How much does it cost to sell a house in 2023

There’s a myriad of costs to vendors when selling a house.

While you might already be looking forward to spending settlement day in your next home there are important steps to consider before that happens.

From conveyancing costs to agent's fees and bonuses to marketing expenses, there’s lots to consider when selling a home.

Jump to each section:

• Conveyancing
• Marketing
• Agents fees
• Lender fees
• Styling costs
• State-by-state guide

Getting the right agent will help with your sales campaign.

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Campbell Cooney, director and auctioneer at Hodges, one of Melbourne’s oldest real estate agencies, said vendors need to be aware of the costs involved in selling before they put their home on the market.

The three main costs to sell a house are:

• agent fees
• conveyancing
• marketing

“When it comes to choosing an agent, a vendor’s decision should never be based purely on the costs placed in front of them.

“As a vendor, you need the best candidate to look out for you in the sale, as they represent you.”

Conveyancing fees

Conveyancing is the process of transferring legal ownership of a property from one person to another and is required in every real estate purchase. It can be done by licensed conveyancers and solicitors.

“We recommend vendors use a local solicitor, as they tend to have local knowledge and are able to recognise if something, like a special condition, might be an issue,” Cooney says.

Vendors should budget between $800 and $2200 for conveyancing.

Marketing costs

The vendor covers the cost of marketing their property which, according to Cooney, can include:

• Street-facing board out the front of the house
• Listing the property on realestate.com.au
• Photography
• Pamphlets
• Creation of a floor plan
• Copywriting
• Press advertising

Each listing is unique and, depending on the budget, campaigns are adjusted.

In 2023, the average marketing campaign in the Melbourne market costs between $6500 and $8000.

In Sydney, the marketing cost can range between $4500 to $10,000, depending on the property and the advertising schedule, according to Michael Minogue from Laing + Simmons in Woollahra.

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Agents' fees, commissions and bonuses

There are three types of real estate agent fees, Cooney explained, and vendors will discuss upfront which ones their preferred agent will accept. These include:

1. Flat fee

Where the agent and vendor agree on a fixed fee for the sale of the property, and no matter what it sells for, the fee is set.

2. Percentage-of-sale fee

The percentage of sale fee, or 'commission', can range from 1% to 3%, but is influenced by a number of factors, such as the property value and the competition for business among agents.

3. Bonuses

According to Conney, bonuses are also increasingly being used when a vendor is after an exceptional result.

“These are effectively incentive bonuses, where the agent and vendor agree on a percentage-based bonus if the property makes above the agreed reserve. It may be, say, 10% of the amount above the reserve,” Cooney explained.

For example, a property expected to sell for $1 million, being sold by an agent on a 1.5% ‘percentage of sale’ fee and 10% ‘bonus’ fee, that goes for $1.1 million, nets the agent $25,000. This is made up of $15,000 for the percentage fee (1.5% of $1 million) plus a bonus $10,000 (10% of the $100,000 above reserve).

All fees should be discussed with the agent before signing.

Lender fees

If you have a mortgage on the current home you're selling, you'll need to pay your lender a discharge or early exit fee. Each lender charges their customers a different amount for this service, but it usually falls within the range of $150 and $1500.

Your lender should have their own mortgage discharge forms to fill in, with the entire discharge process usually taking between 14 and 21 days.

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Real estate styling costs

To maximise the sale price, many agents recommend professional styling and basic maintenance around the property.

Vendors can make their own decisions about whether the cost of styling will make enough of an impact on the sale price to warrant the styling process but, unless the property is being torn down, chances are you'll get a better result if you showcase the home in its best possible light.

“When a potential buyer walks into a house, they’re thinking to themselves ‘do I love it?’, ‘could I live here?’ and styling is about making the property as appealing as possible, to show off the space and make sure it feels good,” Cooney says.

The cost of styling can range from under a hundred dollars to upwards of $10,000 to fill and style an empty property.

However, good agents will offer free advice about ways to declutter a home and make it look great, Cooney says.

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“It doesn’t need to be expensive, but it can make all the difference,” he says.

“Trimming the garden, clearing clutter from a kids’ room, putting junk in storage, borrowing some nice outdoor furniture from a friend to dress a deck … these are all quick and easy and have a big impact.”

Most agents will also recommend completing jobs around the home to improve it for sale as well as avoiding other pitfalls such as not removing clutter.

Cost of selling a house in Australia – state by state guide for 2023

The exact cost of selling a home can depend on which state. We've taken a look around the country at the fees and charges sellers can expect.

Jump to your state:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Victoria
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• Tasmania
• South Australia
• Western Australia

10 Australian Capital Territory

• Agents' fees: Rates vary in accordance with the property value and the amount of competition for business from other agents, but generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range.
• Marketing costs: The sky's the limit when it comes to advertising the sale of your property, but the cost of doing so generally ranges between $1,000 and $10,000. Typical expenses include a board out the front of the house, listing on realestate.com.au, photography for the listing, the creation of a floor plan, copywriting and press advertising.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: ACT sellers should budget between $800 and $2,200 for conveyancing.
• Lender fees: Selling your home means you'll need to pay a mortgage discharge fee to release your current lender from mortgage obligations – unless, of course, you own your property outright. This varies from lender to lender, but generally falls within the range of $150 - $1,500.
• Home staging: Styling costs depend on how much new furniture is needed to bring a space up to scratch, and can reach as much as $10,000.
• Auction fees: Choose to sell at auction and you'll have to pay the auctioneer between $400 and $1,000.

New South Wales

• Agents' fees: Rates generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range. However, the rate you pay could be more or less than that, as agencies vary their rates depending on a number of different factors. Generally the fees are lower in metro areas where houses typically sell for more than the average regional area.
• Marketing costs: It's hard to give an exact figure on marketing costs, as sellers take very different approaches. That said, they generally fall between $1,000 and $10,000 in NSW.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: Conveyancing costs in NSW range from $800 to $2,200.
• Lender fees: If you have a mortgage on the home you're selling, you'll need to pay a mortgage discharge fee. In NSW, this generally costs between $150 and $1,500, with the exact amount depending on your specific lender.
• Home staging: Depending on how well you've managed your home's interiors over the years, you might need to bring in a home stager. In NSW, their services can cost anything up to $10,000.
• Auction fees: A good auctioneer in NSW could set you back as much as $1,000, although some will charge as little as $400.

Northern Territory

• Agents' fees: Rates vary in accordance with the property value and the amount of competition for business from other agents, but generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range.
• Marketing costs: This one varies a fair bit from one property to the next, but shouldn't exceed $10,000, and could cost as little as $1,000.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: NT sellers should budget between $800 and $2,200 for conveyancing.
• Lender fees: Have a mortgage on the home you're selling? In NT, your lender will charge you between $150 and $1,500 for a mortgage discharge.
• Home staging: Styling costs depend on how much new furniture is needed to bring a space up to scratch, and can reach as much as $6,000.
• Auction fees: You'll need to pay an auctioneer between $400 and $1,000, should the sale go under the hammer in NT.

Styling a property for sale can cost up to $6,000. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Queensland

• Agents' fees: Rates generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range. However, the rate you pay could be more or less than that, as agencies vary their rates depending on a number of different factors. Generally the fees are lower in metro areas where houses typically sell for more than the average regional area.
• Marketing costs: It's hard to give an exact figure on marketing costs, as sellers take very different approaches. That said, they generally fall between $1,000 and $10,000 in QLD.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: Conveyancing costs in QLD range from $800 to $2,200.
• Lender fees: If you have a mortgage on the home you're selling, you'll need to pay a mortgage discharge fee. In QLD, this generally costs between $150 and $1,500, with the exact amount depending on your specific lender.
• Home staging: Styling costs depend on how much new furniture is needed to bring a space up to scratch, and can reach as much as $10,000.
• Auction fees: An auctioneer will charge between $400 and $1,000 in QLD. Of course, this fee's irrelevant if you choose to sell via private negotiation.

South Australia

• Agents' fees: Rates vary in accordance with the property value and the amount of competition for business from other agents, but generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range. Generally the fees are lower in metro areas where houses typically sell for more than the average regional area.
• Marketing costs: This one varies a fair bit from one property to the next, but shouldn't exceed $10,000 in SA, and could cost as little as $1,000.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: SA sellers should budget between $800 and $2,200 for conveyancing.
• Lender fees: Have a mortgage on the home you're selling? In SA, your lender will charge you between $150 and $1,500 for a mortgage discharge.
• Home staging: Depending on how well you've managed your home's interiors over the years, you might need to bring in a home stager. In SA, their services can cost anything up to $10,000.
• Auction fees: Choose to sell at auction and you'll have to pay the auctioneer between $400 and $1,000.

Tasmania

• Agents' fees: Rates generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range. However, the rate you pay could be more or less than that, as agencies vary their rates depending on a number of different factors.
• Marketing costs: It's hard to give an exact figure on marketing costs, as sellers take very different approaches. That said, they generally fall between $1,000 and $10,000 in TAS, with typical expenses including a board out the front of the house, listing on realestate.com.au, photography for the listing, the creation of a floor plan, copywriting and press advertising.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: Conveyancing costs in TAS range from $800 to $2,200.
• Lender fees: If you have a mortgage on the home you're selling, you'll need to pay a mortgage discharge fee. In TAS, this generally costs between $150 and $1,500, with the exact amount depending on your specific lender.
• Home staging: Styling costs depend on how much new furniture is needed to bring a space up to scratch, and can reach as much as $10,000.
• Auction fees: A good auctioneer in TAS could set you back as much as $1,000, although some will charge as little as $400.

The cost of selling a home depends on many different factors, including the value of the property. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Victoria

• Agents' fees:Rates vary in accordance with the property value and the amount of competition for business from other agents, but generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range. Generally, the fees are lower in metro areas where houses typically sell for more than the average regional area.
• Marketing costs: This one varies a fair bit from one property to the next, but shouldn't exceed $10,000, and could cost as little as $1,000.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: VIC sellers should budget between $800 and $2,200 for conveyancing.
• Lender fees: If you have a mortgage on the home you're selling, you'll need to pay a mortgage discharge fee. In VIC, this generally costs between $150 and $1,500, with the exact amount depending on your specific lender.
• Home staging: Depending on how well you've managed your home's interiors over the years, you might need to bring in a home stager. In VIC, their services can cost anything up to $10,000.
• Auction fees: You'll need to pay an auctioneer between $400 and $1,000, should the sale go under the hammer in VIC.

Western Australia

• Agents' fees: Rates generally fall within the 1.5 - 3.5% range. However, the rate you pay could be more or less than that, as agencies vary their rates depending on a number of different factors.
• Marketing costs: It's hard to give an exact figure on marketing costs, as sellers take very different approaches. That said, they generally fall between $1,000 and $10,000 in TAS, with typical expenses including a board out the front of the house, listing on realestate.com.au, photography for the listing, the creation of a floor plan, copywriting and press advertising.
• Conveyancer/solicitor fees: Conveyancing costs between $800 and $2,200 in WA.
• Lender fees: Have a mortgage on the home you're selling? In WA, your lender will charge you between $150 and $1,500 for a mortgage discharge.
• Home staging: Styling costs depend on how much new furniture is needed to bring a space up to scratch, and can reach as much as $10,000.
• Auction fees: An auctioneer will charge between $400 and $1,000 in WA. Of course, this fee's irrelevant if you choose to sell via private negotiation.