Quick answer: A good house and land deal in Queensland is one where the land and build prices stack up against recent sales in the same estate, the lot passes a flood and bushfire check, rents cover a sensible share of the holding costs, and nobody you are relying on is being paid by the seller. A big discount or a free upgrade on its own tells you nothing.
What Makes a House and Land Deal “Good”?
Most advertised house and land deals are priced and packaged by the people selling them. The headline usually shows a total price, a rebate, or a list of inclusions. None of that tells you whether the price is fair.
For an investor, a good package has four things going for it:
- Fair land price. The lot is priced in line with other titled lots of similar size in the same estate or suburb.
- Fair build price. The build is priced in line with what the same builder charges for the same design when you go to them direct.
- A lot you can insure and rent. It isn’t hit by flood or bushfire overlays that push up insurance or put tenants off.
- Rental demand that holds. The estate isn’t releasing so many new homes nearby that your tenant has ten cheaper options.
If the seller is paying commissions to whoever introduced you, ask how much and who receives it. Our guide to house and land package costs explains where the money goes.
Where Queensland House and Land Is Being Built
Most new house and land in South East Queensland sits inside large Priority Development Areas (PDAs) run by Economic Development Queensland (EDQ). These are big, long-running projects, and that matters for investors because supply keeps coming for decades.
| Growth area | Planned scale (official) | Our area guide |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Flagstone PDA (Logan) | About 51,500 dwellings, up to 138,000 people, over 30–40 years | Flagstone, Flourish and Kindira |
| Yarrabilba PDA (Logan) | Up to 20,000 dwellings and 50,000 people, over 20–30 years | Yarrabilba |
| Ripley Valley PDA (Ipswich) | 48,750 dwellings and 131,000 people | Ripley and White Rock |
| Waraba PDA (Moreton Bay) | About 25,000 homes and 65,000 people, over 40+ years | Lilywood Landings, Caboolture |
Outside the PDAs, smaller estates in Toowoomba, Ipswich and Lowood and the Sunshine Coast hinterland offer bigger lots and less competing supply, but usually higher prices and thinner rental pools.
Got a Queensland package in front of you?
Send it to us. We’ll check the land and build prices, any commission built in, and the flood and supply risks, and tell you straight whether it stacks up.
GET MY PACKAGE CHECKED → or call 1300 446 445
Population Growth: The Real Driver
Queensland’s Government Statistician (QGSO) projects the state’s population to grow from 5.22 million in 2021 to between 6.68 million and 8.00 million by 2046, depending on the series (QGSO 2025 edition). Its 2025 regional projections have Ipswich more than doubling and Moreton Bay growing by more than half by 2046 (QGSO 2025 edition).
Growth supports demand. It doesn’t guarantee any one estate performs. Where the government has also planned tens of thousands of new lots, supply can keep rents and resale prices in check for years.
Queensland Costs Investors Often Miss
- Transfer duty. Investors pay general rates. On a $500,000 land contract, the general rate works out to $15,925 ($1,050 plus $3.50 per $100 over $75,000) (QRO rates). First home concessions don’t apply to investors.
- First Home Owner Grant. The $30,000 grant is “not available to purchase investment properties” (QRO). If a package is advertised with the grant, it isn’t aimed at you.
- Land tax. Individuals pay land tax once their total taxable Queensland land value reaches $600,000; companies and trusts from $350,000 (individuals, companies and trusts). It is based on land value, not the house.
- Home warranty. Most residential building work over $3,300 must be covered by the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme (QBCC). Check the builder on the QBCC licensee register.
The 2027 Tax Change and New Builds
Under tax changes that are now law, from 1 July 2027 negative gearing on residential property is generally limited to new builds. Properties held at 7:30pm AEST on 12 May 2026 keep their existing treatment, and the 50% capital gains discount is being replaced with indexation and a minimum tax (ATO).
A new house and land package bought from 1 July 2027 can qualify as a new build. The catch is resale: the Government’s explainer says later buyers of that property won’t get negative gearing (Budget 2026–27 tax explainer). That may shrink the pool of investors who will buy it from you, so buy for rent and long-term value, not the tax treatment alone. More in our guide to negative gearing on new builds.
Contracts: Cooling-Off and Seller Disclosure
Queensland residential contracts usually have a 5 business day cooling-off period. If you pull out, the seller can keep up to 0.25% of the price (Queensland Government).
Since 1 August 2025, sellers must give buyers a disclosure statement covering title, encumbrances, transport and resumption notices, contamination and rates before you sign. If they don’t, you may have a right to terminate (Queensland Government). Read it. For land in a new estate it often shows easements and covenants the brochure doesn’t.
Questions to Ask
- What is the land price and the build price, separately, and what are similar titled lots in this estate selling for right now?
- Has the land titled? If not, what is the expected title date, and what happens to my deposit and loan approval if it slips?
- What exactly is included in the build price: site costs, driveway, fencing, landscaping, window coverings, flooring?
- Is any commission or marketing fee built into this package, and who is paying it?
- What does the council flood and bushfire mapping show for this exact lot?
- What do comparable homes in this estate rent for, and how many are listed for rent right now?
- Is the builder’s QBCC licence current, and will home warranty insurance be in place before work starts?
How REIN Helps
REIN acts only for buyers of new house and land packages. We check the price, the contract and any commission built in before you sign.
REIN charges a service fee for our work, agreed in writing before you start. Where REIN receives a builder or developer commission on your purchase, we disclose it and rebate 100% (excluding GST) of it to you. The rebate typically covers the fee and more.
Common Questions
Are house and land deals in Queensland good investments?
Some are. It depends on the price you pay for the land and build, the supply pipeline around the estate, and whether the lot can be insured and rented easily. Judge each package on those, not on the discount advertised.
Can investors get the Queensland First Home Owner Grant?
No. The Queensland Revenue Office says the grant is not available to purchase investment properties.
Which Queensland areas have the most new house and land?
The largest official pipelines are the Greater Flagstone, Ripley Valley, Yarrabilba and Waraba Priority Development Areas, which together plan well over 100,000 new dwellings.
Do investors pay stamp duty on house and land in Queensland?
Yes. Investors pay transfer duty at the general rates, and home and first home concessions don’t apply. How duty applies to your purchase depends on how the land and build contracts are structured, so confirm it with your conveyancer.
How do I check flood risk on a Queensland lot?
Use the council’s own tool: Logan’s flood portal, Moreton Bay’s Flood Check report, Ipswich’s flood overlay maps, or Toowoomba’s online mapping.
Before you sign anything…
Send us the package. We’ll check the price, any commission built into it and the contract terms, and tell you straight whether it stacks up. Free, no obligation.
GET MY PACKAGE CHECKED → or call 1300 446 445
Written by the REIN Editorial Team. Researched with the help of AI tools, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last updated 6 October 2026.
Reviewed by Scott Fraser, founder of REIN, licensed real estate agent (NSW) with 10 years on the developer side of house and land.
Sources
- EDQ: Greater Flagstone PDA, accessed 6 October 2026
- EDQ: Yarrabilba PDA, accessed 6 October 2026
- EDQ: Ripley Valley PDA, accessed 6 October 2026
- EDQ: Waraba PDA, accessed 6 October 2026
- QGSO: Queensland Government population projections, 2025 edition, accessed 8 October 2026
- QGSO: Regional population projections 2025 edition, accessed 6 October 2026
- QRO: Transfer duty rates, accessed 6 October 2026
- QRO: First Home Owner Grant eligibility, accessed 6 October 2026
- QRO: Land tax for individuals, accessed 6 October 2026
- QRO: Land tax for companies and trusts, accessed 6 October 2026
- QBCC: Work requiring home warranty insurance, accessed 6 October 2026
- QBCC: Licensee register, accessed 6 October 2026
- Queensland Government: Cooling-off period, accessed 6 October 2026
- Queensland Government: Seller disclosure, accessed 6 October 2026
- ATO: Negative gearing and CGT reform, accessed 6 October 2026
- Budget 2026–27 tax explainer, accessed 6 October 2026
About this article: This article is published by Real Estate Investors Network Pty Ltd (REIN). Statements of opinion are ours. If you believe anything in this article is inaccurate or out of date, please call us on 1300 446 445 and we will review it and correct it promptly. This is general information only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs, and is not financial, credit, legal or tax advice. Rules differ between states and change over time. Consider seeking independent advice from a licensed professional before acting. A REIN service fee applies to our services, and where REIN receives a builder or developer commission in connection with a client’s purchase, it discloses and rebates 100% (excluding GST) of that commission to the client under its written service agreement.