How much does it really cost to sell a house in Australia?
When people first think about selling, the usual mental shortcut is "the agent takes 2%". The real number is almost always higher once every line item lands — and the range between suburbs and states is wider than most sellers expect.
This guide walks through what actually comes out of your sale proceeds in Australia, what's negotiable, and where a flat-fee alternative changes the maths.
The big one — agent commission
Commission is the single biggest cost of selling for most sellers. Rates vary by state and suburb, but broadly:
- Metro Sydney / Melbourne: typically 1.8% – 2.5% of the sale price
- Metro Brisbane / Perth / Adelaide: typically 2.0% – 3.0%
- Regional areas: often 2.75% – 3.5%
On a $1.2m sale at 2.2%, that's $26,400. At 2.75%, it's $33,000. Commission is negotiable in every state — it just rarely gets negotiated, because most sellers only sell once every 7–10 years.
Marketing (aka "vendor paid advertising")
Agents almost always ask for a separate marketing budget on top of commission. A standard metro campaign sits between $3,500 and $8,000 and includes:
- realestate.com.au and Domain listings (and premium placements)
- Professional photography and floorplans
- Signboard, brochures, and social media
Premium or auction-heavy campaigns — with video, drone, and upgraded portal placements — can stretch to $10,000–$15,000+. Marketing is paid up-front or deducted from the sale, not "contingent" on the house selling.
Conveyancing and legal
A conveyancer or solicitor prepares the contract of sale and handles settlement. Budget $1,000 – $2,500 depending on state and complexity — slightly higher in NSW, slightly lower in Victoria.
Styling, staging, and prep
Optional, but common in the metro markets. Hire staging can run $3,000 – $8,000+ for a 4–6 week campaign. Minor repairs, gardening, and cleaning easily add another $1,000 – $3,000.
Auction fees (if you go that route)
An auctioneer is typically a flat fee of $400 – $1,000, sometimes bundled into the marketing package.
What it looks like all together
For a $1.2m metro sale, a traditional agent campaign often totals:
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Commission @ 2.2% | $26,400 |
| Marketing | $3,500 – $8,000 |
| Conveyancing | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Styling / prep | $2,000 – $8,000 |
| Total | ~$32,900 – $44,900 |
That's roughly 2.7% – 3.7% of the sale price — not the headline 2%.
Where flat-fee changes the picture
Flat-fee platforms like helm decouple the sale price from the amount you pay. You get the tools an agent campaign uses — professional listing, AI-enhanced photos, offer management — for a fixed fee. On a $1.2m sale, the difference between a flat fee and a percentage commission can be $25,000 – $35,000+ that stays in your pocket, depending on campaign and prep spend.
The trade-off: you stay more involved in the process. Whether that's worth it depends on your time, comfort with negotiation, and how unusual the property is. We break down the three selling routes side by side here.
The honest summary
Don't compare options on commission alone — compare the total out-of-pocket against what you're getting back in time, expertise, and certainty. An agent earning $30,000 is worth it if they add $60,000 to the final price. A flat-fee platform is worth it if the market is moving and the property broadly sells itself.
If you're weighing it up, the 7-step guide to selling in Australia walks through where each cost fits in the process. And helm exists so you can run the numbers honestly — and pick the option that fits this sale.