How to sell an apartment in Australia

When you sell an apartment, the buyer looks at two things. One is your apartment. The other is the building it sits in, along with its finances, its maintenance record and the rules that come with it. Get both ready and the sale goes more smoothly.

What makes selling an apartment different from selling a house?

A house buyer mostly weighs up the home and the land under it. An apartment buyer is also buying a share of a building, plus the costs, rules and risks that come with that share.

A good apartment in a poorly run building can worry buyers. A well-kept building with clear finances helps them commit.

These are general patterns. Some houses are strata titled, and some apartments sit under other title arrangements. Your conveyancer can confirm what applies to yours.

How much is your apartment worth?

The suburb median tells you almost nothing about a specific apartment. You need closer evidence.

Compare apartments in the same building first

Recent sales in your own building are the strongest evidence you can find. Buyers will look them up, so you should too. Even so, two units under one roof can sell for very different prices. Adjust for:

• Internal floor area
• Layout
• Floor level
• Orientation and light
• Views and outlook
• Balcony or courtyard
• Bedrooms and bathrooms
• Car parking
• Storage
• Renovation quality
• Noise and privacy
• Building facilities
• Ongoing costs

Don’t rely on price per square metre alone

Price per square metre gives you a quick comparison. It falls down when two units differ in layout, outdoor space or outlook. A 70 m² apartment with a clever floorplan and a big balcony can beat an 80 m² unit with a dark hallway and no outdoor area. Use the number as a starting point, then adjust for what a buyer will see when they walk in.

Understand what buyers are comparing

Here are three hypothetical apartments in one building.

Illustrative examples only. Not actual sales or valuation evidence.

A and B have the same floor area, but B sells for $80,000 more. A car space, a higher floor and a better view account for that gap. C costs more again because it is bigger and renovated. If you price your apartment off the building’s average sale, you will miss these differences, and buyers won’t.

For a data-based starting point, read how much is my house worth or get a free property valuation. Then set your asking price with how to price your property.

Understand your strata or body corporate before selling

This is where apartment sales differ most from house sales. Every state uses different names: owners corporation in Victoria, strata in NSW and WA, body corporate in Queensland, strata or community corporation in SA. The buyer’s questions are the same everywhere.

What buyers want to know about the building

• Strata or body corporate levies, and how often they’re paid
• The balance of the administrative fund and the capital works or sinking fund
• Any special levies, struck or proposed
• Planned major works
• The building’s maintenance history
• Defects and rectification work
• Combustible cladding, where relevant
• Building insurance
• By-laws, rules and restrictions, such as pets and short-stay letting
• Litigation or significant disputes involving the building

Ongoing levies are the regular contributions every owner pays to run and maintain the building. A special levy is a one-off charge owners vote for when the funds won’t cover a big expense, such as a new roof, lift replacement or defect repairs. Buyers treat ongoing levies as a running cost. They treat a special levy as a bill.

Why building finances matter

Picture two apartments, similarly priced and presented. The first building has a documented maintenance plan and healthy reserves. The second has unresolved repairs and a special levy on the table. A careful buyer will pay less for the second apartment, because they expect higher costs and more risk after they move in.

Higher levies don’t automatically mean a badly run building. They can reflect a pool, a concierge, better insurance or owners who fund maintenance properly instead of putting it off. Low levies in an older building can be the bigger warning sign.

Prepare a building information pack

Call your strata or body corporate manager early, before you list. Some certificates and records take days or weeks to arrive, and some carry a fee. Work through this list as the documents come in.

This is a preparation checklist, not a legal disclosure list. What you must provide depends on your state and title type.

What documents do you need to sell an apartment in Australia?

Every sale needs a contract of sale and the vendor disclosure your state requires. Strata and community titled properties add building-specific documents on top. The broad requirements look like this.

Queensland’s seller disclosure regime started on 1 August 2025, so if you last sold there before then, the process has changed. NSW updated its strata laws during 2025 and 2026, including capital works planning. Check current NSW Fair Trading guidance instead of relying on older summaries.

For more detail, read contracts of sale and vendor statements or your state guide: Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Western Australia or South Australia.

Who is likely to buy your apartment?

Your marketing should speak to the buyer most likely to pay the best price. Different buyers look for different things.

Is your apartment more attractive to owner-occupiers or investors?

The answer changes your listing. For owner-occupiers, lead with light, location, layout and how it feels to live there. For investors, give them the numbers: current or past rent, likely rental demand, levies and other holding costs.

If your apartment is tenanted, investors become your main audience. An owner-occupier usually needs vacant possession, so they will wait until the lease ends or pass. Read selling an investment property for how leases, notice periods and tax affect the sale.

How to prepare your apartment for sale

The general advice on cleaning, repairs and styling still applies. Our 4-week preparation plan covers it. Apartments add a few specific jobs.

Make the most of limited space

• Remove furniture you don’t need. Small rooms feel bigger with less in them.
• Give each room one clear purpose.
• Open blinds and replace dim globes to maximise light.
• Keep clear walking paths through every room.
• Clean and style the balcony. Buyers treat it as an extra room.
• Tidy cupboards. Buyers open them to check storage.

Don’t forget the shared areas

Buyers start judging the moment they reach the front entrance. They notice the lobby, corridors, lifts, car park, gardens and shared facilities. You can’t change common property on your own. If something needs fixing, such as a broken light, a damaged door or rubbish in the car park, report it to building management early so they can deal with it before your first inspection.

Be clear about what is included

Confirm exactly what comes with the apartment:

• Car parking
• Storage cages
• Exclusive-use areas
• Balconies and courtyards
• Fixtures and inclusions

Check the title plan or strata records before you describe a car space or storage cage as yours. Some are on a separate title, some are part of your lot, and some are common property with an exclusive-use right. Describe it wrongly in your advertising and you risk a dispute with the buyer.

How to advertise an apartment for sale

Apartment buyers compare dozens of similar listings, often in the same building. Your listing has to show what makes yours different.

What should your apartment listing include?

• Professional photography that shows light and outlook
• An accurate floorplan, which apartment buyers rely on heavily
• Balcony and outdoor spaces
• Views, with honest photos taken from the apartment
• Parking and storage details
• Building amenities
• Transport and nearby shops
• Levies and key building information

Where should you advertise?

Most buyers search realestate.com.au and Domain first. Social media and a signboard at the building entrance, if the by-laws allow it, add reach. Private sellers can’t list an established home directly on realestate.com.au. You need a licensed agency or an eligible listing service to put it there. For costs and options, read real estate advertising costs and realestate.com.au listing upgrades.

Managing apartment inspections and buyer questions

Inspections in a building need more planning than a house with a front gate. Sort out:

• Building access, intercoms and security fobs
• Lift access
• Visitor parking, and where buyers should park
• Building rules on inspection times or signage
• Access to the car space and storage cage
• Showing shared facilities, where the building permits it

Expect these questions at every inspection:

• How much are the strata fees?
• Are any special levies planned?
• Has the building had defects?
• How much is in the capital works fund?
• Are pets allowed?
• Can the apartment be leased?
• What parking and storage rights come with it?

Answer from your documents. If you don’t know, say so and follow up with the paperwork. A reassuring guess that turns out wrong can cost you the sale, or worse, lead to a claim after settlement. For inspection basics, see preparing your home for inspections.

Negotiating the sale of an apartment

Apartment buyers often negotiate on more than price. Expect them to raise:

• Comparable sales in the building
• Strata costs
• Building maintenance issues
• Repairs inside the apartment
• Their finance, especially if a lender is cautious about the building
• The tenancy, if there is one
• Settlement date and terms

Have your answers ready before the first offer arrives: your comparable sales, your levy history and the latest meeting minutes. A buyer who points to a planned special levy is negotiating with facts, so answer with your own documents. More tactics are in home selling negotiation strategies.

How much does it cost to sell an apartment?

The costs follow the same pattern as a house, with a few strata-specific items.

Commission is usually the biggest cost by far, and it’s the only one that grows with your sale price. At 2.5%, a $700,000 apartment costs $17,500 plus GST in commission, before advertising. The other items above are mostly fixed and you’d pay them whichever way you sell. See the full breakdown in the cost of selling a house.

If the apartment was an investment, capital gains tax may apply. Individuals who’ve held the property for more than 12 months usually get a 50% discount on the gain. Talk to a registered tax agent before you sign, because the timing of the contract can affect which financial year the gain falls in.

Can you sell an apartment without a real estate agent?

Yes. What matters is how much of the work you want to do yourself. You have three broad options.

Unreserved offers both fixed-fee models. With Unreserved Lite ($900), you run the sale yourself with our tools and a listing on realestate.com.au, Domain and three more portals.

With Unreserved Plus ($6,900: $2,000 up front and $4,900 on sale), a campaign manager builds and runs your campaign. They handle buyer enquiries and follow-up and negotiate the offers. You run the open inspections, because you know the apartment and you have the building access. You stay involved for inspections and keep the percentage. On a $700,000 apartment at 2.5%, commission would be $17,500 plus GST. Plus costs $6,900 whatever the sale price. See how Unreserved Plus works or compare Lite and Plus.

Apartment selling checklist

Frequently asked questions

How do you sell an apartment in Australia?

Research comparable sales, understand your strata or body corporate position, and get your legal and building documents ready. Then set a price, present and advertise the apartment, run inspections, negotiate offers and coordinate settlement with your conveyancer.

Is it harder to sell an apartment than a house?

It takes different preparation. Apartment buyers compare closely with other units, often in the same building, and they look at levies, building finances and defects as well as the apartment itself. Sellers who prepare that information early usually find the process smoother.

Can I sell my apartment without a real estate agent?

Yes. You can sell it yourself with a conveyancer, use a fixed-fee listing service, or use a managed fixed-fee service where a professional handles the campaign, enquiries and negotiation.

How do I work out what my apartment is worth?

Start with recent sales in your own building, then nearby buildings. Adjust for floor area, level, outlook, parking, storage, condition and levies. Price per square metre helps as a rough check, but don’t rely on it alone.

Do I need a strata report to sell my apartment?

It depends on your state. Some states require specific strata or body corporate certificates in the seller’s disclosure. In NSW, buyers usually order their own strata inspection report. Your conveyancer will tell you what you must provide.

Do I have to disclose body corporate fees when selling?

In most states, yes. Levies and related information form part of the prescribed disclosure for strata and community titled property. Buyers will ask either way, so have the figures ready.

What happens to strata fees and special levies when an apartment is sold?

Regular levies are usually adjusted at settlement, so you pay up to the settlement date and the buyer pays from then. Who pays a special levy depends on the state, when it falls due and the contract terms. Ask your conveyancer before you sign.

Can you sell an apartment with tenants living in it?

Yes. The lease usually continues with the new owner unless the buyer wants vacant possession and the lease allows it to end. You must give tenants proper notice before inspections, and the rules vary by state. Tenanted apartments tend to suit investors.

How much does it cost to sell an apartment?

Costs include the selling service, advertising, conveyancing, strata document fees, any repairs or styling, and mortgage discharge fees. Commission is usually the largest item. At 2.5%, a $700,000 apartment costs $17,500 plus GST in commission. A fixed fee stays the same whatever the price.

Can building defects affect the sale of an apartment?

Yes. Known defects, rectification work or combustible cladding can reduce what buyers will pay, and some lenders are cautious about affected buildings. Gather the documents early so you can answer questions accurately.

What documents do I need to sell a strata property?

You need a contract of sale and your state’s vendor disclosure, plus strata or body corporate information such as levy details, certificates, recent minutes, financial statements, by-laws and insurance details. Exact requirements depend on your state.

Do I have to pay capital gains tax when selling an apartment?

Your main residence is usually exempt. If the apartment was an investment property, capital gains tax may apply, and individuals who held it for more than 12 months usually get a 50% discount. Speak to a registered tax agent about your situation.

Planning a sale? Read the process of selling a house, check how to price your property, or see selling an investment property.