Family Home Guarantee

The Family Home Guarantee is part of the Home Guarantee Scheme, an Australian Government initiative that helps home buyers to buy a home sooner. We are proud to be a  participating lender in this initiative. For the 2025/26 financial year, there are 5,000 places available for the Family Home Guarantee.

Eligible borrowers can use the Family Home Guarantee in conjunction with other government programs like the First Home Super Save Scheme, and relevant state and territory first home owner grants and stamp duty exemptions (find out more about those here).

How does the Family Home Guarantee work?

Home buyers usually need a deposit of 20% of the Property Value to get a home loan, and those with a smaller deposit may require Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).

Under the Home Guarantee Scheme, Housing Australia provides a Guarantee to the lender, so home buyers only need a 2% or 5% deposit depending on the type of Guarantee. This helps home buyers to buy a home sooner, with lower upfront costs.

If you’re eligible for the Family Home Guarantee, the minimum deposit required is 2% of the property value.

How do I apply for the Family Home Guarantee

Check your eligibility

The section titled "Eligibility Criteria" below details the main eligibility criteria. You can find out more at the Housing Australia website to check your eligibility.

Get in touch with us

Book an appointment online, by calling 133 462, or at your local IMB branch.

Submit your home loan application

Once you’ve received conditional approval from IMB, we will collect the documents required for eligibility and reserve your Guarantee place.

Buy your home

You now have 90 days to purchase your new home after you’re approved for the Family Home Guarantee.

Eligibility criteria

Home buyers  need to meet a range of eligibility criteria to qualify for the Home  Guarantee Scheme. For the Family Home Guarantee, these include:

Citizenship  – be an Australian citizen(s) or permanent resident(s)

Applicant  type - Single parents or single legal guardians of one or more dependent  children*

Income  – taxable income at or below $125,000, shown on your ATO Notice of Assessment  

Deposit  – minimum 2% of the Property Value

Property  ownership - Buyers who don’t currently own property or those who won’t  have any other property interest once their new home settles

Owner-occupier  – you must buy or build a home to live in (investment properties are not  eligible)

Loan type  – owner-occupier loan with Principal and Interest repayments, with a maximum  loan term of 30 years

Minimum  age – must be at least 18 years old

Purchase  property - Your purchased property must be an acceptable property type  and within the property price threshold for the suburb and postcode.

What type of home can I buy?

For a property to be eligible it must be a residential property. Eligible residential properties generally include:

• An existing house, townhouse or apartment
• A house and land package
• Land and separate contract to build a home
• An off-the-plan apartment or townhouse

Property price thresholds also apply, based on where you buy. Search the property price threshold for a suburb or post code at Housing Australia

Fact sheets and information guides

For complete information on eligibility, property types and more from Housing Australia, click on the information guide links below or head to Housing Australia website.

• Home Guarantee Scheme Fact Sheet
• Family Home Guarantee Information Guide