First-time buyer schemes in Malaysia 2026: what you can actually claim
For a RM500,000 first home in 2026, the whole stack of federal help is worth about RM11,250 in stamp duty waived — the full exemption on the transfer and loan agreement for first homes up to RM500,000 was extended under Budget 2026 until 31 December 2027 — plus access to 100–110% financing through SJKP (for buyers without payslips) or Skim Rumah Pertamaku (for salaried households earning up to RM10,000). EPF members under 55 can also draw down Akaun Sejahtera savings for the purchase.
None of it is a cash handout. Most "first-time buyer help" headlines boil down to stamp duty savings — five figures at best. The table below maps your situation to what you can actually claim, with the verified caps and deadlines.
Budget 2027 update (9 October 2026): the government proposes extending the full exemption to SPAs signed up to 31 December 2030 and adding relief for first homes up to RM750,000 (first RM500,000 exempt, the rest halved) from 1 January 2027. Still a proposal; see what Budget 2027 means for home buyers.
Which scheme applies to your situation?
Find your row. Everything here was checked against the official scheme pages in September 2026.
| Your situation | Scheme | What you get | How much | Conditions | Source / where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Malaysian first-time buyer, home ≤ RM500,000 | Stamp duty exemption | Full exemption on transfer (MOT) and loan agreement | Up to about RM11,250 at RM500k | SPA signed by 31 Dec 2027 | Budget 2026 |
| First home above RM500,000 | - | No stamp duty exemption at current thresholds | You pay normal LHDN rates | Help is genuinely capped at RM500k | - |
| No payslip: gig worker, self-employed, small trader | SJKP government guarantee | Financing | Up to 110% of price or RM500,000, whichever lower | Tenure up to 35 years | sjkp.com.my; our SJKP 100% loan guide |
| Salaried, household gross income ≤ RM10,000 | Skim Rumah Pertamaku (SRP) | Financing for first homes ≤ RM500,000 | Up to 110% | Still running in 2026 | Most major banks |
| Civil servant | LPPSA financing | Fixed 4% p.a. | Up to 100%+ including costs | Tenure up to age 90 | LPPSA |
| EPF member under 55 | Akaun Sejahtera (Account 2) | Withdrawal towards the price gap and upfront costs | Price gap plus about 10% of the price | - | kwsp.gov.my rules |
| Household income RM750–5,000, own land | Rumah Mesra Rakyat | Build-and-finance scheme | Construction subsidy | Own land | SPNB |
| State schemes | Rumah Selangorku, Residensi Wilayah (RUMAWIP), etc. | Price-controlled units | Discounted price, not cash | Income caps | Each state's portal |
How much does the stamp duty exemption actually save?
RM11,250 on a RM500,000 first home with a 90% loan — that is the headline number, and it is the biggest single item on this page. Here is the arithmetic, using LHDN's transfer duty scale under the Stamp Act 1949 (1% on the first RM100k, 2% on the next RM400k, 3% on RM500k–1M, 4% above RM1M) and the flat 0.5% duty on loan agreements:
| Item | Normal duty | With exemption |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer (MOT) on RM500,000 | RM9,000 | RM0 |
| Loan agreement on RM450,000 (90%) | RM2,250 | RM0 |
| Total | RM11,250 | RM0 |
Conditions: Malaysian citizen, genuinely your first residential property, price up to RM500,000, SPA signed by 31 December 2027 (the two-year extension announced in Budget 2026, tabled October 2025). At RM300,000 the saving is smaller — RM5,000 on the MOT plus RM1,350 on a 90% loan agreement. Real money, but it does not change what you can afford monthly — for that, see the income you need for a RM500k home and the cash you need on day one.
Which government financing schemes are still running in 2026?
All four of the main ones are alive — none of the big federal schemes was quietly discontinued.
- SJKP (Skim Jaminan Kredit Perumahan). The government guarantees your loan so a bank can lend to you without payslips — fixed or non-fixed income, Malaysian, 18 and above, first home, new, subsale or auction unit. Financing up to 110% of the price or RM500,000 (whichever is lower), tenure up to 35 years, total loan repayments capped at 65% of gross income (sjkp.com.my). An SJKP MADANI variant goes up to 120% of the value or RM360,000, including renovation costs (MOF's Manfaat portal). Full mechanics in our SJKP guide.
- Skim Rumah Pertamaku (SRP / My First Home Scheme). Still running in 2026 — it was not discontinued. Up to 110% financing on first homes up to RM500,000, for gross income up to RM5,000 single or RM10,000 joint (max RM5,000 per applicant), offered through most major banks including Maybank, CIMB, RHB and Public Bank.
- LPPSA for civil servants: fixed 4% p.a., up to 100%+ financing including legal fees and stamp duty, tenure stretching to age 90. If you are a penjawat awam, this usually beats any commercial loan.
- EPF Akaun Sejahtera (Account 2). Not a scheme, but real money you already own: members under 55 can withdraw the gap between price and loan plus about 10% of the price for costs — or the whole Akaun Sejahtera balance, whichever is lower — for up to two residential properties (kwsp.gov.my).
One-liners for completeness: Rumah Mesra Rakyat (SPNB) finances building a home on your own land for households earning RM750–5,000 with a construction subsidy; state schemes like Rumah Selangorku and RUMAWIP sell price-controlled units to income-qualified applicants. Once you have picked a route, our home loan application guide covers the paperwork.
Scheme terms, caps and deadlines as published on the official pages in September 2026, worked into ringgit. It is not financial advice — your bank's approval depends on your file, and scheme terms can change at the next Budget.
Frequently asked questions
Is Skim Rumah Pertamaku (My First Home Scheme) still running?
Yes. As at September 2026 SRP is still offered through the major banks — up to 110% financing on first homes up to RM500,000 for salaried households earning up to RM10,000 gross. It was not replaced by SJKP; SJKP targets buyers without fixed payslips, SRP targets salaried ones.
Can I combine the stamp duty exemption with SJKP or SRP financing?
Yes. The exemption attaches to the documents (transfer and loan agreement) of any qualifying first purchase up to RM500,000 — it does not care which financing route you took.
I earn cash income with no payslip. Can I still get a loan?
That is exactly the gap SJKP exists to close: the government guarantees the loan so banks can approve on non-fixed income. You still need a clean enough credit record — no arrears above two months in the past year per sjkp.com.my. Our SJKP guide walks through it.
How much income do I need for a RM500,000 home?
As an illustration at current rates, roughly RM8,000–10,000 gross household income approves comfortably. The full arithmetic — instalment, DSR, a table by price — is in our income guide.