COMMISSION · 4 MIN READ
What Australian agencies actually charge
No major network publishes a commission rate. Here is what the market charges by state, why the number is hidden, and how to get a real one.
Short answer
No Australian agency publishes a commission rate, because it is negotiated per listing and differs office to office. State averages run 2.0% to 3.0%, commission only, with marketing on top. Ask every agent for one all-in figure in dollars.
By agency
| # | Agency | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ray White commission rates | Published |
| 02 | Jellis Craig commission rates | Published |
| 03 | McGrath commission rates | Published |
| 04 | Barry Plant commission rates | Published |
| 05 | LJ Hooker commission rates | Published |
| 06 | Harcourts commission rates | Published |
None of these agencies publishes a rate. Each page gives the market context and how to get their actual number.
That is the percentage. This is the dollar figure.
Put your own sale price in and see what the rate takes, next to a flat fee on the same sale.
See what you’d keepThe state averages
| State | Typical commission | On a $700,000 sale | Kept on a $900 flat fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIC | 2.0% | $14,000 | $13,100 |
| NSW | 2.1% | $14,700 | $13,800 |
| QLD | 2.5% | $17,500 | $16,600 |
| WA | 2.5% | $17,500 | $16,600 |
| SA | 2.5% | $17,500 | $16,600 |
| TAS | 3.0% | $21,000 | $20,100 |
| ACT | 2.3% | $16,099 | $15,199 |
| NT | 2.7% | $18,900 | $18,000 |
State averages as published on our own commission calculator. These are commission only: marketing and campaign costs sit on top. No agency does not publish a rate, so treat these as the market context for the conversation, not as their quote.
Ben’s insightThe reason this matters is not that commission is indefensible. It is that a percentage quoted quickly at a kitchen table does not feel like the number it becomes at settlement. Two per cent sounds like a rounding error. Fourteen thousand dollars does not.
Night and day vs an agent
“I’ve sold a property previously using an agent, and the contrast between them and Unreserved was night and day. We sold an investment property in Melbourne. The market was challenging, but we waited it out for the right buyer and sold for what we wanted. Can’t thank the team enough, and the app was really easy to use.”
Sarah B · Verified seller · Investment property, Melbourne
See it on your own sale price
The calculator turns the percentage into the dollar figure, next to a flat fee.
See what you’d keepCommon questions
What is the average real estate commission in Australia?
It varies by state. On our own calculator the averages run from 2.0% in Victoria and 2.1% in New South Wales up to 3.0% in Tasmania, commission only. Marketing is normally charged separately on top.
Do real estate agencies publish their commission rates?
No major Australian network does. Commission is negotiated per listing and varies between offices within the same brand, so a published rate would work against the agency in the negotiation. Any website quoting a precise rate for a named agency is estimating.
Is real estate commission negotiable in Australia?
Yes, and it is one of the most negotiable numbers in the whole transaction. The rate, the marketing budget, who pays for it and the length of the agreement are all open.
How much is commission on a $700,000 house?
At state averages, commission alone runs from about $14,000 in Victoria to about $21,000 in Tasmania. Once marketing and other selling costs are counted the total commonly reaches around $24,250.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ben Williams
Connect with Ben on LinkedIn →
Ben spent 15+ years as a licensed estate agent and conducted over 2,000 auctions before founding Unreserved. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Property & Valuation) from RMIT and is licensed across VIC, NSW, QLD, SA, and WA.