ACRES Knowledge Hub · 34 articles
Property Tax & Legal in Queensland — A Seller's Guide
Tax and legal structuring can make a six-figure difference to the net proceeds on a development-site or large-block sale. ACRES partners with specialist property lawyers and tax advisors — these articles distil what we routinely brief our clients on before any sale.
Development Site Sales Process in Australia: What to Expect as a Seller
A step-by-step timeline from listing to settlement when selling your property to a developer.
Conditional Contracts Explained: What Property Sellers Need to Know in 2026
Why most development site sales involve conditional contracts and how to protect your interests.
Tax Implications of Selling a Development Site in Australia: CGT & GST Guide
CGT, GST, and margin scheme basics every development site vendor should understand.
What Is a Put and Call Option in Property? Seller's Guide for 2026
How option agreements work in development site transactions and what you need to know as a vendor.
Property Near Kingston Station: What It Means for Values
Kingston station on the Beenleigh / Gold Coast line — how proximity affects property values and development potential.
Selling a Large Block in Brisbane: Your Complete Guide
Step-by-step process for selling an 800m²+ residential block, from appraisal to settlement.
Divorce Property Settlement: Is Your Block Worth More as a Development Site?
During property settlement, understanding development value can significantly change the equation for both parties.
How Long Can I Stay in My Home After Selling to a Developer?
You do not have to move out immediately. Here is how settlement timing and leasebacks work with developer sales.
Understanding Put & Call Options: A Plain-English Guide for Property Owners
Developers often propose put and call options instead of standard contracts. Here is what that means and how to protect yourself.
What Happens on Settlement Day? A Seller's Guide
A step-by-step guide to the settlement process for Queensland property sellers.
Capital Gains Tax on Property: How Much Will I Pay?
A practical guide to calculating CGT on investment property sales in Australia.
Selling an Investment Property: Tax & Timing Strategies
Strategic considerations for investment property sellers including CGT timing, depreciation recapture, and portfolio rebalancing.
Deceased Estate Sale: A Step-by-Step Guide
Navigating the sale of a deceased estate in Queensland, from probate to settlement.
Selling Property During a Divorce: What You Need to Know
How to navigate property sales during separation, including legal requirements and tax implications.
Step-In Rights in Development Contracts
When a developer defaults or fails financially mid-settlement, "step-in rights" allow a financier, JV partner, or even the vendor to take control. A technical but increasingly common clause in Brisbane deals.
Settlement Adjustments Explained
Rates, water, land tax, body corporate, council infrastructure charges — settlement adjustments can move final settlement figures by tens of thousands. The Brisbane development site checklist.
Capital Stack Structures in Brisbane Development
Senior debt, mezzanine, preferred equity, common equity. The capital stack determines who gets paid first, what the developer can pay for land, and how reliable settlement will be.
How Conditional Contracts Work in Brisbane
Most Brisbane development site sales are conditional — subject to DD, finance, planning, or board approval. Here's how each condition works, who bears the risk, and what vendors should negotiate.
Subject-to-DA Contracts Explained
Long-settlement contracts conditional on DA approval shift planning risk to the buyer but extend the vendor's exposure. Here's how they work and what vendors should demand in return.
Deposit Structures — Released, Held, or Staged
Whether the deposit sits in trust, is released to the vendor, or is staged across milestones materially affects vendor risk and cashflow. Here's how each structure works.
Sunset Clauses Explained for Vendors
A sunset clause sets the final date by which conditions must be satisfied — or the contract dies. Properly structured, it's the vendor's key protection in long-conditional sales.
Long-Settlement Contracts in Brisbane
Settlements of 12-36 months are common for Brisbane development sites — they give the buyer time, the vendor optionality, and the price often reflects the trade-off.
Default Clauses and Forfeit-Deposit Mechanics
When a buyer defaults, what does the vendor actually keep? The deposit, sometimes more, sometimes less — and the contract drafting determines everything.
GST Treatment in Development Site Sales
Whether a development site sale is GST-applicable, GST-free, or qualifies for the going-concern exemption affects price and tax materially. Here's the framework.
Capital Gains Tax for Vendors Selling to Developers
CGT can take 18-23% of your gain. Here's the framework, the main offsets, and the structuring decisions that matter most for Brisbane landowners.
Automated Comparables — The Rise of Algorithmic Pricing
CoreLogic, Domain, REA, and several proptech entrants now compute comparable sales algorithmically. Useful, but with sharp limits for non-standard property.
Blockchain & Smart Contracts in Property Settlement
Property settlements via blockchain remain experimental in Australia. Here's what works, what doesn't, and the realistic 5-10 year outlook.
Why Some Brisbane Property Sales Fail at Settlement
5-15% of Brisbane development site contracts fail before settlement. Here are the eight most common causes — and how vendors prevent each one.
How Deposit Release Structures Protect Vendors
Releasing a 10% deposit to the vendor before settlement provides cashflow, signals buyer commitment, and reduces failure-cost. Here's how the structures work.
How Technology Will Reshape Property Transactions
From digital signatures and PEXA settlement to AI-driven contract analysis and blockchain-anchored title — the technology shift in Australian property is real, structural, and accelerating.
How Developers Negotiate Settlement Terms
Beyond the headline price, settlement terms are where Brisbane development deals are won and lost. Here's the playbook developers use — and what vendors should counter with.
How Long Settlements Increase Development Site Value
Long-settlement contracts can add 10-25% to a Brisbane development site's sale price. Here's exactly how the value uplift works and how to negotiate one.
How Developers Structure Option Agreements
Put-and-call options, deeds of option, and call-only structures — how Brisbane developers tie up land while preserving optionality.
How Developers Secure Sites Before Competitors
The off-market intelligence networks, exclusivity tactics, and pre-emptive option structures Brisbane developers use to lock up land before anyone else hears it's for sale.
