Residential Property and Utilities in Canberra

So, how do you find your new home and what are some of the costs involved? The Canberra Times newspaper has the definitive residential Real Estate Guide (Saturday editions) in which you'll find a comprehensive listing of all residential properties for sale, rent or lease. The Canberra Real Estate Guide is another publication available from most Canberra real estate agents.

The internet is a great source of information about residential property in the Canberra Region. To search for listings from the Real Estate section of the Canberra Times, visit the website for the:

• PropertyGuide

The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has good statistics in its Market Facts publication on the Canberra residential property market, including median house prices, median weekly rents and vacancy rates for rental properties.

Information on current market activity can be obtained from the ACT office of REI on Phone: 61 2 6282 4544. For additional information visit the website of the:

• Real Estate Institute of Australia

If renting property and wanting advice on the rights of a tenant in the ACT, speak with the Tenants Advice Service on Phone: 61 2 6247 2011.

ACTEW Corporation Limited (ACTEW) is a government-owned holding company that focuses on providing water, wastewater, natural gas, telecommunications and energy services to the people of Canberra and beyond. To further understand ACTEW's functions, visit:

• ACTEW Corporation

Canberra's electricity, gas and water is supplied by ACTEW's services utility, ActewAGL. For more information about their services visit their website at:

• ActewAGL

People who purchase property (houses, land, land and buildings or commercial premises) located in the ACT must pay duty on that purchase. Duty is calculated on the greater of the purchase price or the market value of the property. The ACT's rate of Stamp Duty is competitive with other states and territories.

For more information about property duty rates visit:

• ACT Revenue - Property Duty

The States and Territories agreed to assist first home buyers through the establishment of the First Home Owners' Grant (FHOG) and the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.

For more detailed information regarding these assistance schemes, visit the ACT Revenue website at:

• ACT Revenue Office – First Home Owners Grant
• ACT Revenue – Home Buyer Concession Scheme

ACT Revenue can also be contacted Phone: 61 2 6207 0032.