News & Advice.

New South Wales.

2021 Fast Facts

• NSW Population: 8.1 million
• Median house price in Sydney: $1,061,229
• Median house price in Regional NSW: $546,986
• Average cost of home insurance in NSW: $144.13 monthly
• NSW property hotspots: Southern Highlands, the Illawarra and the Central Coast, the Central West, the North Coast, and Blacktown

Stamp Duty

Stamp duty in NSW is based on the price you paid for the property or its market value, whichever is greater. Duty is calculated on a sliding scale, starting at 1.5 per cent for property valued at $30,000 and rising to 5.5 per cent for property valued above $1 million. Use the NSW stamp duty calculator.

Land Tax

Land tax in NSW is calculated on the total value of all your taxable land above the land tax threshold. The thresholds for land values change each year, as published in the Government Gazette every October – view the 2020 document. If the combined value of your land does not exceed the threshold, no land tax is payable. Use the NSW land tax calculator.

Schools

NSW’s public school catchments are typically zoned within a 2–4km radius – this, of course, decreases in densely-populated areas and increases in sparsely-populated areas. Find your NSW school zone.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the NSW State Premier.

Weather

NSW Coast has a relatively mild subtropical year-round climate with warm summers and cool winters. The state’s northwest is the hottest region, featuring hot and wet summers and cooler but drier winters. NSW's southern alpine region typically experiences snowfall between July and August.

Slang

In NSW a swimsuit is a cozzie, the afternoon is the arvo, the local grocery store is the corner shop, the toilet is the loo, and the traditional beer of choice is Tooheys.

Victoria.

2021 Fast Facts

• VIC Population: 6.7 million
• Median house price in Melbourne: $829,509
• Median house price in Regional VIC: $459,787
• Average cost of home insurance in VIC: $150.17 monthly
• VIC property hotspots: Bendigo, Ballarat, Monash and Moreland

Stamp Duty

Land transfer duty, as it is called in Victoria, is calculated according to the value of your property – the price you paid or its market value, whichever is greater. Duty is calculated on a sliding scale, starting at 1.4 per cent for property valued at $25,000 and rising to 5.5 per cent for property valued above $960,000. Use the VIC land transfer duty calculator.

Land Tax

If the total taxable value of all the Victorian land you own is equal to or exceeds $250,000 you will be required to pay land tax. The rate of tax you pay depends on the total taxable value of all your taxable land. Use the VIC land tax calculator.

Schools

Victoria’s public school catchments are typically zoned within a 2–4km radius of properties – this, of course, decreases in densely populated areas and increases in sparsely populated areas. Find your VIC school zone.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the Victoria State Premier.

Weather

Most of Victoria experiences a temperate climate with no dry season and warm summers, except for the far southwest, where summer is distinctly dry. Snow rarely falls at altitudes below 600 metres. The state’s highest temperatures are most commonly recorded in the Mallee. The saying that Victoria experiences four seasons in one day is typically most true from September to November.

Slang

In VIC a swimsuit is a bathing suit, the afternoon is the arvo, the local grocery store is the milk bar, the toilet is the toot, and the traditional beer of choice is VB (aka a green one).

Queensland. 

2021 Fast Facts

• QLD Population: 5.2 million
• Median house price in Brisbane: $593,232
• Median house price in Regional QLD: $432,348
• Average cost of home insurance in QLD: $150.57 monthly
• QLD property hotspots: Yeppoon, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay

Stamp Duty

Stamp duty in QLD is based on the price you paid for the property or its market value, whichever is greater. Duty is calculated on a sliding scale, starting at 1.5 per cent for property valued up to $75,000 and rising to 5.75 per cent for property valued above $1 million. Use the QLD stamp duty estimator.

Land Tax

Land tax in QLD is calculated on the total taxable value of your Queensland freehold land above a threshold of $600,000. Use the QLD land tax calculator.

Schools

Queensland’s public school catchments are typically zoned within a 2–4km radius of properties – this, of course, decreases in densely populated areas and increases in sparsely populated areas. Find your QLD school zone.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the Queensland State Premier.

Weather

Queensland has a subtropical humid climate and is one of the warmest regions in Australia. The state typically experiences two seasons, a rainy and humid season in summer from October to May (with November and April bringing tropical cyclones) and a relatively dry season between June and September. The further north you go, the hotter and more humid it gets.

Slang

In Queensland your swimsuit is your togs, the afternoon is the sarvo, your local grocery store is your milk bar, the toilet is the dunny, and the traditional beer of choice is XXXX (aka a ‘mango’)’.

Western Australia. 

2021 Fast Facts

• WA Population: 2.6 million
• Median house price in Perth: $513,566
• Median house price in Regional WA: $360,861
• Average cost of home insurance in WA: $113.67 monthly
• WA property hotspots: Rockingham, Parmelia, Riverton, and Falcon

Stamp Duty

Transfer duty is calculated by the value of the property, increasing from 1.9 per cent for property valued up to $120,000 to 5.15 per cent for property valued above $725,000. Use the WA stamp duty estimator.

Land Tax

Land tax in WA is an annual tax on land not used as your principal place of residence. The rate of land tax differs according to the taxable value of the land, varying from a flat rate of $300 for properties valued between $300,001 and $420,000 up to 2.67 per cent for property valued at $11 million and above. View more information about WA land tax.

Schools

Western Australia’s public school catchments are typically zoned within a 2–4km radius of properties – this of course decreases in densely populated areas and increases in sparsely populated areas. Find your WA school zone.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the WA State Premier.

Weather

As Australia’s largest state according to landmass, WA’s climate is hugely varied. The north is hot and tropical, with a wet season that spans the summertime and brings tropical cyclones. The south has a Mediterranean climate, with temperatures often falling below freezing inland in the southwest.

Slang

In WA your swimsuit is your bathers, the afternoon is the arve, your local grocery store is your deli, the toilet is the thunderbox, and the traditional beer of choice is Little Creatures.

South Australia.

2021 Fast Facts

• SA Population: 1.8 million
• Median house price in Adelaide: $509,148
• Median house price in Regional SA: $263,189
• Average cost of home insurance in SA: $140.15 monthly
• SA property hotspots: Marion, Charles Sturt and Port Adelaide

Stamp Duty

Stamp duty is charged based on the value of the property. Rates vary from 4 per cent for property valued between $100,000 and $200,000, up to 5.5 per cent for property valued above $500,000. Use the SA stamp duty estimator.

Land Tax

Land tax in SA is calculated on the total value of all your taxable land above the land tax threshold. The thresholds for land values change each year, as published as a notice in the Gazette every July – view the 2020 document. Use the SA land tax calculator.

Schools

South Australia’s public school catchments are typically zoned within a 2–4km radius of properties – this of course decreases in densely populated areas and increases in sparsely populated areas. Find your SA school zone.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the SA State Premier.

Weather

South Australia has a Mediterranean climate, with warm to very hot, dry summers and mild winters. Typically the further north you go, the hotter it gets. Adelaide is Australia's driest capital city.

Slang

In SA your swimsuit is your swimming costume, the afternoon is the aftie, your local grocery store is the convenience store, and the traditional beer of choice is VB – borrowing from their eastern neighbours.

Tasmania.

2021 Fast Facts

• TAS Population: 540,000
• Median house price in Hobart: $572,188
• Median house price in Regional TAS: $372,657
• Average cost of home insurance in TAS: $127.95 monthly
• TAS property hotspots: Launceston, Glenorchy, Goodwood and Bridgewater

Stamp Duty

Duty is payable according to the value of your property. Rates vary from 1.75 per cent for property valued at $25,000, rising to 4.25 per cent for property valued above $725,00. Use the TAS stamp duty calculator.

Land Tax

Land tax in TAS is an annual tax payable on property outside of your principal residence. The rate of tax you pay depends on the total taxable value of all your taxable land in Tasmania. Rates vary from .55 per cent on property valued above $25,000 to 1.5 per cent for property valued above $350,000. Use the TAS land tax calculator.

Schools

Public school catchments are typically zoned within a 2–4km radius of properties – this of course decreases in densely populated areas and increases in sparsely populated areas. Find your TAS school zone.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the TAS State Premier.

Weather

Tasmania has four distinct seasons. Summer temperatures are typically mild, between 17°C and 23°C, while winter temperatures are cool, between 3°C and 11°C. Hobart is Australia's second-driest capital city after Adelaide. Snow can fall in cities and towns across the whole island.

Slang

In TAS your swimsuit is your bathers, the afternoon is the arvie, your local grocery store is your general store, the toilet is the loo, and the traditional beer of choice is Cascade.

ACT.

2021 Fast Facts

• ACT Population: 430,000
• Median house price in Canberra: $797,421
• Average cost of home insurance in ACT: $130.49 monthly
• ACT Property hotspots: Gungahlin, Tuggeranong and Belconnen

Stamp Duty

Conveyance duty, as it is called in the ACT, is calculated according to the value of your property. Properties with a value of $1.5 million or less pay no conveyance duty. Where the value is greater than $1.5 million a flat rate of 5 per cent applies. Use the ACT stamp duty calculator.

Land Tax

Land tax in the ACT is assessed quarterly on 1 July, 1 October, 1 January and 1 April each year. The amount of land tax you pay is made up of two components: a fixed charge of $1,326, plus a valuation charge, ranging from 0.62 per cent for property valued between $150,000 and $275,000, up to 1.12 per cent for property valued at more than $2 million. Use the ACT land tax calculator.

Schools

Public school catchments are typically zoned within a 2–4km radius of properties – this of course decreases in densely populated areas and increases in sparsely populated areas. Find your ACT school zone.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the ACT Chief Minister.

Weather

Located 574m above sea level, the ACT’s climate is temperate. January is the warmest month of the year, with temperatures averaging 20.6°C. July is the coldest month, with temperatures averaging 5.2°C. Rainfall is common year-round.

Northern Territory.

2021 Fast Facts

• NT Population: 250,000
• Median house price in Darwin: $508,410
• Median house price in Regional NT: $440,571

Stamp Duty

Stamp duty in NT is based on the price you pay for the property or its market value, whichever is greater. The rate of stamp duty varies according to the value of the transaction involved. Use the NT stamp duty calculator.

Land Tax

There is no land tax in the Northern Territory.

Schools

The Northern Territory allows residents to enrol children in their school of choice, however, priority is given to students living in the school's priority enrolment area. Find out more about NT schools.

Politics

View your local House of Representatives member – enter your postcode. View your local Senate representative – enter your postcode. View information about the NT Chief Minister.

Weather

The northern part of the NT has a tropical monsoonal climate, with a dry season and a wet season. The wet season runs from November through to April and brings rains and tropical cyclones, with high humidity and temperatures averaging between 24°C and 34°C. The dry season, running from May to October, is sunny with cool evenings. Because of this extreme variation in weather, Darwin has a seasonal population. The southern part of the NT has a more temperate climate with cool winters.

Trying to make headway in an interstate property market can be full of complexities and hardships, particularly in a COVID world. For more information about each state’s stamp duty and land tax, plus council rates and insurance requirements, view our blog 5 Costs to Consider When Buying Property in Australia. 

All median house prices referenced throughout this article have been sourced from the CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index, March ‘21.