Australia Property Buying Guide for Foreign Buyers

Foreign persons, including most non-residents and many temporary residents, must apply to FIRB before buying residential property. In general, foreign buyers are directed toward new dwellings, off-the-plan purchases and vacant land for development. Under measures introduced in 2025, foreign buyers have been prohibited for a set period from buying established dwellings, with the ban originally due to end in March 2027 and since extended to 30 June 2029; check the current exceptions before you plan.

Temporary residents are covered by the ban too, so for now they are generally limited to new dwellings and vacant land, as other foreign persons are. Citizens and permanent residents are exempt. If you are looking at new-build stock, compare apartments for sale in Australia, houses for sale in Australia and land for sale in Australia.

1. Confirm your status (non-resident, temporary resident, citizen or permanent resident) and what you are permitted to buy.
2. Obtain FIRB approval before signing, or sign a contract that is conditional on FIRB approval with a fixed time limit.
3. Appoint a solicitor or licensed conveyancer in the state where the property sits.
4. Review the contract of sale and, for strata, the strata report and levies. For off-the-plan units, review the disclosure statement.
5. Exchange contracts and pay the deposit, commonly around 10%, into trust. A cooling-off period may apply depending on the state.
6. Arrange finance, building and pest inspections, and insurance, then pay stamp duty and surcharges by the due date.
7. Settle on the agreed date, when funds are exchanged for title through an electronic settlement system.

In Australia your solicitor or conveyancer is the key professional. They check title, review the contract, manage FIRB conditions and handle settlement. Notaries are not part of a normal residential purchase.

A buyer's agent can help non-residents shortlist stock and negotiate, typically charging a fixed fee or a small percentage. Building and pest inspections are standard on established homes. For financing, Australian lenders are cautious with non-residents, as explained in mortgage options in Australia for foreigners; try the mortgage calculator before approaching a broker.

• FIRB approval or condition, including any conditions on vacancy or resale.
• Title search and zoning certificates for the specific state or territory.
• For apartments: strata report, sinking-fund balance, special levies and building defects.
• For off-the-plan: developer track record, completion date clauses and sunset provisions.
• Building and pest inspection reports on established dwellings.
• Council rates, land tax assessment and any vacancy fee obligations.

Costs vary a lot by state. Foreign purchasers usually pay an additional stamp duty surcharge, plus annual land tax surcharges in several states. The figures are indicative, so verify locally.

Buying property in Australia does not grant residency. The older investor-style visa routes tied to investment have been closed or reshaped, and property purchases do not qualify on their own. Temporary visa holders have additional limits on what they can buy.

For investors, it is also worth knowing that non-residents lose some capital gains tax concessions on sale and may be subject to withholding when they sell. Speak to an Australian tax adviser early, and read Australia property market data to understand how markets compare across cities.

• Buying an established dwelling without checking the current foreign-buyer restriction.
• Signing an unconditional contract before FIRB approval.
• Forgetting the state surcharges when comparing cities.
• Overlooking strata levies and building defects in apartment blocks.
• Assuming a mortgage will be available to a non-resident at normal loan-to-value ratios.