About Us

HomeStart Finance is South Australia's leading provider of affordable home loans.  Established by the South Australian Government in 1989, we have helped more than 55,000 households achieve their home ownership goals.

With a focus on helping people on low to moderate incomes, we offer home loan options for South Australians in all stages of life, from first home buyers to seniors.

Our unique loan structure features a repayment safeguard designed to break the link between interest rates and repayment amount.  Loan repayments are initially based on income and typically adjusted once a year in line with inflation.  This means in most cases, our customers' loan repayments aren't affected by interest rate changes. 

Read about the Repayment Safeguard

HomeStart has a proven record of financial performance.  We have returned a profit to government every year since inception and we are funded through the South Australian Government Financing Authority (SAFA).

We have a strong focus on contributing to the local community through free education and information services, and a broad range of sponsorships.

We also work with public and private industry to create affordable housing options, including aged care, community housing and suitable rental properties.

Our unique combination of commercial and social focus has been nationally recognised through numerous awards, including Recommended Employer, Product Innovation and Community Contribution from the Australian Business Awards.

At a glance

• HomeStart Finance is a Statutory Authority established by the South Australian Government
• HomeStart is the most successful government-backed lender in Australia
• HomeStart currently has around 14,300 customers
• We employ approximately 100 people in the state, and have offices in Adelaide and Whyalla
• We offer free home buying seminars, and a money management website which has attracted more than 26,000 visitors
• We have specialised loans for Indigenous South Australians, Housing SA tenants and low income earners
• We sponsor a wide variety of organisations and events around the state each year
• We work in partnership with Community Housing Organisations, Local Government Associations, and The Wyatt Benevolent Institute to create affordable housing solutions.