Mackay valuation FAQ: certified, retrospective and stamp duty reports

These are the questions Mackay owners ask most often when someone else, usually the Queensland Revenue Office, an accountant or an auditor, has to accept the figure. Each answer deals with how the question plays out for property in the Mackay Regional Council area.

What makes a valuation certified in Queensland?

A certified valuation is signed by a valuer registered in Queensland. Registration is governed by the Valuers Registration Act 1992 and overseen by the Valuers Registration Board of Queensland, which says anyone working as a valuer in the state must be registered with it and keeps a public register you can search.

If you searched for certified property valuers near you, check the name on any Mackay report against that register before you send it on. A signature from someone who is not registered, or an unsigned estimate, gives the person reading it nothing independent to rely on.

Can my land valuation be used instead?

No. The Valuer-General's figure for a Mackay property is a site value or unimproved value that leaves out the house, fences and other structures, as the Department's explanation of its methods makes clear. The valuation now in force in the Mackay area was issued in 2023 and reflects the land market at 1 October 2022. A new valuation, reflecting 1 October 2026, takes effect from 30 June 2027 under the 2027 program.

Neither date is likely to match the date your accountant or the Revenue Office needs, and neither figure covers the buildings.

Do I need a valuation to transfer a Mackay property to family?

Usually, yes. The Revenue Office explains that transfer duty is generally calculated on the higher of the price paid and the unencumbered value of the property. The Revenue Office's Public Ruling DA505.1 says a valuation must be submitted where the parties are related or there is no consideration, such as a gift.

The ruling says the Commissioner will generally accept market value evidence from registered valuers. Evidence from a real estate agent must give at least three recent comparable sales. If the Commissioner obtains a valuation and your declared value is more than 10 per cent below it, for properties valued up to $1,000,000, the cost of that valuation can be passed on to you. Above $1,000,000 the test is a gap of more than $100,000.

For a family transfer of a house in Mackay, the stamp duty valuation should be dated at the transfer, not at the date someone first raised the idea.

Can a house be valued at a past date?

Yes. A retrospective valuation gives the market value at a date that has already passed, such as the day a home was first rented out, the date of death in an estate, or the date of a CGT event. The valuer uses sales from around that date, not sales that happened later.

In Mackay the hard part is usually describing the house as it stood on that date. A house that has since been raised, extended, repaired after a storm or re-roofed was a different property on the earlier date. Dated photographs, building approvals, insurance claim records and invoices all help. Council's Property Flood Report shows current design flood levels, but council says it does not hold flood history for individual properties, so keep your own records of any past flooding.

For a capital gains question, a CGT valuation is prepared at the date the tax event fell.

Does a northern beaches property need an inspection?

Not always. A desktop report works from sales evidence and the information you supply about the house. An inspection becomes more useful when the property is hard to describe from records. That includes a Bucasia or Shoal Point house with recent raising or extension work, or a lot inside one of council's storm surge evacuation zones where the floor height needs to be confirmed. It also includes acreage on the fringe of the city where improvements vary widely.

Will a valuation help if I object to my 2027 land valuation?

It can help with evidence, but the objection is about the land, not the house. The Department lists the acceptable grounds as specific comparable sales with an explanation of each, physical characteristics or land use constraints, and site improvement deductions. It will not accept median prices, asking prices or the size of your rates bill. Objections must be lodged within 60 days of the notice's issue date.

How do I choose the right report?

Start with who has to accept it and the date it must speak to. Then check whether the property has changed since that date. The Mackay valuation FAQ covers the general differences between report types. For a specific property and date, send the details through the contact page and a valuer will say which report fits.