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HomeStart’s Graduate Loan, which allows eligible borrowers to enter the market with as little as a 2 per cent deposit, has been extended to include police officers, firefighters, and technical college graduates.
The product was already available to ambulance officers and selected applicants holding Certificate III qualifications.
Under the revised eligibility settings, newly included borrowers purchasing a property worth up to $850,000 could save up to $25,500 on upfront deposit requirements compared with a standard 5 per cent deposit.
At the same time, HomeStart has increased household and individual income thresholds for both its Advantage Loan and Starter Loan products to $110,000.
The Starter Loan provides eligible low-income buyers with an interest-free and repayment-free loan of up to $10,000 for seven years to help cover upfront purchase costs.
The Advantage Loan is designed to allow customers to borrow more to increase their buying budget without increasing monthly repayments.
Previously, the Advantage Loan had a maximum household income limit of $85,000, while the Starter Loan was capped at $75,000 for singles and $100,000 for households.
HomeStart CEO Andrew Mills said the lender was continuing to broaden access to home ownership in South Australia.
“HomeStart continues to expand and evolve to meet the needs of South Australians,” he said.
“By broadening eligibility for our 2% deposit Graduate Loan and raising the income thresholds for our Advantage and Starter Loans, we’re creating new ways for South Australians to buy a home.”
South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said the changes were intended to remove barriers for more first home buyers and essential workers.
“HomeStart is one of the most powerful tools the State Government has to help South Australians into their own homes. Whether it’s a graduate coming out of Tech College, a firefighter protecting our suburbs, or a young family stretching to meet upfront costs, this expansion is about removing barriers and giving people a real shot at home ownership,” Koutsantonis said.
“These are practical changes that will make a real difference for South Australian families trying to get their foot in the door.”
South Australian Minister for Housing, Nick Champion, said the broadened settings had been implemented immediately.
“Our police and firefighters put themselves on the line for our community every day,” he said.
“They deserve the security of owning their own home. Our Tech College graduates are the essential workers powering South Australia’s future, and now we’re making sure they have a pathway not just into a great career, but into a home of their own.
“We have enacted these changes straight away and now more South Australians than ever have a genuine pathway into the housing market.”
The expansion is one of several recent initiatives aimed at improving housing access for Australians. It follows the October 2025 expansion of the federal Home Guarantee Scheme, which lifted the cap on the number of available places and removed income limits.
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