Brisbane Buyers Guide 2025
Your complete guide to buying property in Brisbane
Getting Started in Brisbane's Property Market
Essential preparation steps before you start your Brisbane property search
Financial Pre-Approval
Making sure your finances are ready is extremely important when purchasing a property in Brisbane. With the market moving so fast, it is important to have all your ducks in a row before you submit any offers. This is a MUST before you bid at auction due to all auctions being under unconditional terms here in Queensland.
We recommend sitting down with your preferred finance broker and working through your options and identifying your budget and preferred purchase price. A position of pre-approval is seen as a position of strength in the Brisbane market.
Bidding at Auction in Queensland
If you are bidding on a house at auction you must be aware of the conditions on which you are accepting. Here in Queensland auction terms are unconditional that include:
- No finance clauses
- No building and pest clauses
- Waiving off of 5 day cooling off period
Once the hammer drops by the auctioneer the winning bidder immediately owns the property and there is no clause that protects the buyer to pull out of that contract. So, before you bid at an auction make sure you have the finance approval by your broker to participate.
No Price Guides in Queensland
One of the greatest frustrations that interstate buyers experience when attempting to buy property in Brisbane is the lack of price guide information they receive from the sale agents. This is because there are no legal requirements for sale agents to give this information to buyers. This can create a frenzy of misguided offers and drive the price up for the seller.
Here are 3 tips to find your own price guide:
- Research and find the last 3 recent sales within 4km of the property you are wanting to buy
- Make sure the properties you find are similar in block size, internal size and layout
- Call 3 other sale agents who sell homes in the area and ask their opinion on what the property may be worth
📥 Download This Guide + Get Brisbane Off-Market Alerts
Get the complete PDF guide and be first to know about off-market properties in Brisbane
Due Diligence & Legal Requirements
Understanding your responsibilities as a buyer in Queensland
Due Diligence & Contracts
Unlike some other states, Queensland sellers do not need to give any previous or existing information about their property to the interested buyers. It is up to the buyers to complete their own due diligence on the property before they make an offer.
Here are some examples:
- If you are purchasing a property that is advertised as a dual occupancy home, you want to make sure that this has been approved by council and the seller has the correct permits and paperwork in place.
- Some properties may have had extensions or renovation work completed. Are they compliant and certified? This information and documentation will be approved by council and the seller will have these documents.
- If you are purchasing a house and would like to add another story, add a carport or even extend the home we suggest you engage with a town planner to ensure these can be completed and allowed by council.
Required certificates and documentation that the seller must supply:
- Smoke alarms must be compliant and certified
- If there is a swimming pool on the property then a certificate of safety and compliance should be supplied
Building & Pest Reports
As I am sure you would have heard, termites exist in Brisbane! Therefore, we always recommend that you make your offer subject to a 7-day building and pest report, or if the property you want to buy is going to auction you complete your own building and pest inspection beforehand if the seller has not had one completed already.
If your report comes back with any major defects or major termite damage, you have 3 options:
- You can terminate your contract and walk away from the purchase. You will receive your deposit back in full.
- You can have your conveyancer request a price adjustment to account for the major defect work that will be required on the property.
- Or; you can request that the seller attends these issues before settlement
Negotiation Strategies for Brisbane
Professional techniques to help you secure your Brisbane property
Negotiating Techniques
When it comes to negotiating with sale agents in Brisbane we recommend you utilize these 3 strategies to help you secure your new home.
1. Make a Ghost Offer
What does this mean? Do not be scared to put an offer on an EOI form and sign it. Unless your offer is on a formal contract and signed, it is not a legal agreement. Making a ghost offer will immediately ensure you get feedback from the sales agent in regard to what the seller is expecting for the home. From here you can begin the process in negotiating with a better understanding of the seller's expectations.
2. Submit Your Offer with Evidence
Submit your offer on email alongside 3 property links to recent sales in the area. Use these properties to justify your offer and give the sales agent what they need to groom the seller for your offer. The sales agent wants to sell the home, the more information you give them regarding recent sales and market statistics the better your offer will come across. Help them do their job!
3. Find Out Why They Are Selling
Some main reasons are:
- Downsizing OR Upgrading
- Moving for work or lifestyle
- Financial stress
- Purchased somewhere else and need to sell
This can help you position your offer that best suits the seller's needs. For example; if the seller has purchased somewhere else they will be in need for a quick settlement and would prefer a cash offer. Knowing the answer to this important question can help you leverage your offer and convince the seller to take your offer.
Our Top Performing Brisbane Suburbs
We've successfully helped clients purchase properties in these high-demand Brisbane locations
Carina
Top Performing Suburb
Family-friendly suburb with excellent schools and parks
Camp Hill
Top Performing Suburb
Sought-after inner-city location with character homes
Windsor
Top Performing Suburb
Prestigious inner-north suburb near CBD
Clayfield
Top Performing Suburb
Character homes and family-friendly atmosphere
Newmarket
Top Performing Suburb
Inner-city convenience with strong rental demand
Brisbane Suburb Market Data
Detailed market insights for popular Brisbane suburbs
Bulimba
Nestled on the southern banks of the Brisbane river and just a short ferry ride from the city, nine kilometers away, Bulimba offers residents both traditional Queenslander homes, modern apartments and prestige architect-designed, million-dollar waterfront properties.
The suburb, which began as a farming district in the 1820s, has evolved into one of Brisbane's blue-chip suburbs with a median house price over $1.8 million and some of the city's most expensive waterfront property. It also has some of the best city views.
Ascot
Ascot is characterised by large Queenslander homes and is located approximately 6.5 kilometres north-east of Brisbane GPO. Ascot is best known for its beautiful old homes, the picturesque poinciana tree lined shopping area of Racecourse Road, and for the Eagle Farm and Doomben racecourses popular for racing carnivals.
Over a third of the suburb is taken up by Doomben and its related outer buildings, Eagle Farm and Doomben racecourses.
New Farm
The suburb is located 2 kilometers east of the Brisbane CBD on a large bend of the Brisbane River. New Farm is partly surrounded by the Brisbane River, with land access from the north-west through Fortitude Valley and from the north through Newstead.
The suburb has an eclectic mix of 19th century colonial constructions; 20th century traditional Queenslander and Federation homes; and modern architectural hybrids. New Farm is home to Brisbane's most impressive collection of art deco buildings. As the population density increases and apartment, unit and duplex housing continue to exceed its share beyond 70% of the local dwelling mix, detached housing is increasing in demand and price.
Manly
Manly is an eastern bayside suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Manly is located 19.9 km by road east of the Brisbane GPO. Surrounding suburbs are Wynnum (to the north), Lota (to the south) and Manly West (to the west).
Manly offers a relaxed bayside lifestyle with excellent schools, parks, and community facilities, making it popular with families and professionals alike.
Coorparoo
Coorparoo is an older, established suburb located four kilometers south-east of Brisbane's CBD. It borders the suburbs of Camp Hill, Holland Park, Greenslopes, East Brisbane, Norman Park and Seven Hills, and has a current population of almost 17,000 permanent residents.
Over the past 5 years Coorparoo has been rediscovered as a new development hotspot with a number of large projects now redefining what it is like to live here.
🏠 Want Off-Market Alerts for These Suburbs?
Get notified when properties become available in Bulimba, Ascot, New Farm, Manly, and Coorparoo
Working with a Buyers Agent in Brisbane
How professional representation can help you buy smarter in Brisbane
Engage with a Buyers Agent
What is a buyers agent?
A licensed real estate agent who represents buyers in purchasing their property.
Why our clients come to us:
- Often time poor and cannot research or cannot get out to see properties
- They keep missing out on their properties at auction/private sale because the market is high demand and prices go well over reserve. Therefore, they get frustrated.
- Dealing with real estate agents can become very time consuming and frustrating
- They want expert advice on where to purchase
- Interstate and logistics challenges
Our Services & Steps:
- Client property brief, research, sourcing & reporting
- Identifying your top properties and then we decide on a game plan
- Communicating & Negotiating with real estate agents
- Due-diligence on all properties including COS, building and pest, flood reports and council
- Bidding at auction or submitting offers
- Supporting settlement duration and final inspection
- GETTING THE DEAL DONE!
- Final handover to your new property
How Our Fees Are Structured
At Edwards & Smith, transparency is paramount. Our full buyers agent service fee ranges from 2-3% of the purchase price depending on property value and complexity. We provide a clear quote upfront before you engage our services.
For example, on a $1M property, our fee would typically be $20,000-$30,000. Our fee is success-based—you only pay when you successfully purchase a property through our service.
Unlike other services, we don't operate within strict timeframes. Whether the search takes three weeks or three months, our commitment remains unwavering. We will tirelessly pursue the perfect property for each and every client, ensuring their satisfaction and peace of mind throughout the process. Learn more about auction representation and property evaluation services.
Ready to Buy in Brisbane?
Book a free consultation to discuss your Brisbane property goals
Book Free ConsultationExplore our full Brisbane buyers agent services