Buying an Apartment Off the Plan In Queensland

This book is for people who are considering buying an apartment in Queensland, Australia, in a building that has not yet been built or that is still under construction. In Queensland, this is called buying an apartment "off the plan".


Many people buy apartments in Queensland off the plan. It is common practice to do so, in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Far North Queensland. In fact, most developers will not commence building an apartment complex until a significant number of apartments have been pre-sold, off the plan.


If you want to buy a new apartment, whether to live in or as an investment, it is often the best way to purchase a new apartment.


However, there are considerable risks in purchasing off the plan.


The purpose of this book is to give you important knowledge that is needed when you are considering buying off the plan in Queensland and to assist you not make a serious mistake if you decide to do so.


This book is not a “how to get rich” book. It does not tell you how to become a property millionaire or how to retire faster. It does not discuss tax structuring for investments or deal with buying property through a self managed super fund.

Nor is this a book to promote property investing. If you are not sure whether you should invest in property or shares or cash or gold, this book doesn’t have the answers. There are many books that discuss the advantages of investing in different asset classes, or that push property investments. This book is not one of them.


This book does not promote investing in apartments over houses. It does not promote Queensland over other geographical locations. The focus of this book is to provide guidance to those who have decided to buy property in Queensland and who are considering buying an apartment off the plan. Too many times buyers will purchase the wrong apartment for them and then sell at a financial loss within a few years. Too many times buyers will make an impulse decision, and pay too much. Too many times buyers will purchase an apartment off the plan without the knowledge needed to make proper decisions. These are unhappy people. This book is to assist fill the knowledge gap, so that you have a better understanding of buying a residential apartment in Queensland off the plan.


First Edition 2011, revised and updated January 2013.