it receives the same percentage of the home's value at that time, so it shares in any growth.

Is the Victorian Homebuyer Fund still open?

No. The Victorian Homebuyer Fund closed to new applications on 10 September 2025. Victorian buyers can use the federal Help to Buy scheme instead, with price caps of $950,000 in Melbourne and Geelong and $650,000 elsewhere in Victoria.

Is there a shared equity scheme in NSW?

Only Help to Buy. NSW's own Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper closed on 30 June 2024. Help to Buy's NSW price caps are $1,300,000 in Sydney and the named regional centres, and $800,000 elsewhere.

Is the shared equity scheme a good idea?

It suits buyers who can't service a full loan. On a $700,000 home, Help to Buy cuts repayments from about $4,203 to $3,009 a month at 6.5% (against a 5% deposit loan). The cost is the share of growth you give up, and limits on renting the home out. If you can comfortably service the bigger loan, the 5% Deposit Scheme lets you keep all the growth.

How much can I borrow with shared equity?

Shared equity doesn't raise what a lender will lend you; it lowers how much you need. Your loan is the price less your deposit and the government's share, and the lender still has to be satisfied you can repay it. The Help to Buy calculator works out the loan and repayments for a given price.

Can I use Help to Buy with Boost to Buy?

No. Help to Buy can't be combined with any other shared equity scheme, and Queensland's Boost to Buy excludes anyone receiving Commonwealth shared equity. You choose one.

How do you get out of a shared equity scheme?

Under Help to Buy you buy the government's share back, in steps of at least 5% of the home's value or all at once, or you sell and it receives its share of the sale. Refinancing to a lender outside the scheme means repaying its share in full. State schemes have their own rules; check the scheme's terms.