- Major reforms to Keystart's loan products to give more Western Australians the opportunity to own their own home
- Low-deposit home loan property price increased to $730,000 from $650,000
- Keystart products reflect REIWA median housing price data
The Cook Labor Government has today announced major changes to Keystart's loan products to provide more Western Australians the chance to achieve their home-ownership goals.
Under the new product settings mechanism, Keystart's property price limits will now be reviewed against annualised median house prices sourced from the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) on a regular basis. Income limits will reflect the income required to service the property price limits.
These settings are dynamic and will increase or decrease to reflect market conditions. The changes support Keystart's mission of helping more Western Australians into home ownership sooner.
The new property price and income limits, effective 19 December 2025, are as follows:
Previous property price limit |
New property price limit |
Previous income limit |
New income limit |
|
Low Deposit Home Loan |
$650,000 |
$730,000 |
Singles: $137,000 Couples and families: $206,000 |
Singles: $148,000 Couples and families: $218,000 |
Shared Ownership Home Loan |
$535,000 |
$615,000 |
Singles: $113,000 Couples and families: $174,000 |
Singles: $123,000 Couples and families: $189,000 |
Given the unique property market in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, the Cook Government has also reformed Keystart's loan products for these regions.
These changes represent the first change to the Pilbara and Kimberley limits since July 2022.
For the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, the new limits, effective from 19 December 2025, are:
Previous property price limit |
New property price limit |
Previous income limit |
New income limit |
|
Low Deposit Home Loan |
$650,000 (Kimberley) $750,000 (Pilbara) |
$750,000 |
(Kimberley) Singles: $135,000 Couples: $165,000 Families: $170,000 (Pilbara) Singles: $165,000 Couples: $195,000 Families: $200,000 |
Singles: $225,000 Couples and families: $285,000 |
Shared Ownership Home Loan |
$500,000 |
$615,000 |
Singles: $110,000 Couples and families: $110,000 |
Singles: $123,000 Couples and families: $189,000 |
The adjustments to income limits reflect the income required to service the property price limits, taking into consideration the higher cost of living in the north-west regions.
The deposit requirements in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions are being reduced from 7 per cent to 2 per cent, bringing them into line with Keystart's deposit requirements across all other regions, significantly reducing the deposit barrier for many Western Australians.
Based on a property purchase price of $750,000, previously a 7 per cent deposit requirement meant an applicant needed to have $52,500 in savings. With the deposit reduction to 2 per cent, the same applicant would need $15,000 in savings.
Keystart's Shared Ownership Home Loan has helped more than 7,300 Western Australian households overcome deposit and affordability barriers to home ownership since it was launched in 2007, enabling them to enter the housing market with the Housing Authority as a silent partner - until they are in a position to increase their share of the property.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"My Government is throwing everything at getting more Western Australians into a home - including helping more achieve their home-ownership goals.
"Keystart plays an important role in the WA housing market and is unique as a transitional lender in its commitment to providing more opportunities for people to become homeowners.
"As we continue to respond to market conditions, we've adjusted Keystart's product settings to align with the most recent REIWA data, which will enable more Western Australians to enter the housing ownership market.
"This builds on my Government's nation-leading housing plan to continue boosting supply, choice and affordability, and always do what's right for WA."
As stated by Housing Minister John Carey:
"Since Keystart was established under a WA Labor Government in 1989, Keystart has assisted more than 122,000 Western Australians reach their home ownership goals.
"We're acutely aware of the housing market across the country - and we are continuing to deliver major investments through our now record investment in housing and homelessness measures of almost $4 billion.
"Keystart is a crucial and unique lender, providing the opportunity the major banks do not with low-deposit homes loans, providing more Western Australians the chance to achieve home ownership while supporting them transition to another lender."
