how we may assist
The HomeSeeker SA website is designed to reduce housing stress by helping more South Australians buy their own home.
As a trusted source of home ownership information, the HomeSeeker SA website can help you to understand the home buying process. On it you’ll also find a host of useful resources about buying or renting a home, so you can take control of your housing future.
The HomeSeeker SA website also features a range of quality, affordable properties for sale throughout South Australia, including new builds, land allotments and refurbished homes.
All HomeSeeker SA properties are sold at a fixed price for an exclusive time and are only available to eligible buyers – meaning there’s no need to compete with real estate investors. To see if you are eligible, find a home, or register for property alerts visit www.homeseeker.sa.gov.au.
For people seeking a rental property in the private sector
The HomeSeeker SA website also helps South Australians how to navigate the private rental market through providing information and links to resources. There is a broad range of information available ranging from working out a budget, rental bonds, different accommodation types and rental arrangements, the rental process, and rental rights and responsibilities.
The Private Rental Assistance Program provides financial assistance to eligible customers who either have difficulty meeting the upfront costs associated with renting privately OR need help to maintain their accommodation.
To find out if you are eligible for Private Rental Assistance, visit:
- www.housing.sa.gov.au/Private Rental Assistance Program should this be linked to our new content for private rental assistance? https://www.housing.sa.gov.au/private-rental
- www.homeseeker.sa.gov.au/Resources/Rental Support
For people seeking a rental property in the community housing sector
Find a Community Housing provider near you, check whether you are eligible, what you will need to do before applying, what are the rents and charges and what will happen next, and how to register for community housing.
For builders and developers who want to construct affordable housing for sale or rental
The SA planning system encourages developers and builders to provide affordable housing in their projects through the Planning and Design Code. The Code includes an Affordable Housing Overlay that provides a consistent approach to delivering affordable housing across the state. Information on how the residential development industry can create affordable housing through the state’s planning system – including an Affordable Housing Developer Toolkit and a range of helpful factsheets that are available.
The SA planning system encourages developers and builders to provide affordable housing in their projects through the Planning and Design Code. The Code includes an Affordable Housing Overlay that provides a consistent approach to delivering affordable housing across the State.
When submitting a development application you should:
- Check to see if your development is within the Affordable Housing Overlay.
The Overlay outlines that you should be addressing affordable housing for all projects over 20 dwellings, and for any size project potentially gives access to planning concessions such as smaller lot sizes, reduced car parking requirements, and extra building height / number of floors that can make developments more viable.
- Show your commitment to delivering affordable housing through a legally binding agreement – negotiated with SA Housing Authority. Refer to fact sheets available under 'more information'.
- Arrange any pre-sales of homes to one of the types of eligible buyers.
Builders can sell to an eligible affordable rental provider (such as a community housing provider) at any price, or to an eligible home buyer at or below a set price, which is currently $417,000 in Greater Adelaide.
- When creating affordable housing for eligible home buyers, ensure that you can deliver the product to market at the affordable housing price point. The HomeSeekerSA website will help you to reach eligible home buyers.
Different price points for affordable housing apply in other areas of the State and for vacant land.
- If homes are built close to public transport or with other benefits such as environmental features (to reduce ongoing living costs for future occupants) or innovative finance options such as shared equity, then the dwelling price can be increased by up to 15% with the Authority's approval.
| Location | Land purchase price | Maximum purchase price for dwelling or house and land | 10% Price variance ** | 15% Price variance ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Adelaide * | $187,650 | $417,000 | $458,700 | $479,550 |
| Rest of State | $152,550 | $339,000 | $372,900 | $389,850 |
*As defined by Map 1 Greater Adelaide Region (PDF, 1.5 MB) of the 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide - 2017 update, a volume of the South Australian Planning Strategy, p31.
** Applications for price variances must be submitted to the SA Housing Authority. Please see Price Variance fact sheet under 'more information'.
- List properties for sale to affordable home buyers on the HomeSeeker SA website. These listings are at no charge.
- The Affordable Housing and Developer Toolkit aims to help developers and other industry professionals build affordable housing that creates strong and diverse communities. The toolkit is designed to complement your due diligence and feasibility studies by helping with decisions around dwelling type and mix, addressing the development process step by step.
Download the Affordable Housing Developer Toolkit (PDF, 1.4 MB)
For councils seeking more affordable housing
The SA Housing Authority has developed a Local Affordable Housing Plan Toolkit as a practical step-by-step guide, supporting Council planning officers through the process of developing their own local housing plans. The Local Affordable Housing Plan Toolkit is an informative guide from initial data gathering of demographic indicators, trend analysis of housing demand and supply, community and stakeholder consultation, vision setting and prioritising objectives to achieve a strategy that delivers real change.
This section provides information to Council planning officers about the SA Housing Authority’s Local Affordable Housing Plan Toolkit which is intended as a practical step-by-step guide, supporting Councils through the process of developing their own local housing plans.
The toolkit provides an informative guide from initial data gathering of demographic indicators, trend analysis of housing demand and supply, community and stakeholder consultation, vision setting and prioritising objectives to achieve a strategy that delivers real change.
Use of the toolkit is voluntary and at the discretion of each Local Government.
Benefits of a Local Housing Plan can include:
- attracting workers to a municipality or region
- reduction of housing stress
- positive labour market effects
- alignment with overarching State and regional development strategies.
Resources contained within the toolkit include:
- a 10-step process with recommended outcomes
- comprehensive catalogue of free data resources
- relevant examples from other jurisdictions
- ready reckoner of key State and regional strategy documents
- practical manual for evaluating options and determining priorities
- recommended LAHP template
- review methodology.
Implementation of the State-wide Planning and Design Code has embedded an affordable housing overlay through policy and applied a spatial layer across South Australia. The Affordable Housing Overlay has a referral trigger for residential development, comprised of 20 or more allotments, with at least 15% to be affordable housing (unless deemed-to-satisfy or designated performance features within the Code are met).