Point Piper location and character
Point Piper lies approximately five kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, within the Municipality of Woollahra, on a peninsula projecting into Sydney Harbour between Double Bay and Rose Bay.
It is small and almost entirely residential. At 1,334 residents across 532 occupied private dwellings, it is among the smallest suburbs covered in these guides, and among the least frequently traded.
Its Census figures are unlike anywhere else covered. Median weekly household income was $4,530 and median monthly mortgage repayments $5,000, both the highest recorded in these guides, with a median age of 52, also the oldest.
Transport and amenity in Point Piper
Point Piper has no railway station and no light rail. Sydney buses serve New South Head Road, the principal route through the eastern suburbs, connecting to the city and to Bondi Junction.
Sydney Ferries services operate from Double Bay and Rose Bay wharves nearby, providing a harbour route to Circular Quay.
Double Bay and Rose Bay provide shopping and services, and the harbour foreshore is the suburb's defining amenity. This guide does not describe school catchments, which the NSW Department of Education can confirm.
Housing stock in Point Piper
Point Piper combines substantial harbourside houses with a significant apartment component, many of the latter in low-rise buildings with harbour outlook.
At the 2021 Census, 378 of the 532 occupied private dwellings were flats or apartments, 136 were separate houses and only 18 were semi-detached or townhouse dwellings, so apartments made up 71.1 per cent of occupied homes against 14.2 per cent nationally, while separate houses accounted for 25.6 per cent. Three-bedroom dwellings numbered 189 and two-bedroom 155, with 80 having five or more bedrooms and 71 with four.
The Census also recorded 143 unoccupied private dwellings out of 678 on Census night, more than 21 per cent. In a suburb of this kind that is consistent with second homes and dwellings not used as a principal residence rather than with untenanted rental stock.
Who lives and buys in Point Piper
The 2021 Census counted 1,334 residents in Point Piper, with a median age of 52 against 38 for Australia, the oldest recorded in these guides, and an average household size of 2.2 people compared with 2.5 nationally. Residents aged 65 to 74 were the largest group at 228, followed by 194 aged 55 to 64 and 160 aged 45 to 54.
Outright ownership dominates. The Census recorded 268 dwellings owned outright, 150 rented and only 101 owned with a mortgage, so 51.0 per cent of households with a stated tenure owned outright, 28.6 per cent rented and just 19.2 per cent held a mortgage, against 31.0, 30.6 and 35.0 per cent nationally.
Median weekly household income was $4,530 against $1,746, median monthly mortgage repayments were $5,000 against $1,863 and median weekly rent was $900 against $375. Each of those is the highest figure recorded anywhere in these guides.
Buying in Point Piper under New South Wales law
Under the Conveyancing Act 1919 and the Conveyancing (Sale of Land) Regulation 2022, a vendor must attach prescribed documents to the Contract for the Sale of Land before exchange, including a current section 10.7 planning certificate issued by Woollahra Council under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, together with title documents. New South Wales does not require the vendor to supply a building inspection report.
For a strata dwelling, the section 184 certificate under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 sets out regular periodic contributions, any unpaid contributions, administrative and capital works fund levies, insurance and by-laws, and must be supplied within 14 days of application.
Under section 66S of the Conveyancing Act 1919, a buyer by private treaty has a cooling-off period of five business days after exchange, forfeiting 0.25 per cent of the purchase price to withdraw, with none at auction. At the prices transacted here, that 0.25 per cent is a very large sum, and a section 66W certificate waiving the right raises the exposure to the full 10 per cent deposit. Neither should be signed without advice.
Home loan considerations for Point Piper property
This is the most constrained end of the lending market. Many lenders apply a materially lower maximum loan-to-value ratio above certain loan or property value thresholds, and above a further threshold some require two independent valuations or decline to lend at all, referring the matter to a private banking arm instead.
Valuations are inherently uncertain here. Individual harbourside properties are not comparable with one another, the suburb produces very few sales in any period, and at 532 occupied dwellings there is little evidence for a valuer to work from. A valuation materially below a contract price is a real risk, which is why finance arrangements should be settled before bidding.
Building insurance on a high-value harbourside property can be substantial and is required by a lender at settlement, so a quote should be obtained early. Foreign investment rules may also apply to some purchasers, and those are a matter for the Foreign Investment Review Board rather than the lender.
Local factors for buyers in Point Piper
Harbour frontage brings obligations as well as outlook. Sea walls, jetties, boatsheds and retaining structures may be owner responsibilities and can require consent from Woollahra Council or the relevant harbour authority for works, which the section 10.7 planning certificate and a title search will begin to reveal.
Heritage listing applies to a number of properties in this part of Woollahra and can constrain demolition and external alterations, including to a degree that materially affects what a buyer can do with a site.
The 21 per cent vacancy recorded at the Census reflects the nature of the housing rather than weak demand. In a suburb where dwellings are frequently not principal residences, a buyer should not read the figure as they would in a conventional rental market.
Lending considerations for Point Piper
- Some lenders decline above a value threshold or require two independent valuations.
- Individual harbourside properties are not comparable, so valuations are inherently uncertain.
- Sea walls, jetties and retaining structures may be owner responsibilities requiring consent.
- Heritage listing can materially constrain what a buyer can do with a site.
- At these prices, cooling-off at 0.25 per cent is a very large sum and s66W raises it to 10.
Lender policy differs between institutions and changes over time. The guide to Australian lenders explains how credit policy varies, and the home loan guide sets out the main loan structures.
Transfer duty when buying in Point Piper, NSW
Transfer duty, commonly called stamp duty, is set by the state or territory rather than by suburb. The table shows indicative duty in New South Wales for an owner-occupier buying an established home at four illustrative purchase prices. These prices are examples only and are not an indication of values in Point Piper.
| Purchase price | Owner-occupier duty | Eligible first home buyer |
|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $16,687 | Nil |
| $750,000 | $27,937 | Nil |
| $1,000,000 | $39,187 | $39,187 |
| $1,500,000 | $63,787 | $63,787 |
Indicative relief: full exemption to $800,000 and a sliding concession to $1,000,000 under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme. Figures are indicative, exclude transfer and mortgage registration fees, and are subject to change. Eligibility conditions apply. Confirm the amount with the relevant revenue office before relying on it, or model a specific price with the stamp duty calculator. Grants and guarantees are explained in the government grants guide.
Frequently asked questions about buying in Point Piper
Is Point Piper the most expensive suburb in these guides?
On the Census measures, yes. Median weekly household income was $4,530 against $1,746 nationally, median monthly mortgage repayments $5,000 against $1,863, and median weekly rent $900 against $375. Each is the highest figure recorded anywhere in these guides.
Are there apartments in Point Piper?
Most of its housing is apartments. At the 2021 Census, 378 of 532 occupied private dwellings were flats or apartments, or 71.1 per cent, with 136 separate houses and only 18 semi-detached or townhouse dwellings. Many apartments are in low-rise buildings with harbour outlook.
Why were so many dwellings unoccupied in Point Piper?
The Census recorded 143 unoccupied private dwellings out of 678 on Census night, more than 21 per cent. In a suburb of this kind that is consistent with second homes and dwellings not used as a principal residence, rather than with untenanted rental stock.
How do lenders treat Point Piper property?
Restrictively. Many apply a materially lower maximum loan-to-value ratio above certain value thresholds, and above a further threshold some require two independent valuations or decline to lend at all, referring the matter to a private banking arm. Valuations are also inherently uncertain given how few sales occur.
What obligations come with harbour frontage?
Sea walls, jetties, boatsheds and retaining structures may be owner responsibilities and can require consent from Woollahra Council or the relevant harbour authority for works. The section 10.7 planning certificate and a title search are the place to begin establishing the position.
Who lives in Point Piper?
The 2021 Census counted 1,334 residents with a median age of 52, the oldest in these guides, and an average household size of 2.2 people. Of households with a stated tenure, 51.0 per cent owned outright, 28.6 per cent rented and only 19.2 per cent held a mortgage.