Cost of selling a house in NSW
In short
Selling a house in New South Wales costs about 2.3% in agent commission (1.8% to 2.5% metro, up to 3.5% regional), $600 to $10,000 in marketing and $1,000 to $3,000 in conveyancing. On a $1,325,000 sale, the NSW mean dwelling price, that is roughly $35,775 to an agent before conveyancing, against helm's $749 paid once.
On this page
Agent commission in NSWMarketing costs in NSWLegal costs and the NSW paperworkWorked example: a typical NSW saleCooling-off in NSWSelling without an agent in NSWFrequently asked questionsCost of selling in the other statesSourcesSelling a house in New South Wales has three main costs: the agent's commission, the marketing budget and the legal work. Only the legal work is required by law; the other two are negotiable. This page has the current numbers, the NSW paperwork rules, and a worked example on a typical NSW sale, so you can see what an agent would cost on a home like yours before you ask anyone for a quote.
Figures checked 3 September 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom.
Agent commission in NSW
The average commission in New South Wales is about 2.3% of the sale price, with quotes typically running 1.8% to 2.5% metro, up to 3.5% regional. Commission is negotiable everywhere in Australia, and it is only paid if the property sells.
The calculator below opens on the NSW average and the state's mean dwelling price. Put your own price and rate in.
Pre-filled with the NSW average rate and mean dwelling price. Rates are negotiable, so change either if you know yours.
On a sale of
$1,325,000
Agent commission
2.3% + GST
$30,475
Marketing campaign
Charged on top, midpoint of the NSW range
$5,300
Agent total
$35,775
With helm instead
One flat fee, paid once, listed until sold. Founding price, available for a limited time. We'll give notice before it ends.
You'd keep
$35,026
Marketing costs in NSW
Agents usually ask for a marketing budget up front, and you pay it whether or not the property sells. In New South Wales that runs $600 to $10,000 depending on the campaign: portal listing upgrades, photography, a signboard, print, and sometimes styling on top.
This is the line item sellers most often miss when they compare a percentage fee to a flat one, because it never appears in the commission rate.
Legal costs and the NSW paperwork
A contract for sale has to exist before the property is offered for sale, under section 52A of the Conveyancing Act 1919. Your solicitor or conveyancer prepares it with the prescribed documents attached: a title search, a sewer diagram, a section 10.7 planning certificate and the other prescribed documents. That means the legal work starts before the campaign does, not after you have an offer.
Conveyancing for a seller in New South Wales typically costs $1,000 to $3,000 in professional fees, plus searches and government charges. You pay this whether you sell with an agent or privately, so it is not part of the comparison below.
Worked example: a typical NSW sale
Take a $1,325,000 sale: the ABS mean dwelling price for New South Wales, $1,324,800 in March quarter 2026, rounded to the nearest $5,000.
| What you pay | Cost |
|---|---|
| Commission at 2.3% | $30,475 |
| Marketing (midpoint of the NSW range) | $5,300 |
| Agent total, before conveyancing | $35,775 |
| helm, paid once, before conveyancing | $749 |
Conveyancing is extra in both columns and costs about the same either way. The difference is what you are paying someone to do the marketing, the inspections and the negotiation for you. See what helm includes.
Founding price, available for a limited time. We'll give notice before it ends.
Cooling-off in NSW
A buyer gets 5 business days after exchange, and forfeits 0.25% of the price if they walk. A buyer can waive it by giving a 66W certificate from their solicitor or conveyancer, and there is no cooling-off at auction. Worth knowing before you accept an offer, because it changes when a sale is actually a sale.
Selling without an agent in NSW
It is legal to sell your own home in New South Wales. The legal requirements are about the contract and the disclosure, not about who runs the campaign. The one thing you cannot do as an individual is list directly on realestate.com.au or Domain, which only accept listings from licensed agents. helm's listings reach both portals through a licensed agent on the helm team, and you run the sale yourself. How that works .
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to sell a house in NSW?
On a $1,325,000 sale, the NSW mean dwelling price, an agent costs roughly $35,775 before conveyancing: $30,475 of commission at the 2.3% state average, plus about $5,300 of marketing. Conveyancing adds another $1,000 to $3,000 whichever way you sell.
What is the average real estate agent commission in NSW?
About 2.3% of the sale price, with quotes typically running 1.8% to 2.5% metro, up to 3.5% regional. Commission is negotiable in New South Wales, and it is only paid if the property sells.
Can you sell a house without an agent in NSW?
Yes. The NSW rules govern the contract and the disclosure, not who runs the campaign. The one thing an individual cannot do is list directly on realestate.com.au or Domain, which only accept listings from licensed agents. helm reaches both portals through a licensed agent on the helm team while you run the sale yourself.
How long is the cooling-off period in NSW?
A buyer gets 5 business days after exchange, and forfeits 0.25% of the price if they walk. A buyer can waive it by giving a 66W certificate from their solicitor or conveyancer, and there is no cooling-off at auction.
Cost of selling in the other states
The commission averages, the marketing ranges and the paperwork all change at the border. Here are the figures and the paperwork for every other state and territory.
Sources
Figures are ranges rather than single numbers, because the underlying surveys disagree and prices move every quarter. Commission, marketing and the NSW legal position were all checked 3 September 2026.
- NSW Government, sales contracts and contracts and deposits guidance
- Mozo conveyancing costs, June 2026, and Unreserved legal fees by state, August 2026
- Averages from OpenAgent's state pages (August 2026), ranges cross-checked against the bRight Agent 2026 State of the States report and LocalAgentFinder (February 2026). Marketing ranges from OpenAgent (December 2025).
- ABS Total Value of Dwellings, March quarter 2026, released 9 June 2026. The national mean is $1,111,100.
helm does not value properties or give price guidance. The mean dwelling price here is published ABS data, quoted so the worked example has a realistic number in it. Your own sale price will differ.
This page is general information about selling costs in New South Wales, not legal advice. Property law differs between states and territories and changes over time, so confirm the requirements for your property and your situation with a licensed conveyancer or solicitor.