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South Australia

Home loans in South Australia

What it costs to buy in South Australia: the transfer duty payable at each price, the relief available to first home buyers, the property price caps that govern the 5% Deposit Scheme, and the suburb guides published for Adelaide and beyond.

Transfer duty in South Australia

Transfer duty is set by RevenueSA and is usually the largest cost of buying after the deposit. It generally cannot be added to the loan. The figures below are indicative, calculated on the 2026-27 schedule for an established home, and exclude foreign purchaser surcharges.

Purchase priceFirst home buyerOwner-occupierInvestor
$500,000$21,330$21,330$21,330
$700,000$32,330$32,330$32,330
$900,000$43,330$43,330$43,330
$1,200,000$59,830$59,830$59,830

First home buyer figures assume eligibility. South Australian relief applies to new homes only, with no price cap. Established homes attract full duty. Confirm the current position with RevenueSA, stamp duty on land, or work out a specific price with the SA stamp duty calculator. Grants and other assistance are set out in the guide to first home buyer grants in South Australia.

The 5% Deposit Scheme in South Australia

Under the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, eligible buyers purchase with a deposit of 5 per cent, or 2 per cent for single parents and legal guardians, without paying lenders mortgage insurance. Since 1 October 2025 there are no income caps and no limit on places. Property price caps still apply, and both the purchase price and the lender’s valuation must sit at or below the cap.

Adelaide
$900,000
Rest of South Australia
$500,000

Caps checked on 21 September 2026 against First Home Buyers: Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme property price caps. They are set by the Australian Government and change. The guide to the 5% Deposit Scheme sets out the full eligibility criteria.

Suburb guides in South Australia

51 guides have been published for South Australia, each with 2021 Census housing and household data, the dominant housing stock and the lending considerations that follow from it.

Calculators for buying in SA

Other states and territories

Duty, concessions and grants are set by each jurisdiction, so the cost of the same purchase differs across a border. The guide to stamp duty compares all eight, and the government grants section sets out the assistance available.

Questions about buying in South Australia

How much is stamp duty in South Australia?

It depends on the price and on who is buying. On an indicative 2026-27 schedule, an owner-occupier buying an established home at $700,000 in South Australia pays about $32,330. Duty rises faster than price, so the average rate increases as the property becomes more expensive. RevenueSA publishes the current schedule.

Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in South Australia?

South Australian relief applies to new homes only, with no price cap. Established homes attract full duty. First home buyer figures on this page assume eligibility, and conditions including residence requirements apply. The revenue office should be checked before a purchase is relied upon.

What is the 5% Deposit Scheme price cap in South Australia?

$900,000 in Adelaide and the defined regional centres, and $500,000 elsewhere. Both the purchase price and the lender's assessed value must be at or below the cap for the location.

Are home loan interest rates different in South Australia?

No. Australian lenders price home loans nationally, so the rate offered does not depend on the state. What differs by jurisdiction is the cost of the transaction: transfer duty, first home buyer concessions, grants and land tax. Those differences can amount to tens of thousands of dollars on the same purchase price.

Can I use a broker for a purchase in South Australia?

Yes. Australian credit licensing is national, so an accredited broker can arrange finance for a property anywhere in Australia. Conveyancing is the part that is state based, and a conveyancer or solicitor admitted in South Australia should handle the transaction itself.

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