Foreign investment tumbles in Australian residential real estate
China was the largest source of approved residential real estate investment in the past quarter
2 min
The number of approvals for foreign purchases of residential property fell in the first quarter of FY24, according to the latest statistics released by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). China remains our biggest source of residential investment, followed by India and Hong Kong.
The FIRB approved 1,374 applications from foreign residents to buy residential real estate between 1 July and 30 September 2023 (1Q FY24). This represented $1.5 billion in investment. This is significantly lower than the previous quarter and is tracking well below the rate of investment in 2023. Between 1 April and 30 June 2023 (4Q FY23), the FIRB approved 1,932 applications worth $2.4 billion. For the full financial year of 2023, 6,576 proposals were approved, thereby averaging 1,644 per quarter.
In 1Q FY24, China was the largest source of approved residential real estate investment with 523 approvals worth $700 million. Making up the top three were India with 148 approvals worth $100 million, and Hong Kong with 111 approvals also worth $100 million.
The fall comes amid the Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers introducing legislation into the Parliament earlier this month to significantly raise foreign investment application fees, as per his announcement in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. Currently, foreign investment application fees start at $14,100 for purchases of residential property worth $1 million or less, and rise to a maximum of $1,119,100 for acquisitions worth more than $40 million.
The Albanese Government wants to triple the fees for the purchase of established homes, which foreigners are allowed to buy if they are living in Australia to work or study, and must sell when they leave. Dr Chalmers explained that the government hopes this will encourage foreigners to buy new property instead. “This will help create additional housing stock, jobs in the construction industry and support economic growth,” he said.
The government also wants to double the vacancy fee charged to foreign owners whose properties are not genuinely occupied as a residence either by themselves or a relative, and are not rented out on a lease term of more than 30 days for at least six months of the year. The vacancy fee is the same as the applicable application fee in each case, hence $14,100 on properties purchased for $1 million or less.
On Census night 2021, more than one million homes in Australia were unoccupied, which created fierce national debate about home ownership affordability and rental supply for Australians. “The increased vacancy fees will encourage foreign investors to make their unused properties available to renters,” Dr Chalmers said. The government is also proposing a reduction in application fees for build-to-rent projects to encourage more foreign investment in this emerging real estate sector.
“Higher fees for the purchase of established homes and increased penalties for those that leave properties vacant will help ensure foreign investment in residential property is in our national interest,” Dr Chalmers said.
FIRB application fees were first introduced in 2015. They are indexed to annual inflation but have been increased markedly several times by governments in response to public discourse over the impact of foreign investment on rising property prices. Real estate industry insiders say rising fees are dissuading some foreign nationals from investing here.
The Swiss watchmaker’s first collaboration with Atlassian Williams F1 Team produces two sporting Laureato models inspired by the team’s 2026 racing car.
Victorian auction buyers will soon receive a piece of information that has traditionally been withheld until bidding reaches it: the vendor’s reserve price. Under new property-sale and underquoting laws, agents must publish the agreed reserve at least seven days before an auction or fixed-date sale. Most changes begin on 1 October 2026 and apply to …
Continue reading “Victoria’s New Auction Rules Will Force Reserve Prices Into the Open”
More than 10,000 homes, an expansive central park and a mix of hospitality, retail and wellness facilities will form Azizi Developments’ first master-planned community in the emirate.
2 min
Sharjah is set to receive one of its largest new residential communities, with Azizi Developments unveiling plans for a US$8.1 billion master-planned precinct containing more than 10,000 homes.
Named Azizi Florence, the freehold development will comprise 1,130 villas, more than 6,000 townhouses and 3,500 apartments. Three-bedroom townhouses will start from US$515,000, with an indicative rate of US$231 per square foot of saleable space.
The project marks the Dubai-based developer’s first move into Sharjah, expanding a portfolio that includes the planned Burj Azizi skyscraper and the Azizi Venice community in Dubai.
A park at the heart of the community
Rather than treating landscaping as an afterthought, Azizi Florence will be organised around a 1.7 million sq ft central park.
The wider precinct is planned as a self-contained neighbourhood combining homes with retail, hospitality, education, leisure and wellness facilities.
Six residential clusters will sit within the development, each with its own park, clubhouse, community centre and landscaped gardens. The approach reflects a broader shift across large Middle Eastern developments, where greenery, recreation and everyday convenience are increasingly central to the residential proposition.
The scale of Azizi Florence suggests it is intended to function as a neighbourhood rather than a collection of housing estates. Its mix of housing types should also give the project broader appeal, accommodating apartment buyers alongside families seeking townhouses or standalone villas.
Azizi expands beyond Dubai
Azizi Developments has delivered more than 45,000 homes to buyers from over 100 countries and says it has approximately 150,000 units under construction.
Much of its growth has been concentrated in Dubai, where its portfolio extends across Palm Jumeirah, Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Dubai South, Sheikh Zayed Road and Downtown Jebel Ali.
Its most prominent current project is Burj Azizi, which is intended to become the world’s second-tallest building. Azizi Florence represents a different type of undertaking: a low-rise, family-oriented community built around public space and daily amenity.
For company founder and chairman Mirwais Azizi, the Sharjah project also carries a personal connection. The emirate was his first home in the UAE more than three decades ago, adding a symbolic dimension to the developer’s expansion.
Sharjah’s residential ambitions grow
Although Dubai and Abu Dhabi have traditionally captured much of the international attention directed at the UAE property market, Sharjah has been steadily broadening its residential offering.
Large freehold communities such as Azizi Florence have the potential to attract both local families and international purchasers looking for comparatively accessible entry points into the Emirates’ property market.
At a starting price of US$515,000, the project’s three-bedroom townhouses will sit well below the cost of equivalent family homes in many of Dubai’s more established luxury communities.
The ultimate appeal, however, will depend on execution. At this scale, the quality of the public realm, connections between residential clusters and delivery of the promised supporting infrastructure will be as important as the homes themselves.
If those elements come together, Azizi Florence could help establish a new benchmark for large-scale residential development in Sharjah—and give buyers another option beyond the UAE’s better-known property markets.
From mud baths to herbal massages, Fiji’s heat rituals turned one winter escape into a soul-deep reset.
ABC Bullion has launched a pioneering investment product that allows Australians to draw regular cashflow from their precious metal holdings.
