Regional Relocation Grant
The Regional Relocation (Home Buyers Grant) Act 2011 will operate for four years. This grant started from 1 July 2011.
This scheme will provide applicants with a one-off payment of $7,000.00 to assist them with the cost of relocating from their metropolitan home to a regional home.
A metropolitan area means the local government areas of the Sydney Metropolitan area, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Gosford, Wyong, Wollongong and Newcastle.
Regional areas are participating local government areas which are located outside of the metropolitan area.
Eligibility Requirements
- All applicants must be natural persons and must not purchase the regional home in his or her capacity as trustee.
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident as at the completion date of the regional home purchase.
- All applicants must have entered into an agreement to purchase a home within a regional area, on or after July 2011 and on or before 30 June 2015.
- All applicants must have owned and occupied the metropolitan home as their principal place of residence within 12 months before the commencement date (contract exchange date) of the regional home purchase.
- The consideration for the purchase value of the regional home must not exceed $600,000.00.
- All applicants must sell the metropolitan home either before or within 12 months after the completion date of the regional home purchase.
- All applicants must occupy the regional home as their principal place of residence for at least 12 continuous months commencing within 12 months after the completion date of the regional home purchase.
- An applicant must not have received an earlier grant under the Regional Relocation (Home Buyers Grant) Act 2011. This means the applicant must not have been a party to an earlier application under this Act in respect of which a grant was paid. However, an applicant is not excluded by this section if the grant was paid but later paid back.
How to apply
The application can be lodged on the OSR website or be posted to the OSR.
When to apply
You can only lodge your application after completion date of the regional home purchase. This is when the purchases have possession of the home and are registered on title as the owner. Applications must be lodged within 12 months after the completion date and an application cannot be made after December 2015.
Payment of Grant
The grant will be paid electronically to the applicant’s nominated account. Payment will be made within 21 working days from when the OSR receive a complete application. To avoid delays, ensure all the requested information and supporting documents are provided with the application.
Evidence includes
ü providing a certified copy of either Australian Birth Certificate with photo id. Australian passport, foreign passport and visa or citizenship certificate and photo id.
ü List of documentation for the regional home includes copy of front page of Contract for sale signed and dated by the vendor, copy of title search showing applicants as registered proprietors, the date the applicant moved in or date they intend to move in, along with evidence of local government area i.e. – rate notice or 149 certificate.
ü List of documentation for metropolitan home include, listing title details, enclosing rate notice or 149 certificate, evidence of residency i.e electricity bill or gas bill.
Eligible transaction type
The grant is only available for the purchase of an existing home (new or established) or a home purchased off the plan. The regional home must be completed and ready for occupation as a place of residence before the purchase is completed.
The grant is not available for the construction of a home or for the purchase of vacant land.
Who is an Applicant?
A person is considered an applicant only if they are:
an owner of the regional home;
and
is or was an owner of the metropolitan home.
For example – Husband and wife purchased the regional home in joint names. However, only the husband owned the metropolitan home. In this scenario only the husband is considered an applicant and the wife would not complete the application as she did not own the metropolitan home.
Regional Relocation Grant Metropolitan Area
The metropolitan and regional areas are determined by Local Government Areas (Councils).
The following list contains the Local Government Areas for the Metropolitan area. Councils not listed are in the Regional Local Government Area.
The Council of the Municipality of Ashfield