Can I buy a home with my super?

Name: Can I Buy a Home With My Superannuation?
Uploaded: 2026-08-11
Duration: 1 min 13 s
Channel: Bayley Clarke
Description: Employer contributions are locked for retirement, but voluntary contributions can come back out for your first home under the First Home Super Saver Scheme.

Bayley Clarke · Mortgage broker on the road · Last checked 11 August 2026 · 2 min read or a 1 min watch

The short answer

Not with the money your employer puts in. That part is locked up for your retirement and you can't pull it out to buy a house, first home or not.

But any extra money you've put in yourself, through salary sacrifice or a lump sum, can come back out to buy your first home under the First Home Super Saver Scheme. Great idea, terrible name.

Prefer to read? The whole answer is written out below.

The two piles of money in your super

When most people think about their super, they're thinking about employer contributions, the money your boss puts in for you under the mandated government requirements. That pile is reserved for retirement. You can't touch it for a house, full stop.

The second pile is anything you've added from your own pocket: salary sacrifice through your employer, or lump sum contributions straight into your fund. That's the pile the First Home Super Saver Scheme lets you pull back out to buy your first home.

One catch on eligibility: it's for first home buyers. If you've already owned property, this one isn't for you.

"So I'm starting from zero?"

If you've never put extra money into your super, then yes, pretty much. There's nothing in the releasable pile yet. But that's not a dead end, it's the starting line: you can point your existing savings at voluntary contributions and build the pile from here.

Why bother moving savings into super instead of leaving them in the bank? Two reasons. Contributions through salary sacrifice are taxed at 15% inside super instead of your marginal rate, so more of every dollar survives. And the money is locked away where you can't touch it until you sign a contract on your first home. For most people, that last part is the feature, not the bug.

The mechanics, roughly

Voluntary contributions only. Salary sacrifice or lump sums you've made yourself. Employer contributions never count.
Capped. Up to $15k of contributions a year counts toward the scheme, to a $50k total.
First home buyers only. Prior property ownership rules you out.

Caps and eligibility are set by the government and change. Check the current rules with the ATO, or ask me and I'll tell you where they sit today. General information only, not personal financial or tax advice.

His knowledge and expertise was exceptional, and he explained everything clearly and patiently, making the process so much easier for us as first-time buyers. We actually purchased sooner than expected because everything moved so quickly.

Johanna VanLing · Google review · First home buyer

Working out your deposit plan?

Half an hour and we'll map where your deposit is actually coming from: savings, super, a guarantor, or some mix. If the scheme fits your situation I'll tell you. If it doesn't, I'll tell you that too.

Book a 30 minute call Call 0437 189 939

No application, no credit check, nothing on your file. Just the numbers.

Next question

What is the first step to buy your first home?

Before the deposit plan comes the number. You don't know where to aim if you don't know what's possible.