No Images? Click here MASTER BUILDERS SECURES KEYSTART CHANGES Master Builders has been leading the call for economic stimulus in the housing sector and welcomes the State Government announcement of increased income limits for Keystart applicants. This decision will allow many West Australians to build their own home and get on the property ladder as well as boosting activity in the building industry. Master Builders has long recognised the value and importance of Keystart as a unique pathway to home ownership which has benefits for first-home buyers and our members. Keystart provides low-deposit home loans to West Australians who can’t meet the requirements of mainstream lenders but the income limits (less than $90,000 for singles, $115,000 for a couple or $135,000 for a family) were leaving behind a growing number of people who were earning too much to qualify but still struggled to get bank finance. Master Builders identified the potential benefits of revising the income thresholds upwards and have been advocating for changes for many months. We engaged extensively with the McGowan Government and we are delighted our advocacy has resulted in an expansion of the income limits for singles and couples by $15,000 and for families $20,000. It will bring relief to many of our members who are doing it tough through a prolonged slump in the new home sector. We look forward to more housing projects being enabled and jobs created, including opportunities for apprentices. This is a massive lobbying effort and success by Master Builders which promises a boost to the overall WA economy. Our advocacy work continues and we acknowledge that the feedback and input of members are vital for success. This is the value of Master Builders membership. For more details of the Keystart changes, see the media statement here.
Jason Robertson Master Builders WA |