WITH 6600 first home grant recipients, Liverpool municipality buyers have ranked as the biggest beneficiaries of the handout since July 2000. More than $93 million has been paid at an average 66 grants a month in Liverpool.

There have been 361,000 recipients across NSW since the scheme was unveiled, at a rate of 3610 a month.

The property forecaster BIS Shrapnel said before the announcement yesterday that it expected Sydney property price declines to be "modest." It forecast Sydney median house prices would rise from $536,000 in June this year to $540,000 next year.