More than 300 people across the Horsham Rural City, Northern Grampians, Yarriambiack, Hindmarsh, Buloke, West Wimmera and Ararat Rural City municipalities who entered the property market since July 1 last year have paid no stamp duty on their properties.

The state government made changes to the first-home buyer stamp duty concession and first-home owners grant last year.

Under the changes, first-home buyers are exempt from paying stamp duty for houses worth less than $600,000. 

The changes also saw the grant increase from $10,000 to $20,000 for new homes built in regional Victoria that are worth up to $750,000.

However Horsham's Wes Davidson Real Estate principal director Wes Davidson said it was difficult for people to receive the concessions.

"For those who can get them, they have been of some benefit," he said.

"It's much harder for people to get loans now than it was a few years ago."

Mr Davidson said young people in the region were steering away from buying their first home and were more often building instead.

"I've really noticed that over the last six months especially," he said.

"People tend to like to build rather than buy if they have the money to do so. But then again, there are positives and negatives about both aspects."

Ararat Ballarat Real Estate sales consultant Brad Jensen said while there had been an increase in first-home buyers, there were various reasons for it.

“Interest rates are low at the moment and the median house price is low at $195,000 in Ararat,” he said. 

“There’s also a shortage of rental properties, which might entice younger ones to buy.” 

Monaghans Real Estate licensed estate agent Matt Monaghan said 21 per cent of their sales in the 2017-18 financial year were to first-home buyers. 

“Last financial year was a record year for Monaghans Real Estate,” he said. 

“We sold more property then ever before.

“Talk of things happening in Stawell such as Stawell Gold Mine, Bulgana Wind Farm, Nectar Farms, the dual highway and the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory has led to a rise in confidence in the area.” 

Mr Monaghan said the market was oversupplied with houses three to four years ago, but he said the number of houses for sale had reduced more recently.

“Houses in lower price ranges are getting scarcer,” he said.