Defence & veteran home loans
DHOAS and veteran home loans, from a broker who has served
Duty First Mortgages was started by an Australian Defence Force veteran. We know the schemes, the acronyms and the posting cycle from the inside, and we put that to work on your home loan.
Free tool
Estimate your DHOAS subsidy
See what your monthly Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme subsidy could be, based on your tier and loan amount. It takes about a minute, with no sign-up.
What is DHOAS?
The Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme (DHOAS) is an Australian Government scheme that pays a monthly subsidy towards the interest on your home loan. It exists to help serving and former ADF members buy their own home sooner, and for many Defence families it is the single most valuable entitlement they have.
The scheme works on three subsidy tiers tied to your length of service: the longer you serve, the higher your tier and the larger the loan amount your subsidy can support. To use it, you apply for a subsidy certificate and take out your loan with one of the scheme's approved home loan providers. The official rules, tiers and calculators live at dhoas.gov.au, and we walk you through how they apply to your situation.
It is not just DHOAS
Defence members often have more entitlements than they realise, and the acronyms do not make it easier. Depending on where you are in your career, you may also be able to use:
- HPAS, the Home Purchase Assistance Scheme, a one-off payment when you buy in your posting location.
- HPSEA, the Home Purchase or Sale Expenses Allowance, help with buying and selling costs when you are posted.
- The Home Guarantee Scheme, the Commonwealth's low-deposit pathway, which many ADF members can combine with their Defence entitlements.
- State first home buyer concessions, including stamp duty relief. Run your numbers with our stamp duty calculator.
Used together and in the right order, these can change what you can buy and when. Used badly, or missed entirely, they leave real money with the department. We map your entitlements before we talk lenders.
Left the ADF? You may still be entitled
DHOAS does not end at your separation date. Veterans who completed the qualifying service can access the scheme for a period after leaving the ADF, and using DVA income or a transition-era pay mix for a loan application is something we handle regularly. If you have discharged in the last few years and never used your DHOAS entitlement, it is worth a conversation before your window closes.
How we help
- We confirm your DHOAS tier, certificate steps and timing, in plain English.
- We compare the approved DHOAS providers and the wider lender panel, because sometimes the best structure uses both.
- We plan around service life: posting cycles, deployments, occupancy rules and renting the home out later.
- We handle the paperwork and lender follow-up from pre-approval to settlement, and we check in after settlement too.
Our service is free to you: brokers are paid by the lender when your loan settles. And if DHOAS is not the right fit for your situation, we will tell you straight.
Common questions
DHOAS questions we hear every week
Who is eligible for DHOAS?
Eligibility is based on your length of ADF service, with three subsidy tiers that increase the longer you serve. Both serving members and veterans within the scheme's post-separation window can be eligible. The rules have changed over the years, so we always confirm your position against the current criteria before you commit to anything.
Can I use DHOAS after leaving the ADF?
In many cases, yes. The scheme allows veterans to access their entitlement for a period after separation, provided they completed the qualifying service. If you have recently discharged or are planning your transition, check your window before it closes.
Which lenders offer DHOAS home loans?
DHOAS loans are only available through a small panel of approved home loan providers, and each structures its products differently. We compare the approved providers for you, and the wider market, and handle the paperwork end to end.
Can I combine DHOAS with first home buyer schemes?
Often, yes. Depending on your circumstances, DHOAS can sit alongside HPAS, the Home Guarantee Scheme and state first home buyer concessions. Stacking entitlements correctly is where a broker who knows the Defence schemes earns their keep.
Does posting or deployment affect my home loan?
It can. DHOAS has occupancy requirements, and posting cycles affect how and when you buy, rent out or sell. We plan the loan around your service life, not the other way around.
Do you charge a fee?
No. Our home loan service is free to you. Brokers are paid by the lender when your loan settles.
Veteran owned and operated
Talk to a broker who speaks Defence
Serving or separated, first home or next posting, the first chat is free and there is no obligation. Queensland-based, lending Australia-wide.