[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":260},["ShallowReactive",2],{"media-2026-04-20-cost-of-selling-a-house-australia":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"category":242,"date":243,"description":13,"excerpt":244,"extension":245,"keywords":246,"meta":253,"navigation":254,"path":255,"readingTime":256,"seo":257,"source":244,"sourceUrl":244,"stem":258,"__hash__":259},"media\u002Fmedia\u002F2026-04-20-cost-of-selling-a-house-australia.md","How much does it really cost to sell a house in Australia?","helm",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":230},"minimark",[10,14,17,22,25,48,51,55,62,73,80,84,91,95,102,106,113,117,120,183,186,190,197,206,210,218],[11,12,13],"p",{},"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.",[11,15,16],{},"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.",[18,19,21],"h2",{"id":20},"the-big-one-agent-commission","The big one — agent commission",[11,23,24],{},"Commission is the single biggest cost of selling for most sellers. Rates vary by state and suburb, but broadly:",[26,27,28,36,42],"ul",{},[29,30,31,35],"li",{},[32,33,34],"strong",{},"Metro Sydney \u002F Melbourne:"," typically 1.8% – 2.5% of the sale price",[29,37,38,41],{},[32,39,40],{},"Metro Brisbane \u002F Perth \u002F Adelaide:"," typically 2.0% – 3.0%",[29,43,44,47],{},[32,45,46],{},"Regional areas:"," often 2.75% – 3.5%",[11,49,50],{},"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.",[18,52,54],{"id":53},"marketing-aka-vendor-paid-advertising","Marketing (aka \"vendor paid advertising\")",[11,56,57,58,61],{},"Agents almost always ask for a separate marketing budget on top of commission. A standard metro campaign sits between ",[32,59,60],{},"$3,500 and $8,000"," and includes:",[26,63,64,67,70],{},[29,65,66],{},"realestate.com.au and Domain listings (and premium placements)",[29,68,69],{},"Professional photography and floorplans",[29,71,72],{},"Signboard, brochures, and social media",[11,74,75,76,79],{},"Premium or auction-heavy campaigns — with video, drone, and upgraded portal placements — can stretch to ",[32,77,78],{},"$10,000–$15,000+",". Marketing is paid up-front or deducted from the sale, not \"contingent\" on the house selling.",[18,81,83],{"id":82},"conveyancing-and-legal","Conveyancing and legal",[11,85,86,87,90],{},"A conveyancer or solicitor prepares the contract of sale and handles settlement. Budget ",[32,88,89],{},"$1,000 – $2,500"," depending on state and complexity — slightly higher in NSW, slightly lower in Victoria.",[18,92,94],{"id":93},"styling-staging-and-prep","Styling, staging, and prep",[11,96,97,98,101],{},"Optional, but common in the metro markets. Hire staging can run ",[32,99,100],{},"$3,000 – $8,000+"," for a 4–6 week campaign. Minor repairs, gardening, and cleaning easily add another $1,000 – $3,000.",[18,103,105],{"id":104},"auction-fees-if-you-go-that-route","Auction fees (if you go that route)",[11,107,108,109,112],{},"An auctioneer is typically a flat fee of ",[32,110,111],{},"$400 – $1,000",", sometimes bundled into the marketing package.",[18,114,116],{"id":115},"what-it-looks-like-all-together","What it looks like all together",[11,118,119],{},"For a $1.2m metro sale, a traditional agent campaign often totals:",[121,122,123,136],"table",{},[124,125,126],"thead",{},[127,128,129,133],"tr",{},[130,131,132],"th",{},"Item",[130,134,135],{},"Typical range",[137,138,139,148,156,163,171],"tbody",{},[127,140,141,145],{},[142,143,144],"td",{},"Commission @ 2.2%",[142,146,147],{},"$26,400",[127,149,150,153],{},[142,151,152],{},"Marketing",[142,154,155],{},"$3,500 – $8,000",[127,157,158,161],{},[142,159,160],{},"Conveyancing",[142,162,89],{},[127,164,165,168],{},[142,166,167],{},"Styling \u002F prep",[142,169,170],{},"$2,000 – $8,000",[127,172,173,178],{},[142,174,175],{},[32,176,177],{},"Total",[142,179,180],{},[32,181,182],{},"~$32,900 – $44,900",[11,184,185],{},"That's roughly 2.7% – 3.7% of the sale price — not the headline 2%.",[18,187,189],{"id":188},"where-flat-fee-changes-the-picture","Where flat-fee changes the picture",[11,191,192,193,196],{},"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 ",[32,194,195],{},"$25,000 – $35,000+"," that stays in your pocket, depending on campaign and prep spend.",[11,198,199,200,205],{},"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. ",[201,202,204],"a",{"href":203},"\u002Fmedia\u002F2026-04-20-selling-with-agent-vs-privately","We break down the three selling routes side by side here",".",[18,207,209],{"id":208},"the-honest-summary","The honest summary",[11,211,212,213,217],{},"Don't compare options on commission alone — compare the ",[214,215,216],"em",{},"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.",[11,219,220,221,225,226,229],{},"If you're weighing it up, the ",[201,222,224],{"href":223},"\u002Fmedia\u002F2026-04-20-steps-to-selling-your-home-australia","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 ",[214,227,228],{},"this"," sale.",{"title":231,"searchDepth":232,"depth":232,"links":233},"",2,[234,235,236,237,238,239,240,241],{"id":20,"depth":232,"text":21},{"id":53,"depth":232,"text":54},{"id":82,"depth":232,"text":83},{"id":93,"depth":232,"text":94},{"id":104,"depth":232,"text":105},{"id":115,"depth":232,"text":116},{"id":188,"depth":232,"text":189},{"id":208,"depth":232,"text":209},"Cost guide","2026-04-20",null,"md",[247,248,249,250,251,252],"cost of selling a house Australia","real estate agent commission Australia","how much does it cost to sell a house","real estate agent fees","flat fee real estate Australia","average real estate commission Australia",{},true,"\u002Fmedia\u002F2026-04-20-cost-of-selling-a-house-australia","6 min read",{"title":5,"description":13},"media\u002F2026-04-20-cost-of-selling-a-house-australia","M9VCHNYyDD3PT8WmSZ-8-BMJdQcWYBkWbccOhh5G-H4",1776768104559]