One in six eligible Australians to accelerate home purchase due to First Home Guarantee

In September 2025, Agile Market Intelligence's Consumer Pulse survey asked 1,358 Australian consumers about their awareness and sentiment on the expanded First Home Guarantee scheme that launched on 1st October. A quarter (25%) of consumers surveyed reported planning to use the scheme in the next two years, one in six (16%) eligible buyers report accelerating purchase plans in direct response to the policy changes.

Key stats you need to know

• 16% of eligible buyers are accelerating their home purchase plans due to the scheme expansion.
  
  
• Among consumers surveyed, 25% plan to use the First Home Guarantee within the next 2 years.
  
  
• Self-application and via a local bank branch were tied as the most common channels (36% each), with mortgage brokers trailing at 28%.

Awareness gap creates untapped market opportunity

• 45% of consumers understand the First Home Guarantee scheme, but about 1 in 4 (24%) held misconceptions.
  
  
• 31% of surveyed respondents were unaware of it.

Understanding of the First Home Guarantee scheme varied across the Australian population. Whilst 45% correctly identify that the scheme allows purchases with a 5% deposit, nearly one-third remain completely unaware of its existence. The remaining quarter hold misconceptions, with 9% believing it eliminates stamp duty and 7% thinking the government contributes to the purchase price. 

“There’s opportunity for better education and communication in this space, with nearly a third of consumers unaware of the First Home Guarantee expansion, and another quarter holding misconceptions about how it works,” said Michael Johnson, Director at Agile Market Intelligence.

Purchase acceleration demonstrates real market impact

• 58% of respondents are eligible for the scheme, 5% of which are consumers reported planning to use it before the end of 2025.
  
  
• For eligible first-home buyers, one in six respondents (16%) report accelerating their purchase plans specifically due to the policy change.
  
  
• Among the consumers surveyed, 25% reported wanting to use the First Home Guarantee scheme within the next 2 years.

Given a brief description of the First Home Guarantee scheme to establish awareness, 58% of those surveyed are revealed to be potential first home buyers. Those with home purchase plans make up 25% of consumers surveyed, with varying timelines. These eligible consumers were subsequently asked if the expansion of the policy has accelerated their plans to purchase a home, with 16% saying it has. Purchase acceleration represents genuine demand stimulation rather than simply shifting existing buyer intentions. 

“The 16% acceleration rate indicates the policy is successfully reducing barriers for buyers who were previously unable or unwilling to enter the market,” said Michael Johnson.

Channel preferences require multi-pathway approach

• Preferred access to the First Home Guarantee scheme was evenly distributed across self-application and via a local bank branch, and third-party channel following very closely behind.
  
  
• 36% of eligible consumers said they would apply for it themselves, another 36% said they would approach a local bank.
  
  
• 28% of eligible consumers would consult a mortgage broker.

This even distribution challenges assumptions about digital-first preferences among younger demographics typically targeted by first-home buyer policies. The strong preference for bank branches and approaching a mortgage broker (64% when combined) suggests many buyers still value face-to-face guidance for significant financial decisions, whilst the substantial broker preference indicates the continued importance of intermediary channels.

“The channel distribution has important implications for scheme implementation. Financial institutions must ensure consistent knowledge and processing capabilities across all touchpoints, whilst government education efforts need to support multiple pathways rather than favouring any single approach,” said Michael Johnson.

Policy sentiment reveals broad consensus

• More than 1 in 2 (56%) consumers felt that the expanded First Home Guarantee is a positive policy for Australia overall.
  
  
• 14% of consumers either felt ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ negative towards the scheme.
  
  
• One-third of consumers were either unsure or neutral about the policy.

The research demonstrates public backing for the government's housing intervention. Very positive sentiment accounts for 20% of responses, whilst somewhat positive views represent the largest segment at 36%. Combined (56%), these positive responses far outweigh negative sentiment (14%).

Neutral and undecided responses account for 30% of the sample, with 20% neither positive nor negative and 10% unsure. This suggests the policy has achieved broad awareness and opinion formation across the population, with relatively few remaining undecided about its merits.

“The strong positive sentiment spans beyond just eligible first-home buyers, indicating the policy resonates with broader public expectations about government intervention in housing affordability challenges,” said Michael Johnson.

About the research

This article is based on findings from Agile Market Intelligence’s Consumer Pulse survey, conducted across March to September 2025. The data presented are for 1,358 Australian consumers surveyed between 3rd to 29th of September 2025. Results are weighted to reflect national population profiles by age, gender, and state.

The Consumer Pulse is a monthly tracker of over 1,500 Australian consumers developed by Agile Market Intelligence to monitor consumer sentiment, financial stress, and behavioural shifts across key household segments. The survey provides a real-time view of financial wellbeing in Australia, segmented by debt status and home ownership.