---
title: Brisbane and Gold Coast for Nepali Home Buyers | GNT Finance
description: Where Nepali families buy in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, what Queensland's first home rules give you after PR, and how lenders treat each area and estate.
url: https://gntfinance.com.au/blog/brisbane-and-gold-coast-for-nepali-home-buyers/
author: Gorakh Timilsina
published: 2026-10-25
category: Community
---

# Brisbane and the Gold Coast for Nepali home buyers: suburbs, schemes and lending

**In short:** Brisbane's Nepali community lives mainly in the southern suburbs and the Logan and Ipswich growth estates, with a smaller Gold Coast community working in hospitality and health. After PR, both cities fall under the $1,000,000 First Home Guarantee cap, first home buyers pay no transfer duty on new homes at any price or on established homes to $700,000, and the Queensland grant applies to new builds.

South-east Queensland is where a growing number of Nepali families move for a house they could not afford in Sydney, a nursing or aged-care job, or a hospitality role on the coast. The state's first home rules are generous, the housing stock is a mix of older Queenslanders and brand-new estates, and lenders have a few local rules worth knowing. This post covers both cities for a newly permanent household.

## Key takeaways

- The Guarantee cap is $1,000,000 for Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, with no income cap.
- Queensland first home buyers pay no transfer duty on a new home or vacant land at any price, and none on an established home to $700,000 (concession to $800,000).
- The Queensland FHOG has been $30,000 for new-home contracts to 30 June 2026; confirm the current amount before relying on it.
- PR holders can buy established homes; temporary residents cannot and need FIRB approval for new ones, plus the 8% foreign acquirer duty.
- Flood overlays, inner-city apartments and Gold Coast high-rises all carry lender conditions.

## Queensland's rules for both cities

| Scheme | Rule at the time of writing |
|---|---|
| First Home Guarantee | 5% deposit, no LMI, no income cap; cap $1,000,000 in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast |
| Transfer duty, new home or land | Nil for first home buyers at any price |
| Transfer duty, established home | Nil to $700,000; concession to $800,000 |
| First Home Owner Grant | Has been $30,000 for new homes; check the current figure |
| Foreign acquirer duty | 8%; PR holders exempt |
| Established-dwelling ban | Foreign persons blocked until at least 30 June 2029; PRs and spouses of citizens and PRs unaffected |

Confirm with the [Queensland Revenue Office](https://qro.qld.gov.au/) and [Housing Australia](https://www.housingaustralia.gov.au/).

## Brisbane: where families buy and what lenders say

**Southern corridor (Sunnybank, Runcorn, Calamvale, Kuraby, Underwood).** The South Asian grocers, momo restaurants and temples are here, and so are the schools families ask about. Housing is mostly 1980s to 2000s brick homes and newer townhouses. Established houses often sit above $700,000, so the duty concession band to $800,000 matters. Lender note: townhouse complexes with large owner-occupier ratios finance easily; some larger body-corporate complexes attract LVR limits.

**Logan and Ipswich growth estates.** House-and-land packages for families who want a new four-bedroom home. Duty is nil on new homes, the grant applies, and construction loans fund the build in stages. Lender note: check flood overlays before you sign, because insurance premiums in some estates affect serviceability, and confirm the builder is on the lender's accepted list.

**Inner north and near the hospitals.** Units and older homes near the health precincts where many nurses work. Lender note: small inner-city apartments and high-density postcodes attract tighter policy from some lenders; a two-bedroom unit in a small block is far easier than a studio in a tower.

## Gold Coast: where families buy and what lenders say

The Gold Coast Nepali community is smaller and works largely in hospitality, tourism and health. Families cluster around Southport, Labrador and the central suburbs near the hospital and university, with newer estates at Coomera and Pimpama for those wanting a house. Lender note: the coast's high-rise apartment towers are the most restricted property type in Queensland; several lenders cap LVR at 80% in beachside high-density postcodes or exclude them from Guarantee lending. A townhouse or house in Coomera, Pimpama or the northern suburbs is straightforward. Casual hospitality income needs six to twelve months of history; permanent roles at the hospital or in aged care are the simplest to present. See our [Gold Coast page](/mortgage-broker/gold-coast/) for detail.

## Worked example: a Logan house-and-land package at $720,000

A Nepali couple, an aged-care worker and a truck driver, PR since January, sign a land contract for $320,000 and a build contract for $400,000 in a Logan estate.

| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Land plus build | $720,000 |
| Deposit (5%) | $36,000 |
| First Home Owner Grant | Current amount at signing (has been $30,000), counted toward the contribution by most lenders |
| Loan | $684,000 before the grant is applied |
| Transfer duty | $0 (new home, first home buyer) |
| LMI | $0 (Guarantee) |
| Conveyancing, site costs outside the build contract, registration | Roughly $3,000 to $6,000 |
| Monthly repayment on the full loan, for illustration at 6.00% p.a. over 30 years | About $4,101 |

During construction, interest is charged on drawn amounts only, so the early months cost far less, though the couple is still renting. If the grant reduces the loan, the repayments fall accordingly. The alternative, a $700,000 established house in Runcorn, would also be duty-free and lets them move in at settlement, but earns no grant. Compare both with the [upfront costs calculator](/calculators/upfront-costs/) and our [house-and-land packages](/services/house-and-land-packages/) and [construction loans](/services/construction-loans/) pages.

## Community notes

Brisbane's Nepali associations run Dashain and Tihar celebrations, football and cricket tournaments, and a weekend Nepali school, and the Hindu temples and Buddhist centres in the southern suburbs host the major festivals with the wider South Asian community. Grocers stocking Nepali staples and momo kitchens are concentrated in the Sunnybank and Runcorn area, with newer shops appearing in Logan. On the Gold Coast the community gathers for festivals organised through the local Nepali groups and shares the South Asian grocers around Southport. Toowoomba, Cairns and Townsville have their own small groups built around the regional visa pathway.

## Lender and document notes for new PR households

Lenders want passport and PR grant notice, two payslips and an ATO income statement, three months of statements showing 5% genuine savings, and a clean Australian credit file. Shift penalties in nursing and aged care are counted at 80% to 100% by different lenders. Gifts from family in Australia need a gift letter; funds from Nepal are not a lawful source under Nepal Rastra Bank rules, and lenders require a documented, legal source for every deposit dollar. Lenders test at your rate plus 3 percentage points and treat regular remittances as living expenses. For a build, add the fixed-price contract and approved plans. See the [documents checklist](/guides/home-loan-documents-checklist/) and our [new migrants guide](/guides/home-loans-for-new-migrants/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brisbane or the Gold Coast cheaper for a first home?

Both sit under the same $1,000,000 Guarantee cap and the same duty rules. Established houses in Brisbane's south and on the central Gold Coast are often similar in price; the outer estates in Logan, Ipswich, Coomera and Pimpama are where the cheapest new homes are. The bigger difference is lender policy on Gold Coast high-rise units, which can rule out the Guarantee on some buildings.

### Can I buy a Gold Coast apartment with the Guarantee?

Sometimes. If the lender is comfortable with the building at 95% LVR and the price is under $1,000,000, yes. Many beachside towers are restricted to 80% LVR by some lenders, which means a 20% deposit instead. Have the specific building checked before you commit.

### I am on a 491 in Toowoomba. Can I buy in Brisbane after PR?

Yes. Once your 191 is granted there is no restriction on where you buy, though any residence obligations tied to your visa are a matter for a MARA-registered agent. Brisbane purchases use the $1,000,000 cap; Toowoomba uses the $700,000 regional cap.

## Talk to GNT Finance

GNT Finance arranges loans across Queensland by phone, video and e-signature from our Melbourne office, in English, Nepali or Hindi. We check postcode rules, grant timing and Guarantee eligibility before you sign. [Book a free consultation](/contact/) or call 0426 403 703; our home-loan service is at no cost to you in most cases. See also our [Brisbane](/mortgage-broker/brisbane/), [Queensland](/mortgage-broker/queensland/), [Sydney](/mortgage-broker-sydney/), [Victoria](/mortgage-broker-victoria/) and [Australia-wide](/mortgage-broker-australia/) pages.

*This is general information, not migration, legal, tax or credit advice. Migration rules change often — confirm with a registered migration agent (MARA) or the Department of Home Affairs. Grant, duty and Guarantee figures are as at the time of writing; confirm them with the Queensland Revenue Office and Housing Australia.*