Benefits available to eligible home buyers
- The home buyer may be eligible for a grant of up to $3,000 from the Fund towards stamp duty and settlement fees.
- Should these costs be less than $3,000 they will be fully paid for by the Fund and if they are more, the home buyer will only pay the amount over $3,000.
- The home buyer may be able to receive a discount for approved capital improvements they have made to the property.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible to purchase a Fund property the home buyer must:
- be a participant in a program supported by the Fund
- have no financial interest in any lot of residential land and/or property
- have no current arrears or other debts to Communities (including water consumption debts) at the time of application and settlement.
Available Fund properties
Properties available for sale are at Communities’ absolute discretion. Communities will approve the sale of a property, providing it meets required criteria.
Home buyers may be able to purchase a property other than the one they are currently residing in. If home buyers are interested in this, they need to select the ‘other purchase option’ section on the North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund Home Ownership Application Form.
How to purchase a Fund property
If home buyers are interested in purchasing property of the Fund, they will need to provide:
- evidence of obtained finance pre-approval from a registered lender
- a completed North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund Home Ownership Application Form
- a deposit of $150 (made payable to the Housing Authority) and sent to:
Rental Sales Scheme – North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund
Locked Bag 5000
Fremantle WA 6959
Once completed applications are received, the Sales Team will be in contact to discuss the application and property preferences.
Additional information
If the property home buyers want to purchase is not available for sale, the Sales Team will discuss other options with them that are within price range. If no other properties are available, the application will be withdrawn, and the deposit will be returned. Communities’ decision regarding the Fund properties available for sale is final and there is no appeal process.
When a property is available for sale, the market value will be determined through two independent valuations. The purchase price will be the market value less the amount allowed for approved capital improvements.
If home buyers decide to purchase a Fund property, they will receive a written offer to purchase and have 30 days to accept the offer and provide proof of identity. Should the home buyer accept the offer and provide proof of identity, a contract will be written so that finance approval for a loan can be arranged. Upon Communities’ receipt of the home buyer’s finance approval, settlement of the sale will follow within 45 days.
Please note: If home buyers do not accept the written offer, the deposit of $150 will be retained by Communities (non-refundable). The deposit will assist in recovering the costs incurred for the valuation fees. If the sale proceeds, the $150 deposit will be deducted from the sale price balance.
Obtaining a home loan
To finance the purchase of a home, home buyers may approach a registered lender of their choice or contact the Keystart Home Loan Scheme (phone: 1300 578 278). Registered lenders, including Keystart, will assess whether a home buyer’s income is high enough to meet loan repayments necessary to purchase a home. The amount of any other financial commitments home buyers may have (for example, a car loan) will also affect their borrowing capacity with a registered lender. If home buyers are interested in a shared equity home ownership, Keystart can also help.
Contact
For more information, contact Communities' Sales Team at property.north@communities.wa.gov.au or on 08 9222 8148.
Service providers can also assist with questions regarding the purchase of a North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund property.
