Land Lease Living at Living Gems: Everything You Need to Know
What is Land Lease Living?
Protected by the Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003, land lease living means you own your home outright and lease the land it sits on.
Instead of the usual costs of traditional homeownership, you pay a simple weekly site fee. This covers the maintenance of the resort, its facilities and shared spaces — so everything stays beautifully presented without the effort.
No stamp duty. No council land rates. No deferred management fees.
Just a smarter way to rightsize.
With the security of Queensland legislation, you have a legally guaranteed right to remain in your home for as long as you choose — giving you complete peace of mind.
And then there’s the lifestyle.
Resort-quality homes within secure, gated communities. Indoor and outdoor pools, Country Club facilities, and a calendar of social activities — all supported by on-site management.
This is low-maintenance living, designed for over-50s who want more freedom, more connection, and more time to enjoy what matters.
Five Things Every Land Lease Buyer Should Understand
No Deferred Management Fees. Ever.
In retirement villages, a deferred management fee quietly accumulates the entire time you live there — typically 25–35% of your purchase price or resale value, taken straight off your proceeds when you leave. On a $600,000 home, that’s up to $210,000 gone before you see a cent.
At Living Gems, it works differently. You own your home outright. You pay a simple, transparent weekly site fee. And when you sell — whether that’s in five years or twenty — every dollar of your sale price belongs to you. No operator cut. No exit penalty. No 200-page contract full of surprises.
That’s the land lease difference.
- Zero exit fees — at any time, for any reason
- 100% of capital gains — yours, always
- No DMF accumulation — not after 5 years, not after 20
Your Rights Are Protected by Law
At Living Gems, your right to live in your home is not just a contract — it’s legally guaranteed. In Queensland, land lease communities operate under the Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003, which governs your site agreement, your protections as a homeowner, and the rules under which site fees can be reviewed.
Your site agreement continues beyond any initial fixed term. An operator cannot simply ask you to leave — terminations are rare, require valid legal grounds, and are subject to oversight by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT). This is a fundamentally different level of security to a retirement village licence, where operators have historically had considerably more discretion.
In other states where Living Gems operates, equivalent residential parks legislation provides the same protections.
Thinking about what happens long-term? Your home can be passed onto your family. Your estate or a beneficiary can sell the home after you pass.
Your Land Lease Questions, Answered
In land lease living, you buy and own your home outright and lease the land your home sits on. Your legal right to occupy the land is protected by Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003, so you have a peace of mind.
As a land lease community, you pay a weekly site fee for the right to occupy that land and access all resort facilities. There is no stamp duty, exit or deferred management fees, and you get to live in a resort-quality community.
No — and the differences are significant. In a retirement village, you typically don't own your home (you hold a licence to occupy), and when you leave, you usually pay a deferred management fee of 10–35% of your sale price to the operator. In a land lease community like Living Gems, you own your home with full legal title and lease the land, there are no exit fees, and you keep 100% of any capital gains when you sell.
The Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003 (Qld) governs all land lease communities in Queensland. It covers your rights regarding site fees, security of tenure, dispute resolution, and the limited circumstances in which a site agreement can be terminated. Site fee increases are capped under the Act at the higher of CPI or 3.5% per year. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) handles any disputes.
In practice, no — not without significant legal process and valid grounds. Your site agreement continues beyond any fixed term. An operator can only terminate a site agreement in very limited, legislatively defined circumstances (such as serious breach of community rules or abandonment of the home). Any termination is subject to QCAT oversight. This gives residents a strong, legally backed security of tenure.
Your weekly site fee is your payment to Living Gems to lease the land and access to all resort facilities, as well as, community maintenance and landscaping, on-site management, and security infrastructure. It does not cover your personal utilities or home insurance. Site fee increases are regulated and capped under Queensland legislation.
No. Because you are purchasing the home (a manufactured or modular dwelling) rather than buying land and a freehold title. This is one of the most significant financial advantages of the land lease model — the Property Council of Australia estimates stamp duty and related costs can reach $75,000 when downsizing through traditional freehold purchase.
Generally, yes, subject to community rules and any relevant building approvals. Minor improvements and personalisation are typically permitted. Structural changes or additions usually require approval from Living Gems as the site operator and may require relevant council or building permits. Your site agreement and community rules document will outline the specific requirements.
Your home is an asset you can pass onto family — it belongs to your estate, just like residential property. Your executor can arrange the sale of the home. There is no complex exit arrangement, no deferred fee triggered by your passing, and no requirement for the operator to repurchase the home.
