In short: GNT Finance is a Melbourne-based mortgage broker serving Shepparton, Mooroopna, Kialla and the Goulburn Valley by phone, video and e-signature. We compare lenders for first home buyers, farming families and investors, and apply the regional Victorian rules: a $650,000 First Home Guarantee cap, no duty for first home buyers to $600,000 and the $10,000 new-home grant. Nepali service available. No cost to you in most cases.
Shepparton is the capital of the Goulburn Valley, two hours up the Goulburn Valley Highway from Melbourne, with an economy built on fruit, dairy, food processing and the services that support them. It is also one of the most multicultural regional cities in Australia, and a growing Nepali community is part of that, which is one reason we hear from Shepparton households so often.
Shepparton housing: what you are buying
- Shepparton North and Kialla: the growth front, with new estates around Kialla Lakes and along the northern edge offering house-and-land packages.
- Central Shepparton and Shepparton East: 1950s to 1970s brick veneer and weatherboard homes on large blocks, the bulk of the market.
- Mooroopna: across the Goulburn River, with older homes and a more accessible entry price.
- Tatura, Kyabram and Numurkah: satellite towns within commuting distance, at lower prices again.
- Rural and orchard properties: lifestyle and working blocks that need a lender comfortable with acreage and horticultural use.
Standard residential in Shepparton is straightforward for every lender on our panel. Orchard and dairy properties, and homes in the flood-affected areas along the Goulburn and Broken Rivers, draw more attention at valuation and insurance.
Schemes that matter in Shepparton
| Scheme | Rule (at the time of writing) |
|---|---|
| First Home Guarantee cap | $650,000 (regional Victoria) |
| First home buyer duty | Exempt to $600,000; sliding concession to $750,000 |
| First Home Owner Grant | $10,000 for a new home valued up to $750,000 |
| Help to Buy | Federal shared equity; Victorian price cap $950,000; income caps apply |
The $650,000 regional cap covers nearly every house in Shepparton, and the $600,000 duty exemption covers most of them too. Read the Victoria page for the state rules and the First Home Guarantee guide for eligibility.
Worked example: a first home buyer in Kialla
Say you buy a $480,000 established four-bedroom home in Kialla as your first home.
- Duty: nil under the first home buyer exemption. The general duty would be $2,870 plus 6% of $350,000, or $23,870, so the exemption saves the full amount.
- Deposit under the First Home Guarantee: 5%, or $24,000. No LMI.
- Loan: $456,000. For illustration, at 6.00% p.a. over 30 years the repayment is about $2,734 a month.
If you build in Shepparton North instead, duty applies to the land only, is nil for a first home buyer under $600,000, and the $10,000 grant applies to the new home. See house-and-land packages and run your figures in the stamp duty calculator.
Who we help in Shepparton
- First home buyers using the guarantee and the duty exemption together, often with a small deposit and family help. See guarantor home loans.
- Orchardists, dairy farmers and contractors with seasonal, self-employed income. We match your financials with lenders that read agricultural returns properly. See self-employed loans.
- Food-processing and health workers at the major employers and Goulburn Valley Health, including migrants on permanent residency. See home loans for new migrants.
- The Nepali and South Asian community, with the whole process available in Nepali. See our Nepali mortgage broker page.
- Melbourne investors looking for yield in a regional city with steady rental demand. See investment property loans.
How we work with Shepparton clients
A phone or video discovery call, secure document upload, lender comparison, electronic identity verification and e-signed documents, with your Shepparton conveyancer handling the contract and settlement. Melbourne clients with family in Shepparton are welcome at our Mickleham office, which is on the way up the Hume.
Nearby areas
Mooroopna, Tatura, Kyabram, Numurkah and Benalla, plus Bendigo to the west and Wodonga to the east.
Frequently asked questions
What is the First Home Guarantee cap in Shepparton?
$650,000, the regional Victorian cap, at the time of writing. That is lower than Melbourne's $950,000 but covers nearly all Shepparton houses. Since October 2025 there is no income test and unlimited places. You must be a citizen or permanent resident, 18 or over, buy as an owner-occupier and not have owned property in Australia in the last 10 years.
Do Shepparton first home buyers pay stamp duty?
Not on a home up to $600,000, provided you live in it as your principal residence for 12 months. A sliding concession applies from $600,001 to $750,000. These are Victorian rules, so they are the same as in Melbourne. Confirm the current thresholds at sro.vic.gov.au.
Can I get a home loan with seasonal orchard or farm income?
Yes. Lenders assess self-employed and seasonal income from tax returns, usually two years, though some accept one year or a low-doc alternative. Agricultural income is often lumpy, and we present it in a way the lender's credit team understands. Our founder's background as a credit officer helps here.
Do you speak Nepali?
Yes. Gorakh Timilsina, our founder, is Nepali-Australian, and a large part of our client base is the Nepali community in Melbourne's north. Shepparton's Nepali community is growing, and we are glad to run the whole application in Nepali, from the first conversation to explaining the loan documents.
Talk to GNT Finance
Buying your first home in Kialla, building in Shepparton North, refinancing a farm-linked loan or investing in the Goulburn Valley? We compare lenders, apply the Victorian rules and manage the loan by phone and video. Book a free consultation or call 0426 403 703.
Written by Gorakh Timilsina
Founder, CEO & Senior Mortgage Consultant at GNT Finance. Gorakh started as a broker assistant, spent years as a senior credit officer assessing loan applications, and now helps Melbourne families get the right loan approved. English, Nepali and Hindi spoken.