Frequently asked questions

Yes, but in most cases you need approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) first, and since April 2025 foreign buyers are generally restricted to new dwellings, off-the-plan purchases, or vacant land committed to development, rather than established (previously lived-in) homes. See our FIRB Approval Guide for the full detail.

Generally yes — most temporary visa holders are treated as foreign persons for FIRB purposes, though the exact rules depend on your visa category. Confirm your specific status on firb.gov.au before assuming either way, and see our visa and residency status breakdown for how permanent residents, New Zealand citizens, and joint purchases with an Australian spouse are treated differently.

Generally no, for residential property. New Zealand citizens are automatically granted a Special Category Visa (subclass 444) on arrival, and SCV holders are usually exempt from needing FIRB approval for residential purchases — though rural and commercial property still require it. Whether WA's 7% foreign buyer duty surcharge also exempts SCV holders is a separate state question worth confirming directly with RevenueWA.

Often not. If you buy as joint tenants (not tenants in common) with a spouse or de facto partner who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, FIRB approval generally isn't required — and this exemption can even open up established dwellings despite the general ban. Get the ownership structure right in the contract from the start; it's a decision made at the point of purchase.

The two headline costs are the FIRB application fee (a one-off, indexed annually, based on purchase price) and WA foreign buyers duty — an additional 7% of the dutiable value on top of standard transfer duty. See our Tax Guide for the full breakdown.

No — as at 2026, WA is one of the few states that doesn't apply an annual foreign-owner or absentee-owner land tax surcharge, unlike NSW, Victoria and Queensland. You still pay ordinary WA land tax on the same basis as any other owner.

Generally not under current rules — since 1 April 2025 there's a general ban on foreign persons purchasing established dwellings, extended into 2029 as at the last federal budget, with only limited exceptions. Realistically, most foreign buyers are looking at new builds, off-the-plan apartments, or vacant land to develop.

Meaningfully bigger than a local buyer in most cases — often 30–40% of the purchase price, because non-resident borrowers typically face lower loan-to-value caps and Lenders Mortgage Insurance is often unavailable to them. See our Financing Guide.

Not automatically. WA has no statutory cooling-off period for residential property — once your offer is accepted and that acceptance is communicated to you, you have a binding contract, unless a cooling-off clause was specifically negotiated into it. This is why getting your finance, FIRB and inspection conditions right before you offer matters so much.

A settlement agent is a WA-licensed conveyancing professional (distinct from a solicitor, though either can act) who manages your purchase through to registration with Landgate. Engaging one before you make an offer — not after — is strongly recommended, especially as a foreign buyer navigating FIRB conditions.

That's the plan. We're starting with Western Australia and Perth to go deep rather than broad, with other states planned as a phase two expansion.

No. This site provides general information only. Rules, rates and thresholds change, and your situation (visa status, entity structure, property type) affects what actually applies to you. Always confirm current requirements with FIRB, RevenueWA, and a licensed conveyancer, migration agent, or tax adviser before acting.