Brisbane Property Market and Real Estate Guide

(Brisbane, Queensland - QLD, Australia)

Brisbane is the Queensland capital and one of the best places to be based for visits to the beach. Queensland is the fastest growing state in Australia and perhaps the most liveable, with a stunning, year-round climate and relatively well-priced real estate.

This city of two million has a wide range of apartments for rent and homes to buy, and there are generally excellent returns on property. The town has a fine locale near to the surfing Mecca of the Gold Coast and is surrounded by many pleasing suburbs within reach of downtown.


Home and land prices in Brisbane are relatively low despite this, with prices around half what you'd pay for a given plot in Sydney, and at least a third less than property in Melbourne. The South Bank is one of the most desirable places to buy or rent with its parks and major museums, while the West End and lively Fortitude Valley areas are also very popular.

Renting Serviced Apartments

There are 80,000-odd apartments and flats in and around Brisbane, many of which are serviced apartments for rent. You can find them in all areas of the city, from the expensive CBD and South Bank areas to the cheaper West End, Newstead and Newfarm areas to the east.

Serviced apartments in Brisbane are quite pricey and usually require at least a week's stay with deposit. Six-monthly stays are the norm for the most popular areas. Facilities in Brisbane serviced apartments generally include all mod cons, such as air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms, along with kitchen, washing machine and possibly a communal pool.

Buying Apartments and Houses

There are around 350,000 residential properties in Brisbane and the market is good value, although prices are currently fairly stable. A boom in the 2000s saw many apartment blocks built in the CBD where competition is particularly stiff. Be aware of property and grounds charges on apartments and community fees in housing developments.

The suburbs of Balmoral, Hamilton, and St Lucia are the best performing top-enders, while the likes of Carole Park and Runcorn also do well at the cheaper end. Foreigners need to go through the government office Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) if planning on buying. The review will usually take a month, but will be rejected if they feel you are buying to let, or are in it to speculate.

Real Estate Agents

The competition to sell or rent a property or apartment in Brisbane is high and the city is awash with estate agents. They generally offer good advice and an all-round professional service, although some are better than others. It pays to shop around and look to those who have registered offices within Brisbane, as well as varied portfolios and revealing websites.

Examples of Brisbane real estate agents:

First National Real Estate Regents Park
Address: Shop 1A Village Fair, Vansittart Road, Regents Park, Australia
Tel: +61 7 3802 7300
Website: www.regentsparkfirstnational.com.au
First National provides an excellent service in the Regents Park area of Brisbane, as well as in other choice areas of the city, on rentals and homes.

Happening Real Estate
Address: 90 Cinderella Drive, Springwood, Brisbane, Australia
Tel: +61 7 3388 2713
Email: info@happeningrealestate.com.au
Website: www.happeningrealestate.com.au
Happening Real Estate offers low commission sales, off-plan apartments and kit homes in the Brisbane area.

LJ Hooker South Brisbane
Address: 130 Vulture Street, South Brisbane, Australia
Tel: +61 7 3846 4333
Email: southbrisbane@ljh.com.au
Website: www.ljhooker.com.au/southbrisbane
Covering South Brisbane and surrounds, LJ Hooker has been running since the 1980s and has an excellent portfolio on rentals and sales.