Resources

Start where you are

Three paths, one process. Choose the one that sounds like you.

The 10 Fundamentals

How a purchase actually runs

Seven steps, from first conversation to the keys and beyond. The same process whether you're buying a first home or a development site.

1. 01

   Consultation

   We start with your goals, situation, budget and finance, owning structure, timeline and what you want the purchase to achieve.

2. 02

   Strategy brief

   Together we build a buying brief around your non-negotiables, risk profile, preferred locations and long-term objectives.

3. 03

   Search

   Our sourcing systems, local knowledge and network surface on-market, pre-market and off-market opportunities that fit the brief.

4. 04

   Property analysis

   Every shortlisted property is assessed against the 10 Fundamentals, including flood, zoning, body corporate and land-to-asset ratio.

5. 05

   Inspect

   We inspect on your behalf, assess the practical details and run due diligence before you commit.

6. 06

   Negotiate

   We handle pricing strategy, negotiation and contract terms so you can secure the right property with confidence and favourable conditions.

7. 07

   Purchase and beyond

   We coordinate with your legal and finance team through settlement, then support the next stage through Rental Perspective or project coordination.

Buyer guides

Plain-English explanations of the things that decide whether a purchase works.

First home buyers: the fundamentals

Your first home doesn't need to be your forever home. It needs to be a smart first step. Buy strong fundamentals in the right location and you're not just purchasing a place to live, you're building the foundation for your future wealth.

Get pre-approval first so you know your genuine budget, not just what a lender will lend. Then set your criteria: the essentials, and the things you're willing to compromise on.

• Talk to a mortgage broker and confirm what repayment you're comfortable with, not only the maximum you can borrow.
• Set up your owning entity with your accountant or financial planner before you buy, not after.
• Target high-demand suburbs and check future supply, flood mapping and proximity to main roads or rail.
• Understand building, pest and finance conditions, and read the Seller's Disclosure Statement and contract properly.
• Move during the week where you can. Waiting for the weekend puts you in the same queue as everyone else.

Land-to-asset ratio, explained

Land-to-asset ratio is the share of a property's value that sits in the land rather than the building. A house on a well-located block carries a high ratio. A large new build on a small lot carries a low one.

Land is the part that can't be manufactured, and it's the part that tends to hold and grow value. A high ratio gives you scarcity, redevelopment optionality and a bigger margin if the market softens.

• Compare land value against the number of dwellings on the site. One dwelling on a large block is a different asset to six on the same land.
• Use the Queensland land valuation search to see the official land value behind a property.
• Check what the site could become under the Brisbane City Plan: small lot, duplex, townhouses, or nothing at all.
• A low ratio isn't automatically bad, but you need a clear reason for paying for the building rather than the dirt.
• In smaller complexes, older brick walk-ups often carry a better ratio than newer stock.

High land-to-asset ratio

80% land20%

Most of the value is in the land: scarcity, optionality, stronger downside protection.

Low land-to-asset ratio

40% land60%

More of the value is in the building, which depreciates and can be rebuilt on other land.

What due diligence actually covers

Due diligence isn't a box to tick after you've decided. It's how you find out whether the property you're about to buy is the property you think it is.

We run it on every shortlisted property before an offer is made, and again through the contract conditions.

• Flood: overland flow, creek and river mapping, plus the practical question of how you'd get in and out during a weather event.
• Planning: zoning, overlays, easements and any approvals attached to the site.
• Building and pest: structural issues, previous renovations, termites and unapproved work.
• Contract: the Seller's Disclosure Statement, special conditions, settlement terms and inclusions.
• Money: body corporate records, sinking fund health, levies and any special resolutions coming up.
• Comparables: recent sales of genuinely comparable properties, so you know what the price actually means.

Where equity comes from

There are two ways equity appears in a property: the market moves, or you create it. Waiting for the first is a strategy. Manufacturing the second is a skill.

The most reliable value-add is often cosmetic and structural rather than grand: a better layout, a refreshed kitchen and flooring, improved light and street appeal.

• Buy below intrinsic value first. Renovation can't rescue a purchase price that was already too high.
• Look for layouts that can be reconfigured, such as a two bedroom that can become three without moving walls.
• Budget the renovation before you buy, including the holding costs while it's empty.
• Keep the spend proportionate. A modest uplift in the right property often outperforms a premium renovation.
• Get a valuation after the work is complete so the equity is usable for the next step.

Offers, auctions and negotiation

Price is only one term. Finance dates, building and pest windows, settlement length and deposit all change how attractive an offer is to a seller.

A sharp offer with clean conditions is often worth more to a vendor than a higher number that carries risk.

• Ask what the seller actually needs: a quick settlement, a long one, certainty, or a particular date.
• Use conditions to protect yourself, but keep them as tight as the property genuinely allows.
• At auction, set your ceiling before you go and don't negotiate against yourself in the moment.
• Put the offer in writing with a clear expiry, and keep the agent talking to you.
• Never let emotion set the price. There is always another property.

Repayment calculator

Run the numbers before you inspect. Enter a purchase price, deposit and interest rate to see the repayment week to week, fortnight to fortnight, month to month or year to year. Then see what a higher rate would cost, and what buying the same property for less would save.

Research tools we use

The same free sources behind our property analysis. Bookmark them.

Watch and learn

Free checklists

Print these, or keep them on your phone for inspections.

Case studies

Common questions