We love to watch close relationships develop between international celebrities and Australia and part of the reason for our personal interest at Listing Loop is that when they buy property here, they usually buy off-market. 

Over the past few months, we've covered the latest trophy suburbs the wealthy are buying into and interior design trends they follow, as well as their obsession with buying in Byron Bay. 

What is Australia's secret allure?

But this week, we've decided to get to the core of why they buy here, to take a deep dive into what interests them about our lifestyle - when frankly, they could pick a million other locations closer to the rest of civilisation. After all, we must have something pretty unique for singers like George Michael and Pink and film stars like Matt Damon and Natalie Portman to want to spend so much time here.

So what is our secret? 

Surely, there must be more to our appeal than a few world-class beaches?

Look no further than the A$180 million advertising campaign launched by Tourism Australia in 2006 for part of the answer. The campaign and its memorable question - "Where the bloody hell are you?" - struck a chord with many people for its spot-on depiction of Australian life, rather than the controversy that its seemingly bad language provoked. 

But what else? 

Well, we know for a fact that celebrities are also quite partial to our laid-back culture - even our liberal use of the f-word, as witnessed in the Australian version of "Alone". But all jokes aside, what they really want to buy into is our culture, values and our obvious desire to give everyone “a fair go”.

 "Freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity are central to our community remaining a secure, prosperous and peaceful place to live," according to our government’s home affairs website. "Our values define and shape our country and they are a reason why so many people want to become Australian citizens. Our democratic institutions and shared Australian values have created our peaceful and stable society."

Privacy is a highly-prized commodity in celebrity land and Australia has a wealth of secret boltholes

Interestingly, our distance from... well, pretty much anywhere.. means few celebrities actually put down permanent roots here. But that doesn't stop them from buying property, because privacy is a highly-prized commodity in celebrity land, and the sheer vastness of our country and the many physical and cultural attributes it offers make it a dream destination for even the wealthiest. 

Feel free to nod smugly while we remind you of some of those attributes:

1. Safety – Despite the media's love of sensationalising crime in Australia, our crime rate is relatively low and our homicide rate is actually lower than in New Zealand. This makes it highly appealing to celebrities from less safe countries around the world.
2. Financial incentives – Our lack of inheritance tax is a big draw for celebrities from the UK, for example, to own property here. Their tax, which deducts 40% of the value of their estate once they exceed a threshold is a massive consideration for some investors. 
3. Political stability – We may not have completely nailed democracy but we like to think that for the main part, our governments are honest or progressive in their politics, especially compared to some other Western countries. We strive continually to improve the conditions and welfare of each member of our population. Furthermore, a political coup is unlikely.
4. Privacy – One of the main reasons celebrities buy in Australia is the privacy we offer them. The media’s job is to get the latest story, but our press is less invasive than many and the enormity of our country makes it easier for our stars to hide away in any one of our stunning, wealthy enclaves.
5. Lifestyle – Australia's easy-going lifestyle and focus on health make it the perfect location for celebrities to recharge. Our landscape, climate, and culture create a myriad of opportunities for spiritual, mental and physical growth.
6. Employment – Since COVID, Australia has cultivated a budding entertainment industry that is viewed favourably by many film and television production companies. Our government’s “Location Incentive” was introduced to help our industry remain competitive and to create local employment, which is a bonus for those stars who want to work here. Our country's large, diverse landscape, climate, and culture - and the professional reputation of our film crews - offers an abundance of potential film settings, including sci-fi and dystopian, as seen in movies such as Mad Max.
7. Our multi-cultural society – Our indigenous and migrant population creates a multi-cultural, diverse, and inclusive society that appeals to celebrities, many of whom have family and friends who also reside here.
8. Landscape – Before they visit, many tourists assume that Australia is hot all year round. They underestimate the size of our country and the range of our many micro-climates. In the past, trips to Australia were reserved for the wealthy, but thankfully, our lands can now be discovered by all spheres of society, and celebrities are looking beyond our stunning beaches to our bushland, mountains, and indigenous culture.
9. And finally, no list of Australia's attributes would be complete without mentioning our world-class coffee, fashion, music, sport, wildlife, TimTams, and mullets.

Our distance from other countries and stringent visa system make it tricky for celebrities to relocate here permanently, but fortunately, they have the means to buy second homes.

International celebrities aren't the only victims of Australia's unique property market 

Unfortunately, putting down permanent roots isn't only a problem for international celebrities. Once an integral element of The Great Australian Dream, currently, the idea of home ownership is not as clear-cut for many Australians either, thanks to soaring house prices, low stock, and increasing interest rates. 

And inevitably, navigating such an unpredictable market means buyers must be savvy, and pick professionals to work with who not only understand the market but who offer optimum support when it is needed.

We offer our members the right support when they need it

Our team is always happy to help with all the dramas and stressors of house buying and selling, which is why we’ve brought the services you need altogether, under one roof. Furthermore, for those buyers who require extra support, for a small fee, our Buyer Assist service provides them with the opportunity to work with one of our buyer’s advocates, who, not only have access to information unavailable to the public but also the requisite experience and expertise to remove a large chunk of the stress from the buying process.  

Listing Loop is a marketplace for off-market and pre-market properties for sale but we’re also an end-to-end property transaction platform helping to remove friction from the buying, financing, and selling processes.

Interested in learning more about off-market property? Check out this easy-to-read blog post in which we've condensed all the relevant information 

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