If you’re in the market for your first home, State Treasurer Curtis Pitt is urging you to buy before June 30.

That’s the deadline to take advantage of an extra $5000 on top of the existing new home owners’ grant.

Ben Downie reports.

TRANSCRIPT

This is a new housing development site at Pallara in Brisbane’s south west.

People like Diane Lewer have been able to save enough to build here.

She’s taken advantage of the $82.5 million the government has granted new owners in the past year.

Diane Lewer, First home buyer: “Yeah it’s a really affordable area. Obviously the grant helped us a lot. As a first home owner you need as much help as you can.”

But for others time is running out.

Curtis Pitt, Qld Treasurer: “What we are seeing is the opportunity for families to come through and first home buyers to find an affordable price point to enter the market.”

Come the end of of the financial year the first home owners grant will drop from 20 to $15,000.

David Laner, Stockland Corporation Regional Manager: “It’s very difficult and land availability at this proximity to the Brisbane CBD is scarce, there’s no doubt about that.”

House and land packages here sell well below the median home price for Brisbane.

First time owners like Diane make up nearly half the buyers at Pallara.

The boosted grant has helped close to 5,500 Queenslanders since its introduction.

But applications must be signed before the June deadline.

Ben Downie, QUT News.