Benefits of Using a Buyers' Agent for Expats and Foreign Buyers: 

Many of our international or expatriate clients are aware of the advantages of buying a house in Australia while they are still overseas. This allows them to get ahead of the property growth cycle and capitalise on excellent local investment opportunities even if they’re not yet on Australian soil.

• Propertybuyer’s agents are up to date with the latest research and trends in the Australian real estate market, giving our overseas buyers in-depth, localised information on choosing properties with the best features and capital gains potential.
• We’re also able to give our overseas buyers access to both on and off-market listings and provide them with information that not even local buyers have access to. We will be your eyes and ears on the ground searching for Australian homes and properties.
• Using our expert negotiation skills we’ll also save you a packet when it comes to buying a house and securing it ahead of other buyers.

As the most awarded buyers’ agents in Australia, we’d delighted to help you invest in Australian property.

Where Are The Best Suburbs To Buy Property in Australia?

If you’re an overseas real estate buyer looking specifically for investment property, we will advise you on the best suburbs and brief you on all aspects of our property research to ensure you make an informed decision. We are constantly researching local and international property investment hotspots and can deliver a range of properties to suit your specific investment requirements, whether they be for capital growth or positive cashflow.

Propertybuyer has a network of buyers agents in many areas including:

• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Brisbane
• Perth
• Adelaide
• Canberra
• Hobart
• Darwin

Have a look at all the areas we service here. We are flexible and are able to meet your specific requirements. We will also assist with the co-ordination of all support services relating to your purchase and will communicate with you at every stage of the process.

Buying Australian property while living overseas is a difficult process as you need to keep up with local trends, understand the local market prices, know how local agents operate and decide which properties for sale will meet your requirements. The Sydney property market is made up of a number of sub-markets and we protect foreign buyers from paying too much or buying the wrong type of property. Propertybuyer provides independent advice and assistance to foreign investors (and home buyers with permanent residence status) to navigate the Australian property market.

Foreign buyers must buy a brand new property (or buy land and build within 2 years). Propertybuyer understands the local market and has access to all new and “hidden” listings that may be suitable for you. We can show you the suburbs that have the best lifestyle, schools, entertainment, sporting facilities, investment potential or other key features you desire.

Sydney is a world class city with a multicultural population of over 4.5 million people, a beautiful natural harbour, pristine beaches and was home to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. We have assisted many international buyers purchase property in Sydney from their locations abroad. Purchasing a property in the Sydney real estate market is a wise decision that will provide substantial capital gains over the long term.

We research extensively to source properties that match your needs and lifestyle. Every international investment opportunity is assessed against dozens of factors, including local market conditions, comparable sales and the property’s condition. We also access many listings before they’re live on the market – so you can reap the rewards of a ‘silent sale’. Once you’ve decided on a property, we negotiate directly with real estate agents to secure the lowest possible price – saving you time, money and stress.

Who does not require Government approval? (Exemptions)

You do not need to submit an application for approval to acquire real estate in Australia if:

• you are an Australian citizen living abroad
• your spouse is an Australian citizen (not a permanent resident) and you are purchasing residential real estate in both names as joint tenants (not tenants in common)
• you are a New Zealand citizen and you are purchasing residential property
• you hold a permanent resident visa and you are purchasing residential property
• you are purchasing new dwelling(s) from the developer, where the developer has pre-approval to sell those dwellings to foreign persons
• you are acquiring an interest in a time share scheme which does not permit you (and any of your associates) more than 4 weeks entitlement per year
• you are purchasing certain residential real estate in an Integrated Tourism Resort (ITR)
• you are acquiring an interest in developed commercial property valued at less than $50 million or $1004 million (indexed annually) for US investors, or $5 million for heritage listed properties where the acquirer is not a US investor
• you are acquiring an interest in developed commercial property where the property is to be used immediately and in its present state for industrial or non residential commercial purposes. The acquisition must be wholly incidental to the purchaser’s proposed or existing business activities
• you are acquiring an interest by will or by operation of law (such as, a court order regarding the division of property in a divorce settlement, but not if both parties simply agree to transfer property without a court’s intervention)
• or you are purchasing property from the Government (Commonwealth, State or Territory, or local)

Do I need Government approval to buy real estate in Australia?

You may need to apply for foreign investment approval if you are a foreign interest who is:

• purchasing residential real estate (includes established or new residential property, vacant land and hobby farms)
• purchasing rural land
• purchasing developed commercial real estate
• making an application for designation as an Integrated Tourism Resort or Strata Titled Hotel
• purchasing vacant commercial real estate for development
• acquiring shares, business assets or dealing with some other interest in an existing company
• creating a new business or project
• dealing with some other form of interest

A foreign interest is defined as:

• a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia
• a corporation in which a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation holds a substantial interest
• a corporation in which two or more persons, each of whom is either a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation, hold an aggregate substantial interest
• the trustee of a trust estate in which a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation holds a substantial interest, or
• the trustee of a trust estate in which two or more persons, each of whom is either a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia or a foreign corporation, hold an aggregate substantial interest

Other situations where FIRB approval is normally given includes:

• Foreign companies buying residences in Australia for their senior executives
• Foreign nationals temporarily resident in Australia for more than 12 months buying for their own use as a principal place of residence subject to the sale of the property when they cease to reside in Australia
• Foreign nationals purchasing residential real estate as joint tenant with an Australian spouse

For further information and detailed government policies are available on the Foreign Investment Review Board website.