First investment property on the Gold Coast — what to check first

Short-stay and holiday letting can produce headline returns that look nothing like a standard residential yield. They also come with seasonality, higher management fees, cleaning and linen costs, furnishing, and building by-laws or council rules that may restrict the use entirely. If you're buying your first investment property, be honest about whether you want a residential asset or a small hospitality business.

Away from the tourist strip, the Gold Coast has a large permanent population, health and education employment, and ongoing interstate migration. Standard twelve-month tenancies in those areas behave much more like any other capital-city suburb — which, for a first investment, is usually the point.

Body corporate costs in towers with lifts, pools, gyms and coastal exposure can be substantially higher than in a small walk-up block. Read the levies, the sinking fund and the minutes before you fall in love with a view. The house vs unit guide covers what to look for, and the holding costs estimator is where to put the numbers.

• Queensland transfer duty for investment purchases — check current Queensland Revenue Office rates.
• Queensland land tax and how holdings are aggregated.
• Flood, storm-tide and overland flow mapping for the specific address.
• Coastal exposure: salt corrosion, balcony and render condition, window seals.
• Insurance premiums in coastal and flood-affected areas can be materially higher.
• New apartment supply in your precinct, including projects still under construction.

The Gold Coast sees a lot of it. None of that makes a project bad, but the risks are specific and worth understanding before you sign — see off-the-plan risks. Always ask how the person recommending a property is paid.

Usable equity, borrowing capacity, buffer — in that order. Use the usable equity calculator and the borrowing power guide.

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