The cost of selling a house in Australia: every fee, with typical ranges

Selling a house costs more than the commission. Most vendors budget for the agent's fee and are surprised by the rest: marketing payable before the first open, a conveyancer, a discharge fee from the bank, an auctioneer, the stylist, the painter, and sometimes the Tax Office. Added up, the third-party guides agree on a total somewhere between 2.5 and 4 per cent of the sale price. This guide lists every line with the typical range published for 2026 and where the figure comes from.

1. Agent commission

The largest cost. Commission is negotiated with the agent, is not set by any government, and attracts 10 per cent GST. Published 2026 ranges by state are in our guides for Queensland (roughly 2.3 to 2.9 per cent), New South Wales (roughly 1.5 to 2.5 per cent in Sydney, higher regionally) and Victoria (roughly 1.6 to 2.5 per cent in Melbourne). Nationally, Canstar puts the band at 2 to 3 per cent and Upmove at 1.5 to 3.5 per cent.

Payable at settlement, from the sale proceeds, in almost every case.

2. Marketing

Photography, floor plan, copywriting, portal listings on realestate.com.au and Domain, a signboard, brochures, and optionally video, drone, print advertising and social media. Published 2026 ranges: Canstar $3,750 to $12,500; Hunter Galloway $4,500 to $10,000 in Sydney and $6,500 to $8,000 in Melbourne. Some agencies express it as 0.5 to 1 per cent of the property's value.

Marketing is usually payable up front or at the start of the campaign, and it is usually not refundable if you withdraw. Your agreement must itemise it, and in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria it must disclose any rebate the agent receives on it. Ask which items produce buyers; a premium portal listing and good photography do, a print advertisement in a metropolitan newspaper mostly does not for a standard home.

3. Auctioneer

If you sell by auction, the auctioneer's fee is typically around $600 to $1,000 according to LocalAgentFinder's 2026 selling costs page. Some agencies include an in-house auctioneer in the commission. Our auction versus private treaty guide covers when the cost is worth it.

4. Conveyancing

A licensed conveyancer or solicitor prepares the contract, handles the legal transfer and attends settlement. Published 2026 ranges: LocalAgentFinder $700 to $1,300; Canstar $800 to $2,200; Upmove $500 to $1,800. Add disbursements for title searches and certificates, usually a few hundred dollars.

In Victoria the vendor must also provide a Section 32 vendor statement before the contract is signed, prepared by your conveyancer or solicitor; its cost is usually bundled in the conveyancing quote and depends on how many certificates are needed. In Queensland new seller disclosure requirements have applied since August 2025 and your conveyancer will prepare the required statement. Get a quote that includes the state-specific documents, not just "conveyancing".

5. Mortgage discharge

If there is a mortgage on the property your lender charges a discharge or settlement fee, commonly $150 to $400 according to the Canstar and LocalAgentFinder guides, plus a state land registry fee to remove the mortgage from the title. If you have a fixed-rate loan, ask about break costs before you list; they can run to thousands and are the item most often overlooked.

6. Styling and presentation

Professional styling or staging packages start at about $1,000 to $3,000 for a partial style and run higher for a full house over a four-to-six-week campaign according to the LocalAgentFinder guide. Add cleaning, gardening, minor repairs and painting. These are the costs with the best return when they fix something a buyer would otherwise discount for; they are wasted on a property that will be knocked down.

7. Building and pest inspection (optional for vendors)

In some states vendors commission a pre-sale building and pest report to give buyers confidence and remove a condition from offers. Expect a few hundred dollars. It is not required for a residential sale in most states, and in Queensland buyers usually arrange their own.

8. Capital gains tax

If the property has been your main residence for the whole time you have owned it, the sale is generally exempt from capital gains tax. If it was an investment, or was rented for part of the ownership period, CGT may apply; a former home can keep its main residence status for up to six years after you move out and rent it, provided you do not treat another property as your main residence for the same period (ATO, treating a former home as your main residence). Get advice from a registered tax agent before listing an investment property; the timing of the contract date can matter.

9. Moving and the gap

Removalists, storage, utility connections and, if you buy before you sell, bridging finance or rent. Not selling costs strictly, but they land in the same month.

A worked example

A $900,000 house in Brisbane sold by private treaty, using the midpoints of the published ranges above:

| Item | Amount | |---|---| | Commission at 2.5% plus GST | $24,750 | | Marketing | $6,000 | | Conveyancing and disbursements | $1,500 | | Mortgage discharge and registry fee | $500 | | Styling, cleaning and minor repairs | $4,000 | | Total | $36,750, about 4.1% of the sale price |

The same house with commission negotiated to 2.2 per cent and a leaner marketing campaign comes in under $30,000. The levers that matter are commission, marketing and presentation; conveyancing and discharge fees are small and largely fixed.

What to ask before you sign

• Is the commission quoted with GST?
• What is the itemised marketing cost, when is it payable, and is any of it refundable?
• Does the agent receive any rebate on marketing, and is it disclosed in the agreement?
• Is the auctioneer included?
• What does the conveyancer's quote include, and does it cover the state-specific disclosure documents?

Compare agents near you

Our suburb pages rank agents by sales in the suburb, days on market, price achieved and verified reviews, and show each agent's record so you can judge whether a higher commission buys a better result. Commission figures on this site are typical third-party ranges until our own Commission Rate Report is published from settled sales.

Frequently asked questions

What is the total cost of selling a house in Australia?+

Published 2026 guides put the total at roughly 2.5 to 4 per cent of the sale price once commission, marketing, conveyancing and other fees are included. On a $900,000 sale that is about $22,000 to $37,000.

Do I pay marketing costs if the house does not sell?+

Usually yes. Marketing is typically paid up front or during the campaign and is not refunded if the property is withdrawn. Check the agreement for when it is payable.

Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my home?+

Generally not if it has been your main residence for the whole time you have owned it. Investment properties and homes rented for part of the ownership period may attract CGT. Get advice from a tax agent.

Are selling costs tax deductible?+

For an investment property, selling costs such as commission and conveyancing form part of the cost base and reduce the capital gain. For a main residence they are not deductible because the gain is exempt.