ABA welcomes support for regional first home buyers 

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) today welcomed a government initiative to help 10,000 first home buyers purchase a home in regional Australia. 

From Saturday, thousands more Australians will be able to apply for financial support under the Regional First Home Buyers Guarantee (RFHBG) scheme to assist them in purchasing a home with a deposit as small as five per cent. 

““We know affordable housing is critical to the financial and social wellbeing of the community.”  

ABA COO Vanessa Beggs

The Australian Banking Association Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Beggs said the initiative was an important step to help address the housing challenge in Australia. 

“We know affordable housing is critical to the financial and social wellbeing of the community. Home ownership remains an important financial and lifestyle goal for many Australians and policies which facilitate affordable and sustainable home ownership should remain at the centre of Australia’s housing policy agenda,” Ms Beggs said. 

“We welcome the expansion of the First Home Buyers Guarantee scheme, noting that it has been particularly successful to date in supporting women and front-line workers enter the housing market. Aspiring home buyers should contact a participating lender to discuss their circumstances.”  

The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee Scheme is an expansion to the federal government’s Home Guarantee Scheme focused on homebuyers looking to buy in regional areas and will remain open until 2025. 

To be eligible, home buyers must have lived in the regional area or near the regional area in which they are purchasing for the preceding 12-month period.