Understanding development approvals (DA) in Queensland
A development approval is council's formal permission to do something the planning scheme does not allow as of right. On Brisbane's south side that covers most subdivisions, multi-unit projects, and change of use.
Downsizing: how to find the right smaller home on Brisbane's south side
Downsizing on Brisbane's south side is emotional as much as financial. The right smaller home is single-level, low-maintenance, close to friends and services, and leaves you with enough capital to enjoy the next chapter, not just to survive it.
What to know before you build your home in Queensland
Building a home in Queensland is a five to twelve month commitment governed by QBCC rules, a fixed price contract, and stage-based progress payments. Get the builder and contract right and the build follows.
What Actually Happens From Listing to Settlement: A Week-by-Week Breakdown
Most sellers have never been through a full auction campaign before. Here is exactly what happens, week by week, from the day we list your home to the day the keys change hands.
Should I buy or sell first? A buyer's perspective
From a buyer's perspective, selling first gives certainty of budget and stronger offers but risks temporary housing. Buying first gives you time and choice but risks two mortgages if your sale takes longer than expected. Bridging finance sits between the two.
Buying off the plan vs an established property: pros and cons
Off the plan can deliver a brand new home and stamp duty savings, but comes with sunset clauses and market risk during the build. Established gives you certainty of what you are buying but no depreciation upside.
What Does It Actually Cost to Sell Your Home? A Full Breakdown
A line-by-line breakdown of what it currently costs to sell a home on Brisbane's south side in 2026. Every figure is indicative and current — no invented fees, no hidden extras.
Buying in a new estate vs an established suburb: pros and cons
A new estate gives you modern living, warranty, low maintenance and often government grants. An established suburb gives you land value, mature trees, schools and neighbourhood character. Neither is objectively better, it depends on your priorities and timeline.
How property subdivision works in Queensland
Subdividing a Queensland block turns one title into two or more sellable lots. Done well it can be one of the highest-returning small developments you can do. Done badly it burns 18 months of your time.
How Ray White's Buyer Database and AI Matching Actually Find Your Buyer
Forget waiting for buyers to stumble across your listing. Here is how the Ray White database of 48,000+ active buyers and AI matching system finds the right buyer for your home before Day 1 of the campaign even starts.
Buying acreage: what to check before you buy a lifestyle block
A lifestyle block is not just a house on a bigger yard. Water supply, sewer or septic, bushfire zoning, access, dam licences and future subdivision potential all matter. Get these wrong and you inherit an expensive problem.
Small vs medium vs large developments: what's the difference and where to start
A duplex, a five lot subdivision, and a 30 unit block are three completely different businesses. Scale, capital, complexity, and risk all step up sharply. Here is how to think about where to start.
10 Questions I Get Asked by Every Seller, Answered Honestly
Ten questions I get from almost every seller, with the honest answers I would give them across a kitchen table. No script, no waffle, no soft pedalling.
How Long Does It Take to Sell a House in Brisbane?
Most well-presented homes on Brisbane's south side sell within 4 to 8 weeks from listing to unconditional contract, with settlement 30 to 45 days after that. Here is the realistic timeline and what changes it.
Should I Sell My House or Renovate First?
In most cases on Brisbane's south side, selling as-is with light styling beats a full pre-sale renovation. Here is when to renovate, when to skip it, and what actually adds resale value.
Should I Buy or Sell First?
In a rising Brisbane south side market, selling first is usually the safer play. You lock in your sale price, know your budget exactly, and avoid bridging finance stress. Here is how to decide.
Appraisal vs Market Value vs Bank Valuation: What Is the Difference?
An appraisal is a selling agent's opinion of likely sale price. Market value is what a buyer actually pays. A bank valuation is a lender's conservative figure for security. Here is why all three matter.
How Do Real Estate Agent Fees and Commission Work in Queensland?
Most Queensland agents charge between 2.5 and 3.5 percent of the sale price, plus a marketing budget on top. Here is exactly how commission is structured, what should be included, and what to watch for.
Selling a House With Tenants in It: A Queensland Guide
You can sell a tenanted property in Queensland, but there are notice rules, access limits and styling trade-offs to understand first. Here is a practical, honest overview.
Downsizing on Brisbane's South Side: A Guide for Older Homeowners
Downsizing is as much emotional as it is financial. Here is how to time it well, prepare a long-held family home for sale, and move on with less stress on Brisbane's south side.
Selling a Deceased Estate in Queensland: A Step-by-Step Overview
Selling a deceased estate is rarely just a transaction. Here is a plain-English overview of the process in Queensland, common questions, and how to move at a pace that respects the family.
Capital Gains Tax When Selling Property in Australia: A Plain Guide
Capital gains tax applies when you sell a property that is not your main residence, on the profit between purchase and sale after allowable costs. Here is a plain-English explainer for Australian owners.
Logan Reserve Property Market 2026
Logan Reserve is one of the strongest growth suburbs in south-east Queensland right now, with the median house price at $935,000 and 21.7 percent growth in the past 12 months. Here is what is driving demand.
Rochedale South Property Market 2026
Rochedale South is up 24 percent in twelve months. Numbers aside, this is what those numbers actually mean if you own here, are thinking of upgrading, or are looking one suburb over from Rochedale.
Eight Mile Plains Property Market 2026
Eight Mile Plains is one of the most tightly held premium suburbs on Brisbane's south side, with the median house at $1.7m and units surging 19.7 percent in a year. Here is a proper look at the numbers.
Runcorn Property Market 2026
Runcorn has quietly delivered one of the strongest growth rates on Brisbane's south side, with the median house up 31.3 percent to $1.28m in the past year. Here is what is driving it.
Brisbane South Side Market Update, July 2026
The July 2026 south-side wrap: median prices, days on market, growth by suburb, and what it means this month if you're thinking of buying or selling.
Buying an investment property in the Logan corridor: what to look for
The Logan corridor gives investors the highest gross yields on Brisbane's south side, with medians from $860,000 in Yarrabilba to $935,000 in Logan Reserve. Look for tenant demand, growth catalysts and low maintenance builds, not the flashiest house.
How to do your first property development in Queensland: a step-by-step guide
Your first Queensland property development lives or dies on the feasibility. Get the numbers right, pick the right site, control the build, and you can create serious value. Get any of it wrong and you lose your equity.
What Happens If Your Property Doesn't Sell at Auction (Passed In)?
It is the fear every vendor has on auction day. The honest truth is that a property passing in is common, it is not a failure, and the campaigns I run treat it as the next step in the negotiation, not the end.
Is now a good time to buy on Brisbane's south side?
Brisbane's south side is up double digits in most suburbs over the last 12 months, with the strongest growth in Daisy Hill (+31.8%), Logan Village (+32.2%), Runcorn (+31.3%) and Underwood (+26.8%). Whether that means 'buy now' depends on how long you plan to hold.
Body corporate explained: buying and selling units in Queensland
When you buy or sell a unit or townhouse in Queensland, a body corporate is in the picture. Here is how community titles work, what fees you should expect, and what has to be disclosed.
Get to Know Your Agent: 10 Questions, Straight Answers
Before you trust someone with the biggest sale of your life, you probably want to know who they are outside the photo on the signboard. Ten questions about me, answered honestly.
What do 'under contract', 'offers over' and 'expressions of interest' mean?
Every listing term means something specific. 'Under contract' means the property is sold subject to conditions. 'Offers over' means the seller wants more than the stated figure. 'Expressions of interest' means no set price, submit your best.
Pool safety certificates in Queensland
You cannot sell or lease a Queensland home with a pool without a pool safety certificate, unless a Form 36 Notice of No Pool Safety Certificate is given to the buyer before signing.
How to make an offer on a house and get it accepted
The strongest offers are not just the highest price. They are clean, credible and easy for the seller to say yes to. Price, terms, deposit, settlement, conditions and how you present yourself all matter. Here is how good agents actually assess offers.
Smoke alarm laws in Queensland: what sellers and landlords must know
Since 1 January 2022, every Queensland home being sold or leased must have interconnected, photoelectric smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and level. No exceptions and no grace period.
Cooling-off periods in Queensland: a buyer's guide
In Queensland, buyers get a 5 business day cooling-off period on residential private treaty contracts, but not on auctions or contracts signed within two clear business days of an auction. This is general information, not legal advice, always confirm with your conveyancer.
Cooling-off periods in Queensland explained
Queensland gives buyers a five business day cooling-off period on most private treaty residential contracts. Terminate inside that window and you forfeit 0.25 per cent of the price, no more.
Building and pest inspections: what buyers need to know
A building inspection checks the structure and condition of the home. A pest inspection checks for termites and other wood-destroying pests. On Brisbane's south side you want both, always, and expect to pay $600 to $900 combined.
The standard REIQ contract explained
The REIQ Contract for Houses and Residential Land is the standard sale contract used across Queensland. Here is what each key section actually does, in plain English.
Top 5 Things That Add Real Value Before You Sell
Not every pre-sale upgrade pays off. After 18+ years selling on Brisbane's south side, these are the five improvements I see consistently lift sale prices, and the ones I'd skip.
Auction vs private treaty: what buyers need to know
Auction and private treaty are two very different games for buyers. Auction is fast, transparent and unconditional. Private treaty is slower, negotiable and gives you a cooling off period. Which one suits you depends on the property and your risk tolerance.
AML and CTF for Queensland property: what sellers and buyers need to know
From 1 July 2026, real estate agents, solicitors, and conveyancers are covered by Australia's anti-money laundering laws. Expect proper ID and source-of-funds checks at listing and at offer, on every sale.
Auction Result: 7 Wandilla Place, Kuraby
A strong auction result in Kuraby with three registered bidders and a clean under-hammer sale. Here is exactly how the campaign ran and what it means for the local market.
What happens if I'm the highest bidder but the reserve isn't met?
If you are the highest bidder and the reserve is not met, the property is 'passed in' to you and you get first right to negotiate directly with the seller. It is actually a strong position, not a failed auction.
What is a Form 6? The appointment of a real estate agent in Queensland
A PO Form 6 is the legal document you sign to appoint a real estate agent in Queensland. It sets the commission, marketing costs, and how long the agent is authorised to act, and it protects you as the seller.
How to bid at auction: a buyer's guide
Bidding at auction is not complicated once you know the rules, but you need to be organised. Do your due diligence before auction day, register on the day, and know your walk-away number. Here's exactly how I brief buyers who plan to bid.
The Queensland Seller Disclosure Statement (Form 2) explained
The Form 2 Seller Disclosure Statement has been mandatory for every residential sale in Queensland since 1 August 2025 under the Property Law Act 2023. Get it wrong and the buyer can terminate right up to settlement.
How to buy your first home on Brisbane's south side: a step-by-step guide
Buying your first home on Brisbane's south side usually takes 6 to 12 months from serious saving to key handover. Here is the step-by-step version I walk first home buyers through, with real local numbers and the traps to watch for.
First home buyer grants and stamp duty concessions in Queensland 2026
Queensland first home buyers can access a $30,000 First Home Owner Grant for eligible new builds, a full stamp duty concession on homes up to $700,000 and a partial concession up to $800,000. Rules change, so always confirm the current thresholds before you sign.
How much deposit do I need to buy a house in Brisbane?
Most banks want a 20% deposit to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance, but you can buy with as little as 5% if you are willing to pay LMI or use a guarantor. On Brisbane's south side that is a real range from about $47,000 up to $340,000 depending on the suburb.
99 Real Estate Jokes, Because Selling Your Home Should Have at Least One Laugh
Ninety nine real estate jokes, some Australian, some English, some too close to the truth. Because selling your home should have at least one laugh.
Rochedale Property Market Update, June 2026
Rochedale continues to hold its position as one of Brisbane's most tightly held premium suburbs, with the median house price sitting at $1.83m for the 12 months to March 2026. Here is what the data tells us and what it means if you are thinking of selling.
How Social Media Is Changing Real Estate and Why It Could Mean More Money for You
Social media has fundamentally changed how property is marketed in Brisbane. Here is how Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube reach buyers that property portals cannot, and why it consistently means more money in your pocket at auction.
When Is the Best Time to Sell Your House on Brisbane's South Side?
Timing your sale correctly is one of the most underrated decisions a vendor can make. Here is an honest view on when to sell on Brisbane's south side, and when to wait.
How Much Is My House Worth on Brisbane's South Side? The Honest Answer
There are four very different numbers people call a 'value' — automated estimate, desktop appraisal, agent appraisal and formal valuation. Here's what each actually is, when to trust it, and which one your bank will pay attention to.
Auction Result: 6 Colvillea Street, Eight Mile Plains
A tightly-held Eight Mile Plains home taken to auction with strong buyer competition. Here is the campaign, the day, and the takeaway.
Auction vs Private Treaty, Which Gets You More Money on Brisbane's South Side?
There is no universal winner between auction and private treaty. The right method depends on your property type, buyer depth, timing, condition and likely price range. Here's how I work through it with vendors.
How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent on Brisbane's South Side, Without Getting Burned
The right agent will add tens of thousands to your result. The wrong one will cost you just as much. Here is what separates the agents who deliver from those who disappoint.
How to Prepare Your House for Sale on Brisbane's South Side, A Room by Room Guide
Preparing your property for sale is about spending the right money in the right places. Here is my room by room guide to preparing a south side Brisbane property for sale.
How Auction Works and Why I Recommend It for Brisbane's South Side
A plain-English walkthrough of how a residential auction actually runs on Brisbane's south side, from campaign week one through the fall of the hammer, and how to tell whether it suits your home.
Kuraby Suburb Spotlight 2026, What Homeowners Need to Know
Kuraby is one of the suburbs I sell in most weeks of the year. Here's what the 2026 market is actually rewarding, what it's punishing, and what owners should do with that information.
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