If you have been saving for your first home in Canberra, you have probably heard two things at once: that stamp duty is the biggest hidden cost of buying, and that the ACT has just made it disappear for first-home buyers. Both are true — and the second one has quietly changed the whole conversation.

Since 1 July 2026, eligible first-home buyers in the ACT pay zero conveyance duty (stamp duty), with no property price cap and no income test. That is a genuinely big deal. But it also raises a fair question: if duty is now $0 everywhere in the territory, does it still matter where you buy?

It does — just not in the way most people expect. Below we compare two of Canberra's most popular first-home buyer hunting grounds and show where your money genuinely stretches further in 2026.

Quick Overview

Your stamp duty saving is larger in dollar terms in the Canberra CBD, simply because prices are higher there and duty scales with price. But your saving buys you more actual property in Gungahlin, where entry prices are lower and you can often afford a two-bedroom unit or even a house rather than a one-bedroom apartment.

In other words: the CBD wins on the size of the tax break. Gungahlin wins on what you own at the end of it.

What actually changed on 1 July 2026

The ACT's Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) has been around for years, but it used to come with two handbrakes: a property value cap and a household income threshold. From 1 July 2026, both have been removed.

To be eligible, you and every other buyer on the contract must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Not have owned or held an interest in any property in the last five years
• Move into the home within 12 months of settlement (or the certificate of occupancy)
• Live in it as your main home for at least 12 continuous months

The scheme covers new homes, established homes and vacant residential land. You can read the full criteria on the ACT Revenue Office website.

The catch is worth naming: if one buyer on the contract does not qualify, the whole purchase can fall outside the scheme. It is one of the first things we check with a new first-home client.

How much duty are you actually avoiding?

To understand the value of the exemption, it helps to see what a buyer who isn't eligible would pay. Using the ACT's owner-occupier duty rates, here is roughly what duty looks like at each price point:

• $440,000 (around the median unit price in the Gungahlin district) — approximately $6,370
• $582,000 (around the median unit price in Braddon) — approximately $11,950
• $898,000 (around the median house price in the Gungahlin district) — approximately $27,940
• $1,202,500 (around the median house price in Braddon) — approximately $46,920

These are indicative figures only, and you should always confirm your own number with the ACT Revenue Office duty calculator or your conveyancer.

Look at the spread. A first-home buyer purchasing a Braddon house saves roughly seven times what a Gungahlin unit buyer saves. On paper, the CBD looks like the runaway winner.

But a tax saving you never had to fund isn't cash in your pocket. It is money you no longer need to bring to settlement — which means the real question is what your deposit and borrowing capacity can now reach.

Not sure which side of Canberra your budget really stretches to? Our team maps your borrowing power against live pricing in both districts before you set foot at an open home. Talk to Deal Buyers Agency about your first purchase.

Canberra CBD and the inner north: what your money buys

The CBD precinct — Civic, Braddon, Turner and the edges of Dickson and Kingston — is almost entirely an apartment market for first-home buyers. Braddon's median unit price sits around $582,000, up about 3% over the past year, while its median house price is around $1,202,500.

What you get for that:

• Walk-everywhere access to Lonsdale Street, the ANU, the Canberra Centre and the light rail terminus
• Strong rental demand from students, public servants and young professionals, which supports resale
• Very little land content, higher body corporate fees, and more competition from investors
• Realistically, a one-bedroom or small two-bedroom apartment at the entry level

The inner north's price growth has been uneven. Braddon houses have actually pulled back over the past 12 months, which can be an opportunity — but it also means your first year of ownership may not deliver the equity gain you were counting on.

Gungahlin Town Centre: what your money buys

Gungahlin is Canberra's youngest town centre and its most active first-home buyer market. The median unit price across the Gungahlin district is around $440,000, with a median house price near $898,000 — up roughly 4.7% over the past year.

What you get for that:

• Light rail straight into the city, so you are not paying a CBD premium for CBD access
• A genuine town centre with a shopping centre, restaurants, medical services and a leisure centre
• Newer stock, meaning lower maintenance risk and better energy ratings
• The realistic option of a two-bedroom unit, a townhouse, or a house in surrounding suburbs such as Ngunnawal, Casey, Franklin or Harrison

That last point is the one most first-home buyers underestimate. In Gungahlin, a first-home budget can still reach a property with land content. In the CBD, it usually cannot.

So where does the saving go further?

Here is how we frame it with clients:

• If you want the largest tax break, the CBD delivers it — but only because you are spending more to get it. A bigger saving on a bigger purchase is not automatically better value.
• If you want the saving to change what you can own, Gungahlin wins. Removing duty from a $440,000 unit purchase means your deposit goes almost entirely toward the property itself, and the gap between "unit" and "townhouse" suddenly closes.
• If you want growth, the picture is mixed. Gungahlin has posted steadier recent gains, while the inner north offers scarcity value and a deeper long-term buyer pool. Our Canberra property market forecast unpacks where each district sits in the current cycle.
• If lifestyle drives the decision, be honest about it. Plenty of buyers happily pay the CBD premium for a five-minute walk to work, and that is a perfectly good reason — just make it a conscious trade, not an accident.

There is no universally correct answer. There is only the answer that fits your deposit, your commute and how long you plan to hold.



The costs stamp duty relief doesn't remove

A $0 duty bill is not a $0 purchase cost. First-home buyers in Canberra still need to budget for:

• Conveyancing and legal fees
• Building and pest inspections, and a strata or unit title report for apartments
• Lenders mortgage insurance, if your deposit is under 20% and you are not using a government guarantee
• Body corporate or unit title levies, which are typically higher in newer CBD apartment buildings
• ACT general rates and the land tax position if you ever convert the property to a rental

Apartment buyers especially should read the building's financial statements and defect history before committing. Two towers on the same street can carry very different repair liabilities.

Buying your first home shouldn't come down to guesswork. We inspect, assess and negotiate on your behalf across both districts — and we only ever represent the buyer. Book a chat with our Canberra buyers agents.

Frequently asked questions

Do first-home buyers pay stamp duty in the ACT in 2026?

No. From 1 July 2026, eligible first-home buyers pay no conveyance duty in the ACT, with no property price cap and no income threshold.

Is there still a price limit on the ACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme?

No. The property value cap was removed on 1 July 2026, so the exemption applies regardless of purchase price, provided all buyers meet the eligibility rules.

Can I claim the concession if I owned a property years ago?

Possibly. The rule is that you must not have owned or held an interest in property in the last five years. If your previous ownership falls outside that window, you may still qualify.

Is Gungahlin or the CBD better for a first home in Canberra?

Gungahlin generally offers more property for the money and the option of land content, while the CBD offers walkability and a deeper resale market. Gungahlin suits buyers prioritising space and value; the CBD suits buyers prioritising location.

Does the exemption apply to vacant land?

Yes. New homes, established homes and vacant residential land are all covered, provided the eligibility conditions are met.

The bottom line

Stamp duty used to be the thing that decided where Canberra's first-home buyers could afford to look. In 2026, it isn't — which means the decision has shifted back to fundamentals: what you can actually own, how long you will hold it, and whether the property stacks up on inspection day.

Canberra CBD gives you the bigger headline saving. Gungahlin Town Centre gives your saving more work to do. If you would like help deciding which of those matters more for your situation — and then winning the property once you have chosen — get in touch with Deal Buyers Agency today. We are Canberra-based, we work only for buyers, and we would rather help you buy the right first home than the fastest one. You can also explore our suburb-by-suburb guides or read our guide to the best suburbs for first home buyers in Canberra while you weigh things up.

This article is general information only and does not take your personal circumstances into account. Confirm your stamp duty position with the ACT Revenue Office, your conveyancer or a licensed adviser before you buy.