How do I find investment properties for sale on the southern Gold Coast?
Start with a written brief: your budget, house or unit, the suburbs you would buy in, the rent you need and your timing. Watch the portals for what is already listed, and register the same brief with Off Market Properties to hear about owners between Broadbeach and Coolangatta who would sell privately before any campaign. Before you offer, check recent comparable sales, the asking rents nearby and your full purchase costs, starting with Queensland transfer duty. Registering is free; you pay 2% only if you buy through the service.
Free to register. A 2% fee applies only if you buy through the service.
How much stamp duty does an investor pay in Queensland?
Investors pay the general transfer duty rates, with no home concession. On a $1,000,000 purchase that is $38,025, and above $1 million it is $38,025 plus $5.75 for every $100 over $1 million (Queensland Revenue Office, "Transfer duty rates", updated 25 June 2026). Foreign buyers pay an extra 8% additional foreign acquirer duty on residential land.
| Dutiable value | General transfer duty (investors) |
|---|---|
| $75,000 to $540,000 | $1,050 plus $3.50 per $100 over $75,000 |
| $540,000 to $1,000,000 | $17,325 plus $4.50 per $100 over $540,000 |
| More than $1,000,000 | $38,025 plus $5.75 per $100 over $1,000,000 |
Which means on a $2,500,000 house, the Broadbeach Waters median below, duty alone is $124,275 before legal, inspection and finance costs. QRO's own worked example: an $850,000 investment property attracts $31,275. Use the QRO estimator for your exact figure.
Buying from overseas? The 8% surcharge, land tax for absentees and the FIRB rules are covered in the international buyer guide.
Do I pay land tax on a Gold Coast investment property?
Possibly. As an individual you pay Queensland land tax if the total taxable value of your Queensland land at midnight on 30 June is $600,000 or more. It is assessed on the Valuer-General's land valuation, not the price you paid, and the land you live in as your home is usually exempt (Queensland Revenue Office, "Land tax threshold and rates for individuals", updated 23 July 2024).
- $600,000 to $999,999: $500 plus 1 cent for each $1 over $600,000. QRO's example: $680,000 of taxable land pays $1,300.
- $1,000,000 to $2,999,999: $4,500 plus 1.65 cents for each $1 over $1,000,000.
- All your Queensland land is added together, so a second investment can tip you over the threshold even if neither property would on its own.
- Land held through a company or trust is assessed separately on the company and trustee rates.
Which means on a canal block the land value, not the house, drives your land tax bill. Ask for the current land valuation before you buy.
Where are the canal homes on the Gold Coast?
On the southern Gold Coast the main canal suburbs are Broadbeach Waters, Mermaid Waters, Clear Island Waters and Burleigh Waters. The Gold Coast's first canal estates were built in the 1950s in what is now Broadbeach Waters, where most homes sit on or near man-made canals, with the Nerang River on its northern edge.
- Mermaid Waters is mainly residential, with many homes built along artificial canals and lakes, including the 17-hectare freshwater Lake Hugh Muntz.
- Clear Island Waters surrounds the canals of Clear Island Lake and Boobegan Creek; the Island Quay, Rhode Island and Santa Cruz canal estates were approved in the early 1990s.
- Burleigh Waters connects through the canal and waterway network to the Broadwater and the Pacific Ocean. Its canal system is tidal, and in years of heavy rain and flood its canal homes can face flooding.
Which means canal frontage is not one market. Check the flood overlay, bridge clearance to open water and the condition of the revetment wall on any canal home before you offer. Source: Wikipedia suburb articles for each suburb, checked 7 November 2026.
What do houses cost and rent for in the Gold Coast canal suburbs?
In the 12 months to 31 August 2026, the median house sale price was $2,500,000 in Broadbeach Waters (187 sales), $2,125,000 in Mermaid Waters (159), $2,106,000 in Clear Island Waters (50) and $1,800,000 in Burleigh Waters (239), according to OnTheHouse. Median asking rents for houses ran from $1,250 to $1,500 a week. These are whole-suburb figures, so they include houses that are not on the water.
| Suburb | Median house sale | Median unit sale | House asking rent / wk | Unit asking rent / wk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadbeach Waters | $2,500,000 (187 sales) | $1,100,000 (38 sales) | $1,500 | $800 |
| Mermaid Waters | $2,125,000 (159 sales) | $940,000 (114 sales) | $1,400 | $850 |
| Clear Island Waters | $2,106,000 (50 sales) | $1,005,000 (36 sales) | $1,500 | $700 |
| Burleigh Waters | $1,800,000 (239 sales) | $940,000 (69 sales) | $1,250 | $872.50 |
Sale medians and sale counts: rolling 12 months to 31 August 2026. Asking rents: median asking rent, rolling 12 months to 31 October 2026, which is what landlords advertised, not what tenants signed for. Source: OnTheHouse suburb pages, checked 7 November 2026.
Which means Clear Island Waters had only 50 house sales in a year, so one or two big waterfront results can move its median a long way. Ask for comparable sales on the canal you want, not the suburb average.
Southern Gold Coast suburbs
Coolangatta and Tugun
Currumbin to Burleigh
How does buying off market on the southern Gold Coast work?
- Register a buyer brief. Budget, house or unit, suburbs, the rent you need and timing. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing.
- We match it. Breige holds conversations with southern Gold Coast owners who would sell privately for the right buyer. Your brief is checked against what is quietly available.
- A private introduction. You see the property before any campaign, without an auction queue or portal alert competing with you.
- Your own checks. Comparable sales, rent appraisal, building and pest, finance, a contract review, duty and land tax.
- 2% on success only. The fee is payable only if you buy through the service.
Selling instead? See how a private sale works.
Southern Gold Coast investment property: questions answered
How do I find investment properties for sale on the southern Gold Coast?
Start with a written brief: budget, house or unit, suburbs, the rent you need and your timing. Watch the portals for listed stock, and register the brief with Off Market Properties to hear about owners between Broadbeach and Coolangatta who would sell privately before any campaign. Then check comparable sales, rent and costs before you offer.
How much stamp duty does an investor pay in Queensland?
Investors pay the general transfer duty rates, with no home concession. On a $1,000,000 purchase that is $38,025, and above $1 million it is $38,025 plus $5.75 for every $100 over $1 million (Queensland Revenue Office, updated 25 June 2026). Foreign buyers pay an extra 8% additional foreign acquirer duty on residential land.
Do I pay land tax on a Gold Coast investment property?
Possibly. As an individual you pay Queensland land tax if the total taxable value of your Queensland land at midnight on 30 June is $600,000 or more. It uses the Valuer-General's land valuation, not the price you paid, and your own home is usually exempt. On $680,000 of taxable land the tax is $1,300 (Queensland Revenue Office).
Where are the canal homes on the Gold Coast?
On the southern Gold Coast the main canal suburbs are Broadbeach Waters, where the Gold Coast's first canal estates were built in the 1950s, Mermaid Waters, Clear Island Waters and Burleigh Waters. Most Broadbeach Waters homes sit on or near man-made canals, and the waterway network links Burleigh Waters to the Broadwater and the ocean.
What do houses cost and rent for in the Gold Coast canal suburbs?
In the 12 months to 31 August 2026, median house sale prices were $2,500,000 in Broadbeach Waters (187 sales), $2,125,000 in Mermaid Waters (159), $2,106,000 in Clear Island Waters (50) and $1,800,000 in Burleigh Waters (239), per OnTheHouse. Median asking rents for houses ran from $1,250 to $1,500 a week. These are whole-suburb figures, not canal-front only.
What does it cost a buyer to use Off Market Properties?
Nothing to register. Buyers pay a 2% fee only on a successful purchase made through the service. There is no subscription and no charge for introductions that do not go ahead. You still pay your own conveyancer, inspections and Queensland transfer duty, the same as on any purchase.
Sources: Queensland Revenue Office, "Transfer duty rates", updated 25 June 2026; Queensland Revenue Office, "Land tax threshold and rates for individuals", updated 23 July 2024; OnTheHouse suburb pages for Broadbeach Waters QLD 4218, Mermaid Waters QLD 4218, Clear Island Waters QLD 4226 and Burleigh Waters QLD 4220 (median sale price and number sold, rolling 12 months to 31 August 2026; median asking rent, rolling 12 months to 31 October 2026); Wikipedia, "Broadbeach Waters, Queensland", "Mermaid Waters, Queensland", "Clear Island Waters, Queensland" and "Burleigh Waters, Queensland". All checked 7 November 2026. This is general information, not tax or financial advice. Last updated 7 November 2026.