Plain-English answers.

The registration date is when the developer's titles are formally issued by Titles Queensland — meaning the block legally exists as a separate piece of land that can be sold, settled, and built on. Until registration, you can't settle, you can't build, and your loan pre-approval is just sitting there ticking.

A six-month registration delay can cost you $40,000+ in renewed pre-approvals, interest rate changes, rent in the meantime, and storage. Always look for blocks where registration is confirmed in writing — not "estimated", not "anticipated", not "subject to council".

Under the Land Sales Act 1984, developers must settle off-the-plan land contracts within 18 months of you signing. If they don't, you can terminate. We dig into this further in the contracts section below.

Freehold is the simpler one — you own the block outright. No body corporate, no shared facilities, no monthly fees. Resale is straightforward.

Community-titled means the estate has shared spaces (parks, pavilions, gates) maintained by a body corporate. You own your block but pay quarterly fees (typically $200–$600) for shared maintenance. Resale is often stronger because the estate stays well-kept, but factor those fees into your ongoing costs and check the body corporate's financial position before signing.

Not always — but check three things first:

• Council fencing rules. Some councils require lower or transparent fencing on the secondary frontage, costing more and limiting privacy.
• Headlights and noise. Map the streetlights and traffic flow before deciding which side the bedrooms go.
• Larger setbacks. Corner blocks usually have setback rules from both streets, which can shrink your buildable footprint by 20–30m².

Done right, corner blocks can be excellent — better light, more parking, easier landscaping. Done wrong, you've paid extra for a block you can't fully use.

A covenant is a set of design rules attached to your block — typically requiring things like a minimum 200m² floor plan, render or brick facades, no Colorbond roofs, restricted fence colours, and approved landscaping. They protect everyone's resale value by stopping a neighbour from building something that doesn't fit the estate.

In Queensland, covenants on residential estates are usually contractual rather than registered on title. That means they're enforced through the contract you sign with the developer — and you're typically required to pass them on via a deed of covenant when you sell. You generally can't get around them.

Read the covenant document before you sign. If you wanted a budget timber-clad cottage and the covenant requires brick or render, that's a $40,000+ build cost difference.

Yes — even if the developer's marketing photos look great. We organise on-site walks for any block we represent. Three things to check:

• Slope. A <1m fall front-to-back is ideal. >3m of fall needs engineered earthworks costing $20,000–$60,000+ extra.
• Aspect. Where does the morning sun hit? Where will your living areas go? North-facing rear yards are gold in QLD.
• Surroundings. What's behind the block? Powerlines, a busy road, a future commercial pad? Check the master plan, not just what's there today.

Australian soils are classified under AS 2870 from Class A (least reactive — sand and rock) through S, M, H1, H2, E, to Class P (problem sites). The classification determines how your slab needs to be engineered to handle ground movement.

• Class A or S: minimal extra cost — standard slab works fine
• Class M: moderate reactivity — common in Brisbane clay soils, expect ~$5,000–$10,000 in additional siteworks
• Class H1 / H2: highly reactive clay — typically $10,000–$25,000 extra
• Class P: problem sites (fill, slope, trees nearby, soft ground) — can add $30,000–$50,000+ for piers and engineered footings

Industry estimates suggest around 70% of Australian sites can be classified Class P depending on conditions. Always get an independent soil test before signing a build contract — never rely on the developer's general report.

Yes. We hold blocks for 7 days at no cost while you finalise pre-approval and review the contract with a solicitor. No fee, no obligation — if you decide to walk away in that window, the block goes back on the market and that's the end of it.

Most reservations convert. Most that don't, the buyer realised in those 7 days that something else was a better fit, which is exactly what the window's for.

For the land contract, the deposit is typically 5–10% on signing, held in trust until settlement. The remaining balance is paid at settlement.

For the loan, lenders normally want a 20% deposit to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). With the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme (formerly the First Home Guarantee), you can get away with as little as 5% deposit and the government waives LMI — saving roughly $15,000–$25,000 on a typical Brisbane build.

Single parents may qualify for the 2% deposit stream of the same scheme.

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) gives eligible first-home buyers $30,000 towards buying or building a brand-new home valued under $750,000 (land plus build combined). The boosted $30,000 amount applies to contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2026 — after that, it reverts to $15,000.

Established (previously occupied) homes do not qualify for the FHOG, though they may still qualify for stamp-duty concessions. Contract date is what matters — not settlement date — so a contract signed before 30 June 2026 still gets the $30,000 even if settlement happens later.

Mostly no — and the rules changed dramatically in 2025. From 1 May 2025, first home buyers in Queensland pay zero stamp duty on new homes and vacant land, with no price cap. Provided you intend to build and move in within two years.

For established (existing) homes, the rules are different:

• Full concession (zero duty) on first homes up to $700,000
• Partial concession on a sliding scale between $700,001 and $800,000
• No first-home concession above $800,000 (though the standard home concession may still apply)

On a $700,000 established home, the saving is roughly $17,350. On vacant land, the saving on the residential portion can be tens of thousands more. Always confirm with the QLD Revenue Office or your conveyancer before exchange.

The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme (previously called the First Home Guarantee) lets eligible first home buyers purchase with a 5% deposit and no LMI — the government guarantees the remaining 15% of the standard 20% deposit, so the lender treats the loan as if you'd put down 20%.

Three big changes took effect on 1 October 2025:

• Income caps removed — there's now no income limit at all
• Unlimited places — no more annual cap or waitlist
• Higher property price caps — for QLD: Brisbane / Gold Coast / Sunshine Coast up to $1,000,000, regional QLD typically $700,000

You apply through a participating lender, not Housing Australia directly. Most major banks and many smaller lenders are on the panel. A broker can compare lender policies — some have more favourable rules around HECS debt, casual income, or recent job changes.

Help to Buy is a federal shared-equity scheme that opened applications on 5 December 2025. The government co-purchases up to 40% of a new home (or 30% of an existing home) in exchange for an equivalent share in the property — meaning you only need a 2% deposit and you only borrow on your portion.

Income caps apply: $100,000 for singles, $160,000 for couples or single parents. Property price caps apply too — varying by location.

The catch: when you sell, the government gets back 40% of the sale price, not 40% of what they originally put in. In a rising market, that becomes expensive. Help to Buy is best suited to lower-income earners who otherwise couldn't enter the market — not as a way for higher earners to leverage cheap equity.

Broker, in 90% of cases. A good broker compares 30+ lenders and finds the one most likely to approve your specific situation at the best rate. Banks only sell their own products and have no incentive to tell you a competitor is cheaper.

Brokers are paid by the bank you choose, not by you — so the cost is the same either way. The exception: if your situation is dead simple (employed full-time, 20% deposit, no debts, buying under the median) and you have a long relationship with your bank, going direct can be quicker.

A construction loan releases your loan in progress payments tied to build milestones — typically five or six stages. You only pay interest on what's been drawn down, which keeps repayments low during the build.

The standard stages are:

• Stage 1 — Slab / Foundation: ~20% of build cost
• Stage 2 — Frame: ~20–25% (your biggest single drawdown)
• Stage 3 — Lock-up: windows, doors, roof — house is weatherproof
• Stage 4 — Fixing: kitchens, bathrooms, internal joinery
• Stage 5 — Practical Completion: ~10% — final inspection, painting, handover

Once the build is complete, the construction loan converts to a standard principal-and-interest home loan. Most lenders charge a Progress Drawing Fee of $200–$400 per drawdown. Get a broker who specialises in construction lending — the wrong loan structure can cost $5,000–$15,000 in unnecessary fees.

For an off-the-plan or community-titled land contract, use a property solicitor, not just a conveyancer. The contracts have sunset clauses, variation rights, and developer protections that a generic conveyancer often won't flag.

For a straightforward established-property purchase, a conveyancer is fine and cheaper. Indicative cost: solicitor $400–$800 for a contract review, conveyancer $1,200–$2,000 for end-to-end conveyancing.

A sunset clause lets one party terminate the contract if registration doesn't happen by a set date. In a rising market, unscrupulous developers used to deliberately delay registration past the sunset date, then re-list the same block at the new (higher) market price.

The good news: Queensland reformed this on 22 November 2023. Sellers can now only use sunset clauses to terminate off-the-plan land contracts in two situations: (i) with the buyer's written consent, or (ii) with a court order. They cannot unilaterally walk away.

However, the clause itself is still in your contract, so make sure your solicitor reviews exactly when and how it can be triggered. Buyers, importantly, can still use a sunset clause themselves to terminate if registration drags past 18 months — that protection is in the Land Sales Act 1984.

Yes — for off-the-plan land contracts, deposits must be held in a regulated trust account and can only be released to the seller at settlement, or if the contract finalises and the seller is otherwise entitled. This is set in law, not negotiation.

Walk away from any developer offering "early access to your deposit" or describing the deposit as a "mezzanine loan" to fund construction. Both potentially breach the Land Sales Act and put your money at risk.

Sometimes — under a variation clause. Many off-the-plan contracts allow up to 5% variation in lot size with no price adjustment. So a 600m² block could legally settle as a 570m² block at the same price.

The fix is to negotiate a tighter variation tolerance (2% is achievable for serious buyers) and a price-adjustment formula if it shrinks more than that. Solicitor redlines.

In Queensland, the default cooling-off period for residential property is 5 business days from when the buyer receives the signed contract. During this window you can withdraw and only forfeit 0.25% of the purchase price as a termination fee.

You'll often be asked to waive cooling-off — don't, unless your solicitor has already reviewed the contract before you sign. Waiving cooling-off without a contract review is the single biggest avoidable mistake in QLD land purchases.

For off-the-plan land, settlement is usually 14 days from registration. So if your block registers on a Wednesday, you'll typically settle the following Wednesday two weeks later.

14 days is tight — you need final loan documents ready, stamp duty paid, and your solicitor lined up. We push for 21–28 day settlement windows where possible. Two extra weeks of buffer is the difference between calm and chaotic.

Volume builders (Coral Homes, Stylemaster, Metricon, Plantation, Stroud and similar): typically 30% cheaper, faster turnaround (9–11 months for single-storey), 40+ floor plan templates, fixed-price contracts. You pick a plan, choose finishes, they build it.

Custom builders: 80% more control over design, material choices, and finish quality. Longer build (typically 14–18 months), more expensive (15–30% premium), better resale on unique blocks. You design with an architect, they build to your specs.

For first-home buyers on a tight budget, volume usually wins. For acreage, sloped, or unusual blocks, custom is often the only realistic option.

Three free checks, all done in 5 minutes:

• QBCC licence — search the builder's licence number on the QBCC website. Confirm it's active and the licence class covers what they're building you. Lapsed or restricted licences are a hard stop.
• Insurance — current QBCC Home Warranty Insurance and public liability. Ask for certificates and check expiry dates.
• References — ask for three recent (last 12 months) clients and call them. Ask: "Did they finish on time? Were variations reasonable? Would you use them again?"

Every builder in our specialists directory has been through this check, plus a quarterly review of client ratings.

A variation is a change to the build contract that adds cost — extra siteworks because the soil class was worse than expected, an upgrade you requested, or a council requirement that wasn't priced in. They're normal in any build, but unscrupulous builders quote low and load up the variations later.

Three protections:

• Get a fixed-price contract, not "estimated to be confirmed"
• Ensure the soil test is done before contract signing, not after
• Cap the variation policy at a percentage (typically 5%) above which the builder absorbs the cost

From contract signing to keys:

• Volume builder, single-storey: 9–11 months
• Volume builder, double-storey: 12–14 months
• Custom build, single-storey: 14–16 months
• Custom build, double-storey: 16–20 months

Add 2–4 months if you're on a block with a council overlay (bushfire, flood, character). Wet-weather delays in QLD are real — anyone who promises <9 months on a fresh slab is probably overpromising.

Yes. An independent inspector visits the build at key milestones (frame, lock-up, practical completion) and writes a defects report. Costs roughly $400–$800 per visit.

Why bother — your council certifier already inspects? Because the certifier checks code compliance, not quality. An independent inspector catches: gaps in waterproofing, dodgy framing, paint runs, missing flashings, electrical issues. The defects list goes to the builder, who must fix them before you sign off the next progress payment.

Most buyers who skip this step regret it. The fixes are easy and free before you've paid; expensive and slow after.

Once construction starts, payments flow to the builder in milestones. The build itself follows the same sequence:

• Slab / Base: Site cleared, plumbing rough-in, slab poured. Approx 4–6 weeks.
• Frame: Timber or steel framing erected, roof trusses placed. The biggest visual jump — your house suddenly exists.
• Lock-up: External walls, roof, windows, doors all installed. The house is now weather-tight and securable.
• Fixing: Internal walls, kitchens, bathrooms, joinery, painting, tiling. The longest stage in elapsed time.
• Practical Completion: Final fixtures, certifier sign-off, handover walk-through. You get the keys.

Two things. First, we sell premium residential land across South East Queensland — vetted blocks, real registration dates, no spec releases.

Second, we connect you with the specialists you'll need to build on it: brokers, solicitors, builders, inspectors, surveyors, insurers. One company, one journey, one square.

No. Our fees come from the developers and estates we represent — the same way a normal real estate company is paid. We don't charge buyers, we don't take kickbacks from specialists, and we don't take commission on builder referrals.

This means our specialist recommendations are based on fit for you, not on who pays the most. It also means our advice can be honest — if a particular block isn't right for you, we'll tell you.

Every specialist is independently checked on four things:

• Active QLD licence + current professional indemnity insurance
• Three recent client references we actually call
• Communication style — plain English, responsive, not pushy
• Value alignment — no upsells, no kickbacks, no high pressure

Roughly 1 in 4 applicants are accepted. Quarterly performance reviews follow. Anyone consistently rated below 4.5 stars by clients is removed from the directory.

Greater Brisbane, Logan corridor, Ipswich corridor, and Moreton Bay. Specifically including Greenbank, Springfield Lakes, Ripley Valley, Pimpama, Yarrabilba, North Lakes, and surrounding estates.

If you're looking somewhere we don't currently represent, let us know — we can often broker introductions with developers in adjacent regions.

Within 4 hours during business hours (Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm), or first thing the next business morning. If something is genuinely urgent, the phone line gets answered live during those hours.

You can brief our team with your situation and we'll come back with the right next step — whether that's a block recommendation, a specialist intro, or just answering a question.