Hidden Costs of Buying a House in Brisbane [Checklist]

A simple guide to the sneaky fees and easy-to-miss expenses so Queensland buyers can plan with confidence.

Buying a home in Brisbane can feel exciting and a bit nerve-wracking at the same time. You set a budget, find a place you love, then the extras start appearing and the numbers jump. If you are feeling unsure about what you might have missed, that is completely normal. Let’s map the real costs clearly, so you can breathe easier and keep moving.

Why hidden costs matter in Queensland

It is not just the contract price that shapes your decision, it is the full cost of getting the keys, settling in, and making the home safe and comfortable. A clear view protects your cash flow, reduces stress at settlement, and helps you compare homes fairly.

The Brisbane buyer’s hidden costs checklist

Upfront planning and checks

• Conveyancer or solicitor

• Independent building and pest inspection

• Searches and certificates your conveyancer recommends

• Strata/body corporate records inspection if applicable

• Independent valuation if you choose to order one

Contract to settlement

• Insurance from contract date, often recommended in Queensland

• Transfer duty (stamp duty), if applicable to your situation

• Titles office transfer and mortgage registration fees

• Bank fees: application, loan set-up, settlement attendance

• Rate and water adjustments at settlement

• Body corporate levies adjustments if applicable

• Pool safety, smoke alarms or compliance items if required by the contract

Move-in and first 90 days

• Removalists and packing materials

• Short-term storage or interim accommodation if dates do not line up

• Locksmith rekeying and basic security

• Initial cleaning, pest control, garden tidy

• Appliance or whitegoods top-ups

• Window coverings, light fittings, minor handyman fixes

Early repairs and maintenance

• Roof, gutters and drainage tweaks

• Electrical and plumbing fixes

• Termite treatment or monitoring where recommended

• Small paint and patch jobs that photos hid

If the home is in a community title scheme

• Sinking fund health check and any upcoming special levies

• Access fobs, remotes and entry devices

• By-law compliance items

How to build a simple costs sheet that works

• Create four columns: Item, Estimate, Due date, Paid.

• Add a fifth column called Buffer and set it at 10 to 15 percent of your total.

• Group rows by the headings above so you can see what is due now, at settlement, and after you move in.

• Update the sheet after each inspection, search result or quote, so you stay in control.

Three quick money savers Clever Home Buyers use

Ask for clarity early: confirm which searches and certificates your conveyancer recommends for this specific property type and location.
Attend building and pest: seeing issues in person helps you budget realistically and decide what is urgent versus cosmetic.
Match the home to your cash flow: a property that needs immediate roof or drainage work is not a deal breaker if the price and plan reflect it.

A short Queensland story to bring this home: a young family nearly stretched themselves thin on a lovely post-war cottage. The contract price was fine, but their sheet was missing loan fees, rates adjustments and a handful of early fixes the inspector flagged. We added the lot, including a buffer, and the numbers told a calmer story. They kept looking for two more weeks and found a very similar home with fewer immediate repairs. Same dream, less stress.

What part of the costs list makes you feel most unsure right now, the contract to settlement items, or the early repairs and move-in bits, pop your question in the comments and I will help you prioritise.

Buying in Brisbane feels so much better when you can see the whole picture. Take your time, ask for clarity, and remember, you have got this.