Over 30 properties on the Gold Coast will soon be available for auction due to unpaid council rates. A total of 34 homes are listed, located in popular suburbs such as Upper Coomera, Hope Island, Surfers Paradise, Carrara, and Palm Beach. The properties vary widely in size and value, featuring a small two-bedroom unit in Surfers Paradise and a vast 13,000-square-metre estate in Bonogin.
The Gold Coast City Council plans to recover owed council rates from the auction proceeds. Any surplus funds after settling debts, such as outstanding mortgages, will be returned to the former owners. However, historical trends indicate that only a small number of properties typically sell at these auctions; for instance, last year, only three out of 23 listings were sold, as most owners managed to settle their debts before the auction.
Gold Coast councillor Brooke Patterson emphasised that resorting to auction is a last measure, indicating that extensive efforts to resolve outstanding rates have already been undertaken, often after many years of delinquency.