Year-End Property Hunting Checklist for All Australians and Small Business Owners

Why Year-End Is the Perfect Time to House Hunt

As the year draws to a close, many Australians turn their attention from tax planning to house hunting. December is traditionally a quieter time in the property market, which can work to your advantage. Sellers are often motivated to close deals before the new year, and competition among buyers tends to ease during the holiday season.

For small business owners, this period offers a valuable opportunity to align personal property goals with business and tax planning. Whether it’s buying a family home, an investment property, or premises for your business, year-end purchases can be timed strategically to optimise cash flow, tax outcomes, and future financial growth.

Step 1: Review Your Financial Position

Before you start inspecting properties, take a close look at your financial situation. Review your income, savings, and any pre-approvals you already have in place. If you’re self-employed or a small business owner, work closely with your accountant or mortgage broker to confirm your borrowing capacity based on the most recent financials.

If any adjustments are needed, your mortgage broker will be the best person to guide you through the process and provide an updated borrowing estimate that allows you to secure your property during the holiday season.

Having a clear budget helps you focus your search and strengthens your position when making offers. For business owners, consider how your business performance and year-end profit might affect your personal borrowing power. If cash flow allows, finalising a property purchase before 30 June 2026 could help you plan more effectively for next year’s tax obligations.

Step 2: Define Your Goals and Non-Negotiables

Knowing what you’re looking for saves both time and stress. Before diving into the property market, take a moment to define your goals. Create a list of must-haves — such as the number of bedrooms, location, parking, or proximity to schools and public transport.

For property investors and small business owners, also evaluate factors like:

• potential rental yield and depreciation benefits
  
• zoning or commercial use potential
  
• ease of access for clients or suppliers if buying a commercial property
  
• whether to purchase under your personal name or your business entity
  
• ownership structure options — individual, joint ownership, trust, or SMSF

A clear property investment checklist helps you filter listings quickly and make confident, well-informed decisions when the right opportunity appears.

Step 3: Take Advantage of Christmas Market Conditions

The weeks leading up to Christmas can be surprisingly rewarding for serious buyers. Many sellers are keen to settle before the year ends or early in the new year, which can open the door to better negotiations. Fewer buyers also mean less competition at auctions.

Keep in mind that banks and solicitors may operate on reduced hours during the holiday period. If you’re targeting a Christmas or early January settlement, plan early and ensure your finance, conveyancer, and legal representatives are aligned on timelines.

Step 4: Conduct Due Diligence Before Signing a Property Contract

Before signing any contract, take time to do your research. Arrange building and pest inspections, review the contract of sale, and check for any zoning or planning restrictions that may affect the property. If you’re purchasing a strata property, request strata report to review levies, by-laws, and upcoming maintenance works.

Step 5: Choose the Right Property Ownership Structure

Choosing the correct ownership structure is a key part of any property purchase. If you are buying jointly with a partner, family member, or business associate, decide early whether you will hold the property as joint tenants or tenants in common. Joint tenants each own equal shares, and if one owner passes away, their share automatically transfers to the surviving owner. Tenants in common can hold unequal ownership portions such as 70–30 or 60–40, and each owner’s share can be left to a nominated beneficiary through their will.

For buyers purchasing through a business entity, trust, or self-managed super fund (SMSF), ensure the structure is properly established before signing the contract. Recently, one of our clients asked whether his SMSF trustee could sign a contract for a property to be acquired under a limited recourse borrowing arrangement (LRBA). His buyer’s agent urged him to move quickly, but this would have breached SMSF rules. The correct process required setting up a separate bare trust and trustee to complete the purchase under LRBA requirements.

At Investax, we often see buyers sign a contract in their personal name and later wish to transfer it to a trust or company. This can trigger additional stamp duty and legal costs. Always seek professional advice on ownership and structure before signing any property contract to avoid costly and irreversible mistakes.

Step 6: Prepare a Clear Property Plan with Your Trusted Advisors

If you are planning to purchase a property during the Christmas period, take the opportunity to think ahead and sit down with your trusted advisors. Consider how this property fits into your five-year financial or business plan. Are there renovation or investment improvements you should plan for in the new year?

For business owners, it’s important to think about asset protection and whether the property should be held personally, in a trust, or within your business structure. For investors, if you are working with a mortgage broker to secure finance, make sure the process is completed before your accountant and advisors close for the Christmas break. You will often need an accountant’s letter confirming the financial position of your trustee company, business, or investment structure to support your loan application.

The new year is also an ideal time to review your property insurance, loan arrangements, and cash flow to ensure your finances are in a strong position for 2025.

Tips for First-Home Buyers

For first-home buyers in Australia, the year-end period can be an ideal time to enter the property market. With fewer competitors during the Christmas season, there’s often more room to negotiate on price or settlement terms. Before making an offer, check your eligibility for first home buyer grants and stamp duty concessions available in your state or territory — these incentives can save thousands of dollars and make your first purchase more affordable.

It’s also worth considering government programs such as the First Home Guarantee or Family Home Guarantee, which allow eligible buyers to enter the market with a lower deposit. Make sure you factor in additional costs such as conveyancing, building inspection, and lender’s mortgage insurance (LMI) so there are no surprises at settlement.

Taking professional advice early — from your accountant, mortgage broker, or buyer’s agent — can help you structure your finances correctly and avoid costly mistakes. With the right planning, your first property purchase can set the foundation for long-term wealth and financial security.

What’s Next

Buying a property at the end of the year can be a smart move when done with the right strategy and timing. Whether you’re a first-home buyer, investor, or small business owner, preparation is key to making confident decisions and maximising your benefits.

At Investax, we help Australians make smarter property and business decisions through strategic tax planning, structure advice, and financial guidance. If you’re planning to buy before Christmas or early in 2025, speak with one of our property tax specialists to ensure your purchase is structured the right way from the start.

We offer a 15-minute free consultation to discuss your tax, property investment and business needs. Book your complimentary consultation now.

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General Advice Warning

The material on this page and on this website has been prepared for general information purposes only and not as specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained on this page and on this website is General Advice and does not take into account any person’s particular investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs.

Before making an investment decision based on this advice you should consider, with or without the assistance of a securities adviser, whether it is appropriate to your particular investment needs, objectives and financial circumstances. In addition, the examples provided on this page and on this website are for illustrative purposes only.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained on this page and on our website, Investax Group, its officers, representatives, employees and agents disclaim all liability [except for any liability which by law cannot be excluded), for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the information contained in this website or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information.