Buying property in Kiama and what to check before you sign

Start with the numbers that shape the Kiama market

Kiama is a small coastal municipality, and most of its homes are houses. These figures come from the ABS 2021 Census QuickStats for the Kiama local government area, the latest Census.

Apartments are a small share of the stock, so there is less to choose from than in a city. This guide does not cover prices. For sales data, look to the NSW Valuer General and the NSW Rent and Sales Report rather than advertising.

Choose the part of Kiama that suits how you live

Each pocket of Kiama feels different. Walk the streets on a weekday and a weekend before you decide.

• Town centre: walks to Terralong Street, the harbour, the Blowhole and Kiama station. Expect more visitors in summer and more noise around events. See parking in Kiama and Kiama shops for daily life.
• South Kiama and Kiama Heights: quieter residential streets near Kendalls Beach, Easts Beach and the Little Blowhole, with the coast walk heading south past Kiama Heights. Most trips to town are a drive or a longer walk.
• Kiama Downs: a beach suburb about 4 km north of the town centre, near Jones Beach and Cathedral Rocks. Read the Kiama Downs guide.

Look south to Gerringong or inland to Jamberoo

• Gerringong: a hilltop village above Werri Beach, about 10 minutes' drive south of Kiama, with its own shops and cafes. Start with our Gerringong guide.
• Jamberoo: a farming village in the green valley behind Kiama, about 14 minutes' drive from south Kiama. Check bushfire and flood maps with extra care. See the Jamberoo guide.

Rural and semi-rural land brings different questions from a town lot: water supply, septic systems, access roads and what you are allowed to build. Kiama Council's planning team and a planning certificate are the place to start.

Weigh up an apartment against a house

An apartment in Kiama usually means less upkeep and a lock-and-leave home for weekends. In return you share decisions and costs with the other owners through the strata scheme, and the by-laws set rules on pets, renovations, parking and holiday letting.

A house gives you land, more control over changes and no strata levies, but you carry all the maintenance yourself. Near the sea that includes salt-air wear on metal and paint.

If you are searching for Kiama apartments for sale, ask early for the strata documents, the by-laws and, for new buildings, the disclosure statement.

Read the strata records before you sign

The NSW Government guide to buying a strata property sets out the checks. In short:

• By-laws: a copy should be attached to the contract of sale. Make sure they suit your lifestyle, including pets, changes to your lot and parking.
• Strata search report: covers the scheme's finances, insurance, building defects, legal matters and meeting notes. You can use a professional strata searcher or inspect the records yourself with the seller's permission.
• Section 184 certificate: from the owners corporation, showing levies, any amounts owing on the lot and how the 10-year capital works plan will be funded.
• Levies and the capital works fund: the guide warns that low levies could mean a steep rise in future fees, so compare the levies with the age of the building and the planned works.

The free NSW strata search tool shows a scheme's strata plan number, registration date, lots and when it last completed annual reporting.

Check the extra protections for off-the-plan apartments

New apartments sold before they are finished come with their own rules. The NSW Government guide to buying off the plan says:

• Disclosure statement: the seller must attach one to the contract, with sunset dates and draft documents such as the plan, the schedule of finishes and draft by-laws.
• Cooling-off: 10 business days for off-the-plan, compared with the usual 5 for an established home. Pulling out in that time costs 0.25% of the price.
• Changes: the seller must tell you about changes that adversely affect the use or enjoyment of the lot, and you have 14 days from being told to act.
• Deposit: held in a trust or controlled money account and not released to the seller before settlement.
• Sunset clauses: a developer needs your consent, or a Supreme Court order, to end the contract under a sunset clause.
• Registered plan: you must receive a copy at least 21 days before settlement.

A conveyancer or solicitor should explain how each of these applies to your contract.

Budget for stamp duty and check first home buyer help

When you buy property in NSW you generally must pay transfer duty, also called stamp duty, according to Revenue NSW. Foreign buyers may also pay surcharge purchaser duty. Use the Revenue NSW calculator for your price rather than a rule of thumb.

The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme can remove or reduce duty for eligible first home buyers. For contracts exchanged on or after 1 July 2023, Revenue NSW lists:

Eligibility rules apply, including never having owned residential property in Australia and moving in within 12 months of settlement. Thresholds change, so check the current Revenue NSW page before you rely on them.

Check zoning, bushfire and flood maps for the exact lot

Hazards vary from street to street in Kiama, so check the exact lot, not just the suburb.

• NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer: search the Spatial Viewer by address to see zoning and planning layers, and download a property report.
• Planning certificate: a section 10.7 planning certificate from Kiama Council sets out the zoning and controls that apply, plus constraints such as flooding, bushfire prone land and contamination. Council's application form lists the certificate types and fees.
• Council: ask Kiama Council about any coastal, flood or development matters affecting the street, and whether neighbouring land has approvals in progress.

If a lot is mapped as bushfire prone, extra building standards can apply to new work, which affects renovation costs. Ask a builder or certifier before you commit.

Understand the holiday letting rules in NSW

NSW Planning sets the statewide rules for short-term rental accommodation:

• Every short-term rental must be registered on the NSW STRA Register, and the dwelling must meet fire safety standards, including an evacuation plan and interconnected smoke alarms.
• Hosts must follow the mandatory Code of Conduct for the short-term rental industry.
• Stays are hosted (you live on the premises) or non-hosted (you do not).
• Strata schemes can pass by-laws that prohibit short-term letting where the lot is not the host's principal place of residence.

Day limits: NSW Planning lists a 180-day yearly cap on non-hosted stays in Greater Sydney, the Ballina area and parts of the Clarence Valley and Muswellbrook areas, and a 60-day cap across most of Byron Shire. The NSW Planning page (last updated 10 February 2025) does not list Kiama. Rules can change, so check NSW Planning and Kiama Council before you buy with letting in mind.

Plan the commute before you commit

Kiama station is on the South Coast Line, with trains north through Wollongong to Sydney. Check real timetables for the days and hours you would travel on Transport NSW.

By car, Kiama is about 1 hour 45 minutes from the Sydney CBD (see Sydney to Kiama). If you work from home, test the mobile and internet coverage at the address.

Insure for life near the coast

For a strata apartment, the scheme must hold certain insurances, paid through the levies, and the NSW Government says owners insure their own personal property, such as contents. Ask to see the scheme's current policy in the strata records.

For a house, get insurance quotes before you exchange, not after. Ask each insurer how they treat storm, flood and bushfire for that address, and read the product disclosure statement. A quote can flag risks the listing does not mention.

Book your own inspections and advice

Get your own building and pest inspection. The NSW strata guide notes that existing pre-purchase reports may be available, but your own report gives you the detail you need. Near the coast, ask the inspector to look closely for damp and rust.

Have a solicitor or licensed conveyancer review the contract before you sign, including the planning certificate, title, by-laws and any special conditions. Ask them about the cooling-off period and whether you are buying at auction, where different rules apply.

See Kiama Ridge Waters in 3D and in person

If an apartment suits the way you live, you can see one for yourself at Kiama Ridge Waters, a development of three-bedroom apartments in four low-rise buildings at 2 Surfleet Place in south Kiama. Each has two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a laundry and garage parking for two cars. From the door it is a 15-minute walk to Easts Beach and about 27 minutes on foot (2.2 km) to the town centre and station.

Some apartments are for sale through St Trinity Property Group. To look further:

• Register your interest on Own in Kiama.
• Walk through each layout on the 3D floor plans.
• Arrange a time to see the finishes at the display apartment at 2 Surfleet Place.
• Book a weekend in Kiama in one of our three-bedroom apartments and get to know the street for a few days before you decide, or ask about long-term rentals.

This guide is general information only, not financial, legal, tax or investment advice. Get independent legal and financial advice before you buy any property.