Property development structures with tax and profit in mind
Structuring advice before contracts, options, joint ventures and development arrangements are locked in.
Property development structures should be designed around the commercial outcome of the project, not added as an afterthought once contracts and commitments are already in place. The structure can affect tax, GST, duty, land tax, funding, control and the eventual profit result.
Vale Legal advises developers, landowners, investors and private groups on how to structure property development projects effectively from the outset. We focus on building a structure that supports the project commercially while reducing avoidable tax cost and ownership friction along the way.
We have a strong understanding of duty rules and can advise where joint venture developers want to take part of the development as their profit share.
Speak with Vale Legal
Call (02) 9993 3833
Structure before commitments
Tax, GST, duty, land tax and ownership should be considered before contracts and project documents are locked in.
Reviewed by Greg Vale
NSW Law Society Accredited Specialist in Business & Personal Taxation Law.
Tax, duty and agreements together
Vale Legal can advise on the structure and assist with the transaction and agreement work needed to support the outcome.
Who We Help
This page is for developers, landowners, investors and private groups structuring property projects.
Developers
Developers planning a new project or acquisition.
Landowners
Landowners entering a development arrangement or joint venture.
Private groups
Groups using trusts, companies or unit trusts to undertake projects.
Clients reviewing deal structure
Clients testing whether a proposed structure is tax-efficient and workable.
How We Help
Vale Legal helps clients structure property development arrangements with tax, duty, GST, control and documentation in mind.
Project entity selection
Advice on project entity selection and ownership structure.
Tax and GST before documents
Tax and GST input before contracts, options or development agreements are signed.
Investor and stakeholder alignment
Review of investor and stakeholder alignment, including unit trust or joint ownership arrangements.
Duty, land tax and profit realisation
Advice on duty, land tax and profit realisation implications.
Development and joint venture documents
Drafting of development agreements, joint venture agreements and partition agreements.
Conveyancing and rearrangements
Acting for parties in conveyancing transactions, including rearrangements with duty concessions or exemptions.
Succession and private wealth crossover
Support where development structures intersect with succession or private wealth planning.
Key Issues We Check Early
Before a development proceeds, we usually test the structure against the commercial and tax outcome the parties are trying to achieve. Key issues include:
- Whether the proposed ownership vehicle aligns with the intended profit and control outcome
- GST, duty and land tax implications before options, contracts or development agreements are locked in
- Whether joint venture, unit trust or co-ownership arrangements are documented in a workable way
- How the structure affects profit extraction, investor alignment and future flexibility
- Whether the transaction documents actually support the agreed tax and commercial outcome
Why Vale Legal
Vale Legal provides practical property development structuring advice with strong tax, duty and agreement drafting capability.
Advice and transaction work
Can provide the advice and act on the transaction work to minimise costs and misunderstandings about what is required.
Specialist tax and duty knowledge
Can provide specialist tax and duty knowledge and high-quality drafting of agreements.
Property tax capability
Strong property tax capability alongside trust and commercial structuring expertise.
Project-specific advice
Practical advice tailored to projects, not just abstract tax principles.
Layered ownership experience
Useful for owner-developers, family groups and projects with layered ownership.
FAQS
The structure can affect GST treatment, land tax, duty, profit extraction, funding and control. Once the project is underway, changing the structure can be difficult and costly.
Yes. That is often the best time to obtain advice, while there is still room to structure the transaction and documents properly.
Yes. Vale Legal can advise on trust-based and company-based structures commonly used in property and development projects.
Yes. Vale Legal can advise on and draft related documents such as development agreements, joint venture agreements and partition agreements where appropriate.
Get in touch
Get Property development structuring advice early
If a development project is being planned or negotiated, early structuring advice can help align the tax, duty, GST and commercial outcomes before documents are signed. Sydney based, advising clients across Australia. Where relevant, Vale Legal can work alongside the client’s accountant, adviser or broader professional team.