Buying Your First Home in the Army, Navy or Air Force (2026)

Q: Which ADF branches can access DHOAS and the first home buyer grants?

All of them. Serving, Reserve and ex-serving members of the Army, Navy and Air Force can access DHOAS, HPAS and HPSEA subject to their service, and every ADF member who is a first home buyer can use the civilian schemes. ADF members can stack the Defence benefits (DHOAS, HPAS and HPSEA) on top of the civilian first home buyer stack — the 5% Deposit Scheme with no LMI, the $30,000 Queensland or $10,000 Victorian First Home Owner Grant, the $0 Queensland stamp duty exemption on new builds, and the First Home Super Saver Scheme — because the Defence and civilian benefits sit in separate eligibility silos.

Which ADF branches can access DHOAS and the first home buyer grants?

All of them. Serving, Reserve and ex-serving members of the Army, Navy and Air Force can access DHOAS, HPAS and HPSEA subject to their service, and every ADF member who is a first home buyer can use the civilian schemes. ADF members can stack the Defence benefits (DHOAS, HPAS and HPSEA) on top of the civilian first home buyer stack — the 5% Deposit Scheme with no LMI, the $30,000 Queensland or $10,000 Victorian First Home Owner Grant, the $0 Queensland stamp duty exemption on new builds, and the First Home Super Saver Scheme — because the Defence and civilian benefits sit in separate eligibility silos.

By Chaice Paterson, CEO & Founder, Low Deposit Homes | Updated June 2026

Whether you’re in the Army, the Navy or the Air Force, the first home buyer help available to you is fundamentally the same — the Defence housing benefits (DHOAS, HPAS, HPSEA) apply across all three services, and the civilian first home buyer schemes apply to every Australian first home buyer. What differs between branches isn’t the benefits — it’s where you’re posted, and therefore where it makes sense to buy. This guide covers what every ADF first home buyer gets, then the posting-location angle for each service. Low Deposit Homes builds across Queensland and Victoria and matches you to your base.

What every ADF member gets, regardless of branch

The benefit stack doesn’t change between Army, Navy and Air Force: – DHOAS — monthly subsidy on your loan interest, based on your service tier (subsidised loan limits of $413,690 / $620,535 / $827,380 for Tiers 1–3 in 2025–26; the monthly dollar amount moves with rates) – HPAS — one-off $16,949 before tax for permanent members buying their first home in their posting location – HPSEA — reimbursement of posting-driven buy/sell costs – The civilian stack — 5% Deposit Scheme (no LMI), the First Home Owner Grant (under $750,000), $0 Queensland stamp duty on new builds, the Victorian stamp duty exemption, and the First Home Super Saver Scheme

Your eligibility depends on your service (permanent vs Reserve, years served) and your status as a first home buyer — not on which uniform you wear. Where your branch matters is your posting.

Buying a first home in the Army

The Army has the largest footprint of the three services and a wide spread of bases, so Army members are posted across many locations. In our build corridors, the most relevant Army bases include Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera (Brisbane’s north-west), the Greenbank Training Area (Logan), Simpson Barracks at Watsonia (north-east Melbourne) and Puckapunyal (regional Victoria). Army postings can move you regularly, which makes the “buy near your posting, keep it as an investment if you move” strategy — with DHOAS continuing and HPSEA covering posting-driven costs — especially relevant. If you’re posted to Enoggera or Greenbank, our dedicated guides for those corridors go deeper.

Buying a first home in the Navy

Navy postings cluster around port and base locations. In our Victorian corridor, HMAS Cerberus at Crib Point (Mornington Peninsula) is the key establishment, suiting the south-east and peninsula side of Melbourne. Navy life — with sea postings and deployments — makes the stability of owning your own home particularly valuable, and DHOAS continues to subsidise your loan regardless of where service takes you. The same stack applies: civilian schemes to get in, DHOAS to lower the repayment, HPAS if you’re buying your first home in your posting location as a permanent member.

Buying a first home in the Air Force

The Air Force’s largest base is RAAF Base Amberley near Ipswich in South East Queensland — one of our strongest build corridors — with RAAF Williams (Laverton and Point Cook) serving Melbourne’s west. Air Force members posted to Amberley are well placed: the Ipswich growth corridor offers new builds close to base, and our dedicated Amberley guide walks through the price bands and the stack. For RAAF Williams personnel, Melbourne’s west and the Melton corridor offer the most affordable entry, often capturing the full Victorian stack under $750,000.

Which branch gets the best deal?

None — and that’s the point. The Defence housing benefits are service-wide, so an Army corporal, a Navy petty officer and an Air Force sergeant with the same years of service and the same loan get the same DHOAS subsidy. What changes your outcome is your posting location (which corridor, which price band) and your service length (which DHOAS tier). We work both into your plan regardless of your branch.

How Low Deposit Homes helps across all three services

We map your benefits — identical across Army, Navy and Air Force — to your specific posting, arrange your full bank approval before you commit, and link you up with the banks or brokers, including defence-savvy lenders across DHOAS, who’ll handle your application. Then we match you to a new-build package near your base in Queensland or Victoria. Book a 15-minute call.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Army, Navy or Air Force get different home buyer benefits? No — DHOAS, HPAS and HPSEA apply across all three services. Your eligibility depends on permanent vs Reserve service and years served, not your branch. Posting location is what differs.

I’m in the Navy and deploy often — is buying worth it? Many Navy members value owning a stable home base, and DHOAS subsidises your loan regardless of where you’re deployed. We’ll help you weigh it against your posting pattern.

Which bases does Low Deposit Homes build near? In Queensland: Amberley (Air Force), Enoggera and Greenbank (Army). In Victoria: RAAF Williams (Air Force), Simpson Barracks (Army), HMAS Cerberus (Navy) and Puckapunyal. We build across both states and match you to your posting.

Do I have to buy near my base? No — but HPAS and HPSEA are tied to your posting location, so buying in your posting area helps keep those benefits in play.

Start your first home plan, whatever your service

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Related Defence guides

Low Deposit Homes operates under Winning Homes Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 633 321 758). Figures illustrative, current as at June 2026; DHOAS values move with rates, eligibility varies by service. General information only, not financial or credit advice.