How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Australia in 2025?

Updated 1 September 2026: This guide has been updated with current 2026 selling cost estimates and expanded to reflect the different legal and disclosure requirements for sellers in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT.

Selling a house is not just about putting up a “For Sale” sign and waiting for buyers to arrive. There is the agent, the marketing campaign, the legal work, the lender, settlement, moving and, in some cases, tax.

So, how much does it cost to sell a house in Australia in 2026?

There is no single number. Your total depends heavily on the property’s value, where it is located, the agent you choose, whether you sell by auction, how heavily you market the property and how much work you do before listing.

What is consistent is that the costs can add up quickly.

At Titlespace, we see sellers dealing with everything from agent commissions and contract preparation to mortgage discharge and settlement. One of the easiest ways to make selling more stressful than it needs to be is to discover a major cost only after the campaign has started.

This guide breaks down the main costs of selling a house in Australia so you can budget before the property goes to market.

If you are preparing to sell, you can also learn more about our seller conveyancing service here: Sell with Titlespace.

What Sellers Often Forget: Selling a House Isn’t Free

It is tempting to focus entirely on the sale price.

But the number that really matters is what remains after the costs of selling, paying out your lender and dealing with any tax consequences.

Most selling expenses fall into two categories:

1. Predictable costs: agent commission, conveyancing, marketing and lender discharge fees.
2. Variable costs: styling, repairs, auction expenses, moving, storage and unexpected work required before settlement.

There are also amounts dealt with at settlement, such as rates and levies. These are not necessarily additional “selling fees”, but they can affect the final amount you receive.

Real Estate Agent Commission: Usually Your Biggest Selling Cost

If you use a real estate agent, their commission will usually be your largest direct selling expense.

Across Australia, agent commissions commonly fall somewhere around 1.5% to 3.5% of the final sale price, although rates can be outside that range.

Commission depends on factors including:

• The city, suburb or regional market.
• The expected property value.
• Competition between local agents.
• Whether the commission is fixed or tiered.
• The level of service included.
• Whether GST is included in the quoted percentage.

Metro commissions are often lower as a percentage than regional commissions because property values and competition between agencies can be higher.

Example:

If your property sells for $1,000,000 and the agreed commission is 2% including GST, the commission is $20,000.

Commission is generally negotiable, but choosing an agent purely because they offer the lowest percentage can be false economy.

Look at the complete proposition: local sales record, campaign strategy, communication, negotiation skills, commission structure and marketing plan.

This is also where seller pricing obligations matter. If you want to understand how property price advertising is regulated, see our guide to property underquoting.

Conveyancing and Legal Fees: Making the Sale Legally Work

Seller conveyancing is not identical across Australia.

Each jurisdiction has its own contract, disclosure and settlement requirements, so the work required to legally prepare a property for sale differs depending on where the property is located.

As a broad 2026 market guide, sellers may encounter conveyancing or legal fees of around $800 to $2,200+, with more complex matters costing more.

What matters just as much as the price is understanding what is included in the quote. Ask whether the fee covers contract or disclosure preparation, searches, negotiations, settlement and additional enquiries, and whether disbursements are charged separately.

Seller Legal Requirements Differ by State

This is one reason national conveyancing cannot simply be treated as exactly the same process in every state and territory.

Titlespace provides digital-first conveyancing services across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, including sale contract and legal documentation preparation, property due diligence and settlement support.

Marketing and Advertising: Getting Buyers Through the Door

Marketing is what turns a property from something that is technically “for sale” into something buyers actually notice.

A modern campaign may include:

• Professional photography.
• Floor plans.
• Property video or drone footage.
• Online property portal listings.
• Social media advertising.
• Signboards.
• Brochures and digital collateral.
• Database and email marketing.
• Copywriting.
• Print advertising for selected campaigns.

In 2026, a marketing campaign can cost anywhere from around $1,000 to $10,000+. Premium campaigns for high-value properties can cost considerably more.

The important thing is not simply spending more. It is understanding what the campaign is designed to achieve.

Why Presentation Matters

Property marketing is visual. Better photography, presentation and listing material can improve the way buyers perceive a property and encourage more people to inspect it.

But marketing is not magic. Spending $10,000 does not guarantee a higher sale price.

Ask your agent what each element of the proposed campaign is intended to do, how it has performed for comparable properties and which expenses are genuinely necessary for your particular market.

Pre-Sale Repairs and Styling: The Property Glow-Up

Sometimes the best preparation is not a renovation. It is simply making the property look clean, maintained and easy for buyers to imagine living in.

Common pre-sale expenses can include:

• Painting and minor repairs: from small DIY costs to several thousand dollars.
• Professional cleaning: often several hundred dollars depending on property size.
• Garden and landscaping: highly variable depending on what needs to be done.
• Property styling: potentially several thousand dollars, with full-home staging reaching $10,000 or more for some properties.
• Decluttering or storage: potentially worthwhile where removing furniture improves presentation.

A good question to ask before spending money is:

Will buyers value this improvement more than it costs me?

A fresh coat of paint may make sense. A major renovation immediately before selling may not.

Speak with your agent before committing significant money to pre-sale work.

Auction Costs: What Does an Auctioneer Cost?

If you sell by auction, there may be an additional auctioneer fee.

A broad 2026 guide is around $400 to $1,000, although premium auctioneers or particular campaigns can cost more.

Sometimes the auctioneer’s fee is included in an agent’s package. Sometimes it is charged separately.

Before signing the agency agreement, ask:

• Is the auctioneer fee included?
• Is it payable if the property is withdrawn?
• Is it payable if the auction does not result in a sale?
• Are there additional auction-day expenses?

A skilled auctioneer’s role is not just calling out numbers. They manage the bidding process, communicate clearly with the crowd, work with the agent and vendor during the auction and help create an orderly competitive environment.

Whether auction is the right method of sale depends on the property, the market and your objectives.

Mortgage Discharge and Bank Fees

If there is a mortgage registered over the property, it generally needs to be discharged as part of the sale.

Lender discharge or exit-related fees can commonly fall around $150 to $1,500, depending on the lender and loan.

There may also be land registry or settlement-related costs associated with discharging the mortgage.

If your loan is fixed, there is another potentially significant issue: break costs.

Breaking a fixed-rate loan before the end of its fixed period can sometimes result in substantial costs, depending on the loan terms, remaining fixed period, balance and movements in wholesale interest rates.

Do not wait until settlement to find out.

Ask your lender for a current payout estimate and details of any break costs before committing to a sale if this could materially affect your decision.

Settlement Adjustments: What Happens to Rates and Levies?

At settlement, various property outgoings may need to be adjusted between seller and buyer.

Depending on the property, contract and jurisdiction, these can include:

• Council rates.
• Water charges.
• Strata, owners corporation or body corporate levies.
• Land tax where applicable under the contract and relevant state rules.
• Rent or other income if the property is being sold subject to a tenancy.

An adjustment is not necessarily an extra “fee”. It is a calculation that determines which party bears an outgoing for the relevant period under the contract.

For example, if you have already paid an annual charge covering a period after settlement, you may receive an adjustment in your favour. Conversely, an unpaid amount may be deducted or adjusted against the settlement proceeds.

The treatment is not identical in every jurisdiction or under every contract, particularly for land tax, so your legal representative should explain the adjustments applying to your sale.

Insurance Until Settlement: Don’t Cancel Too Early

One easy mistake is cancelling your building insurance as soon as contracts are signed.

Do not assume that exchange means you no longer have any risk.

The legal allocation of risk between buyer and seller differs between jurisdictions and can also depend on the contract.

For example, NSW and Victoria generally provide significant protection to buyers where the property is damaged before settlement, while commonly used Queensland contracts can transfer risk to the buyer much earlier in the transaction.

South Australian and ACT transactions also need to be considered under their applicable contract and legal framework.

The safest practical approach for a seller is simple: do not cancel your property insurance merely because the contract has been signed.

Keep appropriate cover in place until settlement unless your insurer and legal representative confirm that you no longer need it.

Capital Gains Tax: Check It Before You Sign

Capital gains tax can be one of the largest financial consequences of selling property, but it does not apply to every sale.

Your Main Residence

If the property has been your main residence for the entire relevant ownership period and you satisfy the requirements for the main residence exemption, you may not have to pay CGT on the sale.

However, the rules can become more complicated if:

• The property was rented out.
• It was used to produce income.
• It was not your main residence for the entire ownership period.
• You had another property treated as your main residence.
• You are or were a foreign resident for tax purposes.
• The property was acquired through an estate or relationship breakdown.

Investment Properties

If you sell an investment property for more than its relevant cost base, CGT may apply to the capital gain.

The cost base can include more than the original purchase price. Depending on the circumstances, acquisition costs, certain ownership costs, capital improvements and disposal costs can also be relevant.

Individuals and some trusts who have owned an eligible asset for at least 12 months may qualify for the 50% CGT discount, subject to the applicable rules.

The Contract Date Can Matter More Than Settlement

This catches sellers out.

For a typical property sale, the CGT event generally occurs when you enter into the contract, not when settlement occurs.

That means a property exchanged on 29 June and settling in August may fall into the earlier income year for CGT reporting purposes.

If the tax year matters to your strategy, speak with your accountant or tax adviser before signing the contract, not after settlement.

If a property was previously your home and later became an investment, rules such as the main residence absence rule may also affect the outcome.

You can read the ATO’s guidance on the main residence exemption.

Moving Costs: The Expense Everyone Remembers Too Late

The sale may be complete on paper, but you still have to move.

Moving costs vary enormously depending on:

• The size of the property.
• How much furniture you have.
• The distance you are moving.
• Access, stairs and parking.
• Whether professional packing is required.
• Whether you need temporary storage.
• Whether your new property is ready on settlement day.

A straightforward local move may cost considerably less than an interstate move involving packing, storage and multiple trucks.

Get several quotes early and make sure you know exactly what each quote includes.

How to Keep Moving Costs Under Control

• Declutter before moving: less furniture means less labour, fewer boxes and potentially a smaller truck.
• Compare quotes: pricing and inclusions can vary significantly between removalists.
• Check settlement timing: mismatched settlement and move-in dates can create storage and double-handling costs.
• Check insurance: understand what cover your removalist provides and whether additional transit insurance is appropriate.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a $1 Million House?

Here is an illustrative example for a $1,000,000 sale.

This example is deliberately simple. It does not include major repairs, extensive styling, storage, fixed-loan break costs, unusual legal work, settlement adjustments or CGT.

Your actual costs could be materially higher or lower.

Why Planning Ahead Can Save You Money

The best time to understand your selling costs is before the property goes onto the market.

• Compare agent proposals: understand both commission and marketing costs before signing an agency agreement.
• Engage your legal representative early: some jurisdictions require documents to be prepared before marketing or before a buyer can sign. Starting early can prevent the legal paperwork becoming the bottleneck.
• Ask your lender for a payout estimate: particularly if you have a fixed-rate loan.
• Check your tax position: if CGT could apply, the date you sign the sale contract can matter.
• Plan repairs strategically: spend money where it improves presentation or resolves issues buyers are likely to notice, rather than renovating for the sake of renovating.
• Budget for moving: particularly if your sale and purchase settlement dates will not align.

Titlespace’s digital-first process is designed to make the legal side of selling easier to follow, from preparing the relevant sale documentation through to settlement.

What About Cooling-Off Periods?

Cooling-off rights matter to sellers because, during an applicable cooling-off period, the buyer may still have a statutory right to withdraw from the transaction.

The rules differ across the five jurisdictions Titlespace services.

Sellers generally do not receive an equivalent statutory cooling-off right simply because they change their mind. Once a binding contract has been formed, the seller’s ability to withdraw is governed by the contract and applicable law.

Auction sales generally do not provide buyers with the ordinary cooling-off rights available in private treaty transactions, although the precise exclusions differ by jurisdiction.

You can read more in our guide to property cooling-off periods.

Selling Smarter, Not Harder

The cost of selling a house is much more than an agent’s commission.

A typical seller may need to think about:

• Agent commission.
• Marketing and advertising.
• Conveyancing and legal work.
• Property presentation and repairs.
• Auctioneer fees.
• Mortgage discharge and possible break costs.
• Settlement adjustments.
• Insurance.
• Moving and storage.
• Capital gains tax where applicable.

The goal is not simply to minimise every expense. It is to understand which costs are necessary, which are optional and which decisions could materially affect your net result.

Titlespace provides digital-first conveyancing services across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, helping sellers understand the legal process and manage their transaction from sale documentation through to settlement.

Ready to talk about your sale? Book a Property Session with Titlespace.

The content of this blog post is intended as general information and should be considered broad guidance only. Cost figures are indicative only and can vary materially by property, location, service provider and transaction. This article does not constitute legal, financial, tax, real estate or insurance advice and should not be relied upon as such. Property laws, disclosure obligations and transaction requirements differ between jurisdictions and may change over time. Every property transaction is different, and we recommend seeking personalised advice from appropriately qualified professionals before making legal, financial, tax or investment decisions.