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• Population increase of 12,000 residents per year (6-8% growth)
  
• Sixth largest city in Australia with a multilingual, multicultural population exceeding 500,000 people
  
• Gold Coast only 40 minutes from Brisbane
• Rail link to Brisbane and Brisbane International Airport
  
• Vibrant business community
• Quality educational facilities - four universities catering for international students
• Different types of housing available - beachside, highrise, waterfront, suburban, hinterland, rural living
• Low noise and environment pollution
• Much lower traffic congestion
• Low state taxes and local government property rates
• Unenvied picturesque surrounds - beaches, canals, lakes, rain forests, mountains
• Excellent sporting facilities
• Endless amounts of entertainment
• Sub-tropical climate
• Outdoor lifestyle all year round

More information:

• Growth Corridor
  
• Gold Coast Tourism

 
The Gold Coast being Australia's premiere holiday destination, also makes it a place where many people dream of living - superb weather, long beaches, scenic canals, excellent fishing, abundance of golf courses, magnificent hinterland area, beautiful homes - in other words, the Gold Coast gives you a great outdoor lifestyle you cannot achieve in many of the other states of Australia.

Rental properties are in high demand and you can pick your own market - the low end Uni students to the high end, corporate business people working here on short term projects from interstate and overseas. A rental property can achieve a weekly rental starting at around $195 (AUD) per week with an average four bedroom home being rented for $320 per week.

 
Overseas Buyers
The Australian Government's foreign investment policy has been developed to encourage investment in Australia and ensure that such investment is consistent with the needs of the Australian community. The Government recognises the important contribution offshore investment makes to the development of Australia's industry, resources and community.

Definition of Foreign Investment
A foreign interest is briefly described as:

1. A person not ordinarily resident in Australia

2. A corporation, business or trust in which a foreigner and any associates have 15% or more ownership or in which several foreigners have 40% or more aggregate of the ownership.

There are various forms of investment and proposals with regard to foreign investment in Australia real estate. These include:

1. Acquisition of developed commercial real estate valued at AUD$5 million or more.

2. Acquisition of urban real estate - irrespective of size.

3. Acquisition of urban real estate - irrespective of size - unless exempt under regulations.

Development
Proposed acquisition of real estate development (within 12 months) is normally approved unless it is contrary to national interest.

Residential
Proposed acquisition of residential real estate is exempt from examination in the case of Australian citizens living abroad who are holders of permanent visas or entitled to hold a 'special category' visa.

Foreign interests are usually given approval to buy vacant residential land on condition that construction of a dwelling is to commence within 12 months. Approval will also usually be granted to buy home units and townhouses off the plan, under construction or newly constructed (but never occupied), on condition that no more than half of the units in any one development are sold to foreign interests.

Other situations where approval is normally granted includes:

1. Foreign companies buying residences in Australia for their senior executives

2. 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.

3. Foreign nationals purchasing residential real estate as joint tenant with an Australian spouse.

Vacant Land - House and Land Packages
Acquisitions of vacant land for development (including house and land packages where construction has not commenced) by foreign interests are normally approved subject to:

• Continuous substantial construction commencing within 12 months
  
  
• A minimum amount equivalent to 50 per cent of the acquisition cost or current market value of the land (whichever is higher) must be spent on development
  
  
• Once construction is completed, parties notify the completion date and actual development expenditure.

Once these conditions have been fulfilled, properties acquired under this category may be rented out, sold to Australian interests or other eligible purchasers, or retained for the foreign investor's own use.

Commercial
Proposed acquisitions of commercial development is normally approved unless it is contrary to the national interest. This is determined by the Government on a case by case basis.

For more information, visit www.firb.gov.au