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Buyer terms, then what actually changed in 2026

One page — not a dictionary mill. These are the words the DutyStack calculator is using. Last reviewed 2026-08-21 by Harbour Lending editorial.

Independent toolkit — not government

DutyStack is an independent product operated by Harbour Lending (Australia). It is not a government website, not affiliated with any state revenue office, and not a substitute for a conveyancer, licensed broker, or credit licensee. Stamp duty rates, concessions, grants and scheme rules change — always verify figures with the official source before you exchange or settle.

Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · Harbour Lending editorial

Stamp duty (transfer duty)

A state tax on buying dutiable property. The rate is a table, not a flat percent: NSW jumps to a 7% premium band above the indexed threshold; Queensland uses different home versus investment schedules. Contract date usually locks the table — not settlement date. DutyStack models common residential paths; a revenue office assessment still wins.

First home buyer (FHB)

A concession path, not a vibe. Most states require you (and any co-purchasers) to not have held residential land in Australia, and many require owner-occupier intent. Caps are price or dutiable-value gates: miss the cap by a dollar and the concession can vanish. NSW FHB relief on dwellings is a different schedule to vacant land.

Owner-occupier versus investor

Several states (notably Queensland) charge different duty if you will not live in the property. Toggling purpose on DutyStack is not a occupancy declaration to a lender — it only selects which table the estimate uses. Lenders will still test living arrangements for the loan.

FHOG (First Home Owner Grant)

A cash grant, usually only for a new dwelling, paid by the state — not a duty discount. Vacant land typically gets $0 FHOG even if FHB duty concessions apply. Timing is ugly: duty is often due on contract while the grant can arrive after settlement, so funds-to-complete should not assume the grant is in your solicitor’s trust account on day one.

Funds to complete

Cash you still need at settlement after the loan is drawn: deposit gap, duty, government fees, minus any modelled grant credit. It is not borrowing power and not a conveyancer’s adjusted statement. Add your own legal, pest, and move-in buffer on the worksheet under the calculator.

LVR and LMI

LVR is loan divided by price (or valuation if the bank uses one). Lenders mortgage insurance is a premium the insurer charges when LVR is high — often capitalised into the loan, so it is usually not extra cash at settlement. The Home Guarantee Scheme path is modelled as typically replacing LMI, not as a duty rewrite. Band estimates on this site are education, not an insurer quote.

5% Deposit Scheme (Home Guarantee Scheme)

A Housing Australia guarantee that lets eligible buyers borrow at about 95% LVR without LMI, subject to price caps and participating lenders. It does not change stamp duty by itself. If the property is over the cap, DutyStack will not pretend the scheme applied.

Vacant land versus dwelling

In NSW, FHB land uses lower value caps than an established or new home. Build a house on that land later and you are in a different duty story than buying the house already standing. FHOG still wants a new dwelling, not a dirt block. Other states often treat land closer to a “new/land” duty path — always check the hub for that state.

Foreign purchaser surcharge

An extra duty overlay for purchasers who are foreign persons under state definitions. Rates and exemptions differ. If you are an Australian citizen, leave the toggle off; if you might be a temporary resident, verify with the revenue office before you exchange.

Offset account

Cash sitting against the loan so daily interest is charged on loan minus offset. On P&I, the contractual repayment usually stays the same — more of each payment hits principal. Excess above the loan earns nothing in this model. Not a lender’s actual product schedule.

What changed in the 2026 tables we model

Engine version stamp: 2026-07-ftc. This is the legislation DutyStack coded — not a news feed. Verify the official source for your contract date.

NSW from 1 July 2026: general residential tables CPI-indexed. The 7% premium band starts above $3.87m in the current model. FHB dwelling relief still dies at $1m; vacant-land FHB uses the lower $350k / $450k land gates — see the NSW hub, not a generic “FHB is free” headline.
Tasmania: the FHB duty exemption up to $750k ended 30 June 2026. From 1 July 2026 the estimate uses standard TAS rates. FHOG for new homes is modelled at $20k (it was $30k for earlier contracts).
Queensland FHOG: $30k for eligible new-home contracts on or before 30 June 2026; the current table uses $15k for new homes at or under the QLD cap. Duty still uses QLD’s home versus investment schedules — purpose is not optional colour.
Northern Territory scheme cap: Darwin modelled at $750k from 1 July 2026; the rest of NT stays $600k in this engine. If you are buying outside Darwin, do not use the Darwin number.

For the live cash stack, open the calculator or a state hub. To force two paths against the same price, use compare.

Official sources

Use these sites to confirm duty, grants and scheme eligibility for your contract. DutyStack models common residential paths for education; the revenue office assessment wins.

Methodology: How it works. Corrections: Contact.

Who operates DutyStack

DutyStack (dutystack.com.au) is operated by Harbour Lending, Australia. Contact: hello@dutystack.com.au. Editorial review: Harbour Lending editorial, 2026-08-21.

Harbour Lending is not a bank and does not provide regulated credit assistance through this free consumer site. Broker embed accounts are a separate commercial product — see pricing.