How much does it cost to sell your home in Australia?

Selling a home comes with one cost that gets more attention than any other: the real estate agent's commission. It is also one of the most misunderstood, partly because commission in Australia is not set by any regulator — every agent sets their own rate, and it is fully negotiable in every state and territory. That makes it worth understanding the real shape of the market before you sit down with an agent to negotiate your own fee.

Nationally, most agents charge somewhere between 2% and 3% of the final sale price, with a national median sitting around 2.65%. Where you fall within that range depends heavily on location. Competitive metro markets tend to sit at the lower end — Melbourne rates commonly range from about 1.6% to 2.5%, and Sydney sees similarly competitive pricing — while regional areas across most states are typically higher, commonly 2.5% to 3.5%. Tasmania is generally among the highest in the country, with rates commonly around 3.25%, and Queensland's average commission tends to run higher than New South Wales or Victoria, with regional Queensland reaching 3.5% or more in some areas. None of these figures are a quote for your own property — they are a rough starting point for comparing what agents propose.

Commission is only part of the cost of selling. Most agents also charge separately for marketing — professional photography, online listing upgrades, a signboard, and sometimes styling or a floor plan — and this is typically payable regardless of whether the property actually sells, unless you have specifically negotiated a no-sale-no-fee style arrangement. For an average home, marketing costs commonly run somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000, and it is worth asking for an itemised marketing proposal rather than a single lump figure, so you know exactly what you are paying for and can compare it fairly between agents.

Because commission is unregulated and negotiable everywhere in Australia, the single most useful thing you can do before signing an agency agreement is get proposals from more than one agent and compare the full picture — commission percentage, marketing costs, and the agency agreement type itself, which our separate article on exclusive, sole and open listings explains in more detail. A lower headline commission is not automatically the best deal if the marketing budget is thin or the agent has less experience in your specific suburb; agents with a strong track record in your area sometimes justify a higher fee through a better sale price, and it is reasonable to ask an agent directly how their fee reflects the outcome they expect to achieve.

It is also worth understanding how commission is actually paid: it comes out of the sale proceeds at settlement, calculated on the final agreed sale price, not the original asking price. If your property sells for more than expected, thanks to a strong campaign or a competitive auction, the commission scales up with it — which is one of the arguments some sellers make for choosing an agent who negotiates a slightly higher percentage in exchange for a genuinely stronger campaign, rather than simply picking whoever quotes the lowest rate.

The figures above are general 2026 market ranges reported across the Australian real estate industry, not a quote for your specific property, and actual commission depends on your agent, your location and what you negotiate. This article is general information, not financial advice. Getting written proposals from a couple of local agents and comparing commission, marketing costs and agreement type side by side is the most reliable way to know what selling your home will actually cost — our directory lists Australian real estate agents by area if you are ready to start comparing.

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