By Chaice Paterson, CEO & Founder, Low Deposit Homes | Updated June 2026
Boost to Buy is Queensland’s most generous first home buyer shared equity scheme in 2026 — and it’s brand new. Under the Queensland Government’s program launched in December 2025, eligible first home buyers can purchase a $1 million property with as little as 2% deposit ($20,000) while the state government contributes up to 30% of the purchase price as a shared equity stake. With income caps among the most generous in Australia ($150,000 for singles, $225,000 for couples or singles with dependants), Boost to Buy unlocks home ownership for a meaningfully larger cohort than the Federal Help to Buy scheme. However, there’s a critical limitation most buyers don’t realise: Boost to Buy requires the property to have a Certificate of Occupancy issued before the contract is signed — which means off-the-plan purchases and house and land packages signed during construction don’t qualify. This guide breaks down exactly how it works, who it suits, and the major constraint that affects who can actually use it.
What Is Boost to Buy Queensland?
Boost to Buy is a shared equity scheme run by the Queensland Government — completely separate from the Federal Help to Buy program. The Queensland Government contributes a portion of the purchase price in exchange for an equity stake in the property. You contribute the deposit (minimum 2%) and take out a mortgage for the remaining balance.
For the official source, see the Queensland Treasury Boost to Buy overview.
The structure:
- You contribute: Minimum 2% deposit
- The Queensland Government contributes: Up to 30% on a new home (up to 25% on an existing home) as a shared equity stake
- Your loan: The remaining percentage — typically 68–73% of the property value
The government’s contribution isn’t a grant. It’s an equity stake — they own a share of the property until you buy them out or sell. But because their contribution reduces your loan size, your weekly mortgage repayments drop significantly compared to traditional financing.
How Much Deposit Do I Need for Boost to Buy?
For a $1,000,000 new build in South East Queensland under Boost to Buy:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Property price | $1,000,000 |
| Your deposit (2%) | $20,000 |
| Queensland Government equity (30%) | $300,000 |
| Your loan (68%) | $680,000 |
| Stamp duty | $0 (FHB new build exemption) |
| Land transfer + legal + fees | ~$3,200 |
| Total cash needed at settlement | ~$23,500 |
For an $850,000 new build:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Property price | $850,000 |
| Your deposit (2%) | $17,000 |
| QLD Government equity (30%) | $255,000 |
| Your loan (68%) | $578,000 |
| Stamp duty | $0 |
| Land transfer + fees | ~$3,000 |
| Total cash needed | ~$20,500 |
Weekly mortgage repayment on a $680,000 loan at 6% over 30 years: approximately $1,015/week. For Queensland first home buyers comparing this against a $1M property under the 5% Deposit Scheme ($1,260/week), the Boost to Buy structure delivers around $245/week lower repayments — for a buyer staying long-term in the property, that’s $127K of cash flow savings over 10 years.
“Boost to Buy has the most generous income caps of any state shared equity scheme in Australia right now — $150K single, $225K couple or single with dependants. The catch most buyers don’t realise: the Certificate of Occupancy has to be issued before contracts are signed, which excludes off-the-plan and house and land packages. For LDH clients buying during construction, Boost to Buy usually isn’t the path — but for someone targeting a completed new build or established home in Queensland, it’s worth understanding.” — Chaice Paterson, founder of Low Deposit Homes
Who Qualifies for Boost to Buy in 2026?
To qualify you must:
- Be a first home buyer purchasing in Queensland
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Meet income limits: single applicants up to $150,000 per year, or households (couples or singles with dependants) up to $225,000 per year
- Have a minimum 2% deposit
- Purchase a property up to $1,000,000
- Live in the property as your principal place of residence
- Be approved for a home loan by a participating Boost to Buy lender
The income caps are the standout feature. The Federal Help to Buy caps at $100K single / $160K couple. Boost to Buy is significantly more generous — $150K single / $225K couple/single with dependants.
What Are the Property Price Caps?
The Boost to Buy property cap is a single $1,000,000 across Queensland — no metro-versus-regional distinction. This is one of the simplest cap structures of any government home ownership scheme in Australia.
Properties up to $1M qualify in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Beaudesert, Toowoomba, North Brisbane corridors, and across regional Queensland.
New Build vs Existing Home Under Boost to Buy
The government’s equity contribution percentage differs:
- New homes (with Certificate of Occupancy issued): Up to 30% government equity contribution
- Existing homes: Up to 25% government equity contribution
For Low Deposit Homes clients buying new builds, this means the maximum government contribution and the lowest possible loan size. On a $1M new build, the loan is $680K; on a $1M existing home, the loan would be $730K.
This 5% additional government contribution on new builds is significant — over a 30-year loan at 6%, the lower loan balance saves roughly $108K in total interest payments. For a buyer choosing between a completed new build and an existing home, the Boost to Buy structure substantially favours new.
The Critical Limitation: Boost to Buy Doesn’t Work for Off-the-Plan or House and Land Packages
This is the single most important constraint to understand about Boost to Buy in 2026 — and it materially affects who can actually use the scheme.
Boost to Buy requires the property to have a Certificate of Occupancy (or Final Inspection Certificate) issued BEFORE you sign the contract.
What this means in practice:
- Off-the-plan apartment or townhouse purchases: Not eligible. The CO isn’t issued until construction is complete.
- House and land packages (the LDH core product): Not eligible when contracted at construction phase. The land contract is signed before the home is built — no CO exists yet.
- Properties bought at auction: Not eligible (auctions are unconditional, so cannot be made conditional on scheme approval).
This is significant because most first home buyers using Low Deposit Homes are purchasing house and land packages where the land contract is signed during construction or even pre-construction. For these buyers, Boost to Buy is not an available scheme.
Who Boost to Buy actually works for:
- Buyers purchasing a completed new build (already constructed, with CO issued, sitting on the market)
- Buyers purchasing an existing established home
- Buyers willing to wait until a developer completes a build and then enter the market post-CO
For Low Deposit Homes house-and-land-package clients, the practical options remain the 5% Deposit Scheme (no LMI, full ownership, no off-the-plan restriction) and the Federal Help to Buy (shared equity, lower weekly repayments, accepts off-the-plan and house and land packages).
We assess every client’s eligibility across all available schemes on the discovery call — but for most of our QLD clients buying new builds during construction, Boost to Buy is unfortunately not an available path.
How Many Places Are Available?
Boost to Buy is operating in rounds. The current state:
- Total funding: $330 million over three years
- Total places: Up to 2,000 first home buyers
- 50% of places reserved for regional Queensland
- Round 2 opened April 2026 with 500 additional places (1,000 released so far)
- Approved lender: Unity Bank (first participating lender; more expected to join)
- Application basis: First-come, first-served
Unlike the Federal 5% Deposit Scheme (which became uncapped in October 2025), Boost to Buy is rationed. If you’re considering applying, timing matters — round openings have historically been allocated within weeks of opening.
What Happens If My Income Grows Above the Cap?
If your taxable income exceeds the threshold ($150K single or $225K household) for two consecutive financial years, the Queensland Government may require you to repay a portion of their equity. This isn’t an immediate disqualification — it’s a future obligation triggered by sustained higher earnings.
Practically, this matters most for buyers in early-career stages where income may grow substantially over 5–10 years. For most Boost to Buy participants the income limit is a long-term consideration, not an immediate one.
What Happens When I Sell or Want to Buy the Government Out?
Two scenarios:
- You sell the property: The Queensland Government receives their equity share at the current market value. So if they contributed 30% on a $1M property and you sell for $1.3M, they receive 30% of $1.3M = $390K. You retain the remainder minus your loan balance and selling costs.
- You buy out the government: You can purchase additional equity from the government over time at the current property valuation. Most participants do this gradually as their income grows. The buyout price is based on the property’s current market value at the time of the buyout.
The trade-off is straightforward: you get into a property 5+ years sooner than you otherwise could, in exchange for sharing future capital growth with the government.
Boost to Buy vs Help to Buy: Which One?
For Queensland first home buyers, the two main shared equity options have meaningfully different rules:
| Factor | Boost to Buy (QLD) | Help to Buy (Federal) |
|---|---|---|
| Income cap (single) | $150,000 | $100,000 |
| Income cap (couple / single with dependants) | $225,000 | $160,000 |
| Government equity (new home) | Up to 30% | Up to 40% |
| Government equity (existing home) | Up to 25% | Up to 30% |
| Minimum deposit | 2% | 2% |
| Property cap (QLD) | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Places | ~2,000 over 3 years | 10,000 per year (40,000 over 4 years) |
| Approved lenders | Unity Bank (more coming) | Commonwealth Bank, Bank Australia (more coming) |
| First home buyer required | Yes | No (first-time or returning) |
| Off-the-plan / house and land packages | Not eligible (Certificate of Occupancy must be issued before contract signing) | Eligible |
| Can convert to investment later | Not while government has equity | Cannot rent out at all |
Choose Boost to Buy if: Your income is above Help to Buy caps ($100K single / $160K couple) but within Boost to Buy caps. The QLD-specific scheme captures buyers Help to Buy excludes.
Choose Help to Buy if: Your income is within both caps AND you want the maximum government equity contribution (40% vs 30%) for the lowest possible loan size and weekly repayments.
We assess both on the discovery call.
How Do I Apply?
Boost to Buy applications go through approved lenders, not directly to the Queensland Government. The current process:
- Free 15-minute consultation with Low Deposit Homes — we confirm your eligibility for Boost to Buy versus other schemes
- Pre-approval through Unity Bank or another participating lender
- Reservation of your Boost to Buy place (first-come, first-served within current round)
- Property selection — house and land package in approved Queensland corridor
- Contract and unconditional approval
Round 2 of Boost to Buy is currently open, but regional places fill faster than SEQ places typically — application timing affects which round you can access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Boost to Buy on a house and land package?
Generally no — and this is the single most important limitation of Boost to Buy. The scheme requires the property to have a Certificate of Occupancy (or Final Inspection Certificate) issued BEFORE you sign the contract. House and land packages where you contract during construction (the standard LDH structure) don’t qualify because no CO exists at the time of contract signing. Boost to Buy works for completed new builds (where construction is finished and CO issued) and established homes. For house-and-land-package buyers, the 5% Deposit Scheme or Help to Buy are the practical alternatives.
What happens if I want to renovate or extend my Boost to Buy property?
Minor renovations and standard maintenance don’t require government approval. Major works that materially change the property value may require notification. The Queensland Government’s equity share is in the property’s market value, so renovations that increase the value also increase their share unless you’ve bought them out first.
Can I combine Boost to Buy with the $30K QLD First Home Owner Grant?
For contracts under $750,000, yes — the FHOG and Boost to Buy stack. Most Boost to Buy buyers, however, are purchasing above the $750K FHOG cap, where the 5% Deposit Scheme is the main grant. The QLD stamp duty exemption for new build first home buyers applies regardless of contract price.
What’s the difference between Boost to Buy and the 5% Deposit Scheme?
The 5% Deposit Scheme is a Federal program that eliminates LMI on a standard mortgage with a 5% deposit. You own 100% of the property and have a larger loan. Boost to Buy is a Queensland state program that takes shared equity (up to 30%) in exchange for reducing your loan size and lowering weekly repayments. You own a smaller percentage of the property but pay less per week. The right choice depends on whether you prioritise full ownership (5% Scheme) or lower weekly repayments (Boost to Buy).
Will Boost to Buy still be available in 2027?
Boost to Buy is funded for $330 million over three years (to approximately 2028) supporting up to 2,000 first home buyers. Whether additional funding is allocated beyond that depends on Queensland state budget decisions. If you’re eligible now and serious about buying, applying in the current round is the safest path.
Ready to See If Boost to Buy Works for You?
Book a free 15-minute consultation with Low Deposit Homes — Book your free call | Call 1800 920 172
We’ve helped 1000+ families navigate the QLD first home buyer schemes. Boost to Buy is brand new and most Queensland buyers don’t yet know whether they qualify. The consultation is free, and we’ll confirm in 15 minutes which scheme delivers the best outcome for your situation.
Low Deposit Homes operates under Winning Homes Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 633 321 758). All deposit calculations are indicative and based on general scenarios. Individual circumstances may vary. Government grant eligibility is subject to assessment by the relevant authority. This guide is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.