Most houses in the Hills District sell above the $1.5 million price cap for the 5% Deposit Scheme, so first home buyers here usually start with a unit or townhouse. In Kellyville, the typical unit or townhouse sold under $800,000, where eligible first home buyers pay no NSW transfer duty. In Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Norwest and Bella Vista it was in the reduced-duty range.
Hills District prices against the schemes
The median is the middle sale price: half the homes sold for more and half for less. "Strata" means units, apartments and townhouses in a strata scheme.
| Postcode | Houses | Strata |
|---|---|---|
| 2153 (Baulkham Hills, Bella Vista, Norwest) | $1,950,000 | $955,000 |
| 2154 (Castle Hill) | $2,600,000 | $995,000 |
| 2155 (Kellyville) | $1,808,000 | $697,000 |
| The Hills Shire (council area) | $1,965,000 | $930,000 |
| Greater Sydney | $1,550,000 | $855,000 |
Median sale prices, January to March 2026. As at March quarter 2026. Source: NSW Rent and Sales Report (NSW Department of Communities and Justice).
What those figures sit against, as at 30 October 2026:
- 5% Deposit Scheme (formerly the First Home Guarantee): eligible first home buyers can buy with a 5% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance, on a home up to $1.5 million in Sydney.
- NSW First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme: no transfer duty on a home up to $800,000, and a reduced amount up to $1 million.
- First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant: $10,000 for a new home up to $600,000, or a house-and-land package up to $750,000.
Each scheme has its own eligibility rules, and caps can differ between neighbouring postcodes, so check the exact address with the official tools before you make an offer.
Baulkham Hills
More houses than strata homes sold in postcode 2153 in the March quarter 2026 (109 against 86), at a median house price of $1,950,000. That's above the 5% Deposit Scheme cap, so a first home buyer looking at a house here usually needs a bigger deposit (20% avoids lenders mortgage insurance), a family guarantor, or a strata home instead.
If you already own in Baulkham Hills, the usual questions are whether your loan is still competitive, how much equity you could use to renovate or invest, and how to upgrade within the area.
Next steps: refinancing, the equity calculator and investment loans.
Castle Hill
Castle Hill had the highest median house price of these postcodes, $2,600,000 in 2154. Strata homes were far cheaper: a median of $995,000, just under the $1 million limit for reduced stamp duty and well under the $1.5 million 5% Deposit Scheme cap. A quarter of strata sales were above $1,260,000, though, where the duty concession no longer applies.
For families upgrading within Castle Hill, the usual question is whether to buy before selling. That means working out how much you can borrow while you still have your current loan, and how much equity you could use.
Norwest and Bella Vista
Norwest and Bella Vista share postcode 2153 with Baulkham Hills, so the figures above cover all three. If you're buying an apartment here, especially off the plan, three things matter:
- Timing: a pre-approval usually lasts a few months, but an off-the-plan home may settle much later. The full loan approval happens closer to settlement.
- Valuation: the lender values the home near settlement. If the valuation is lower than the contract price, you cover the difference.
- Apartment policy: some lenders limit how much they'll lend on small apartments or in some high-density buildings. Policies vary, so this is worth checking before you sign.
Strata levies also count as an expense when a lender works out how much you can borrow.
Kellyville
Kellyville was the only Hills postcode here where the median strata sale, $697,000 in 2155, was under the $800,000 threshold, where eligible first home buyers pay no transfer duty. Houses were above the 5% Deposit Scheme cap, with a median of $1,808,000.
If you're building in Kellyville or nearby, a construction loan pays the builder in stages as the work progresses, and interest is charged only on the amount drawn so far. A new home can also qualify for the First Home Owner Grant, but only within the price limits above.
Next steps: the stamp duty and First Home Guarantee calculator and the first home buyers page.
Guides for buyers here
- How does the First Home Guarantee (5% Deposit Scheme) work in 2026? The 5% Deposit Scheme in 2026: who's eligible, NSW price caps ($1.5m in Sydney), no income caps, no LMI, and how to apply through a participating lender.
- Can I use the equity in my home to buy an investment property? How lenders work out your usable equity, the 80% LMI threshold, the risks Moneysmart warns about, and why it matters for tax what the money is used for.
- Should I refinance my home loan? A 2026 checklist A checklist for deciding whether to refinance: comparing your loan, asking your lender first, every switching cost to count, and the traps to avoid.
Useful calculators
- NSW stamp duty and First Home Guarantee calculator Work out NSW stamp duty, including first home buyer exemptions and the foreign buyer surcharge, and check the First Home Guarantee.
- Borrowing power calculator Estimate how much you could borrow from your income, expenses and debts, using the same 3% buffer lenders use.
- Equity calculator Work out your equity and LVR, how much equity you might be able to use, and what it could mean for buying another property or your next home.
- Refinance calculator Compare your current loan with a new rate: the change in repayments and interest, and when the switching costs are covered.
How MoneyGenie helps
- Checks whether the home you're looking at is under the 5% Deposit Scheme cap and the stamp duty thresholds before you make an offer.
- For off-the-plan and new homes, plans the loan around the settlement or build timeline, including when the lender will value the home.
- For Hills owners, works out how much equity you could use to upgrade, invest or renovate, and whether refinancing is worth it.
- Meets Sydney clients face to face, as well as by phone and video.
Nabita compares options from MoneyGenie's panel of 35+ lenders, tells you upfront which are realistic for your situation, and handles the application with you through to settlement. Our service is generally at no cost to you, as we're paid a commission by the lender, which we disclose to you upfront. Details are in our Credit Guide, available on request. Talk to Nabita: call 040 110 1608 or send an enquiry.
Call 040 110 1608 Send an enquiryFrequently asked questions
Can I use the 5% Deposit Scheme in the Hills District?
Yes, if you're eligible and the home costs no more than $1.5 million, the cap for Sydney. In the March quarter 2026 the median house in each Hills postcode on this page sold above that, while the median unit or townhouse sold well under it. Check the exact postcode with the official price cap tool.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Kellyville or Castle Hill?
Under the NSW First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, eligible first home buyers pay no transfer duty on a home up to $800,000 and a reduced amount up to $1 million. The median strata sale in postcode 2155 (Kellyville) was $697,000 and in 2154 (Castle Hill) $995,000 in the March quarter 2026.
Can I get the First Home Owner Grant in the Hills District?
Only for a new home. The $10,000 grant applies to a new or off-the-plan home up to $600,000, or a house-and-land package up to $750,000 in total. Every Hills postcode on this page had a median strata price above $600,000 in the March quarter 2026, so check the price before you count on it.
Where do these prices come from?
From the NSW Government's Rent and Sales Report, which publishes median sale prices by postcode each quarter, for houses and for strata homes (units, and townhouses in a strata scheme). A median moves around from quarter to quarter, especially where few homes sold, so treat it as a guide.
Last reviewed by Nabita, mortgage broker, MoneyGenie Finance.
Official sources
The rules and figures on this page were checked against the official sources above on the review date. Government rules, property prices and lender policies change, so check your own situation with us or the relevant authority before acting.
Also see: Buying in Parramatta.