COSTS & FEES · 9 MIN READ
The cheapest way to sell a house in Australia.
Every realistic option, ranked by what it costs on a $1,000,000 sale. Plus the bills you pay no matter how you sell, and the cases where paying an agent is the smarter call.
Search “cheapest way to sell a house” and most of what comes back is British: estate agents, online agents and cash buyers that do not work here. Australia has its own options, its own portals and its own legal paperwork. This guide ranks them by the number that matters, what leaves your pocket, and is honest about when the cheapest option costs you more.
The short answer
The cheapest way to sell a house in Australia is to sell it yourself. Selling to a buyer you already know costs little more than a conveyancer. If you need to find a buyer, a flat-fee listing on realestate.com.au and Domain costs under $2,000. An agent at 2.1% charges $21,000 on a $1,000,000 sale, before GST and marketing.
01 · The ranking
What does each way of selling cost on a $1,000,000 home?
There are seven realistic ways to sell a house in Australia. The table ranks them from cheapest to dearest by what you pay to sell, on a $1,000,000 home. It leaves out the costs every seller pays regardless, like conveyancing, because they are the same whichever row you pick. Those are in the next section.
The two agent rows use 2.1% commission, the conservative end of a 1.8 to 3.5% range, and 1.8% for a seller who negotiates hard. Commission is shown before GST. Marketing for those rows uses Canstar’s range of $3,750 to $12,500, which it drew from OpenAgent data for homes priced between $750,000 and $1,500,000.
| Rank | Option | Upfront cost | Cost on sale | Total on $1M | Portals reached | Who negotiates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sell to a buyer you already know (off-market) | $0 | $0 | $0 | None | You | A relative, tenant, neighbour or friend who has already said yes |
| 2 | Unreserved Free Listing, or pure DIY | $0 | $0 | $0 | No major portals. A listing page on our site you can share anywhere, such as Facebook Marketplace | You | Testing interest, or sellers with a strong local network |
| 3 | Unreserved Basic | $500 | $0 | $500 | Domain | You, with licensed agents on call 7 days | Tight budgets in areas where Domain draws plenty of buyers |
| 4 | Unreserved Lite | $900 | $0 | $900 | realestate.com.au, Domain and three more | You, with AI tools and licensed agents on call 7 days | Most sellers who can show their own home |
| 5 | Unreserved Plus | $2,000 | $4,900 | $6,900 | realestate.com.au, Domain and the other major portals | A dedicated campaign manager, with licensed agent support | Sellers who want someone else running enquiries and offers |
| 6 | Negotiated or discount agent (1.8%) | Marketing, $3,750 to $12,500 | $18,000 commission | $21,750 to $30,500 | Usually all major portals | The agent | Sellers who want a full agency service at a lower rate |
| 7 | Traditional agent (2.1%) | Marketing, $3,750 to $12,500 | $21,000 commission | $24,750 to $33,500 | Usually all major portals | The agent | Unusual or prestige homes, estates, and owners who cannot be involved |
Agent rows: commission before GST (add 10%), marketing from Canstar. Marketing is negotiable and is often billed whether or not the home sells. Unreserved plans: photography (from $215), video and floor plans are optional extras on every plan. Plus is $2,000 up front and $4,900 only on a successful sale. The 14-day money-back guarantee applies to Lite. Full details on the plans page.
What about other listing platforms?
Other flat-fee listing platforms sit in the same price band as rows 3 and 4. On their own pricing pages, checked 1 October 2026: Sale By Home Owner lists a $499 Domain-only package and packages with realestate.com.au and Domain from $795 to $1,895. buymyplace lists $845, $995 and $1,995, all with realestate.com.au and Domain. PropertyNow lists one package at $979 with realestate.com.au and Domain. None of the three says on that page whether GST is included. For what each one actually does for you, see our private sale platforms comparison.
Why the cheapest two rows are not for everyone
Rows 1 and 2 cost nothing because they skip realestate.com.au and Domain, which is where Australian buyers search. Selling to someone you know is fine if they are paying a fair price. The risk is that you never test the market, so you never find out what another buyer would have paid. Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests sellers going it alone consider a qualified valuer to set the price. At the very least, get a valuation from recent comparable sales before you agree a number.
Why a cheaper agent is still dearer than a flat fee
Negotiating your agent down is worth doing. Consumer Affairs Victoria is clear that commission and marketing are both negotiable. But a lower percentage is still a percentage. Dropping from 2.1% to 1.8% saves $3,000 on a $1,000,000 home. Moving to a $900 flat fee saves $20,100, before marketing.
The maths on $1,000,000
Agent at 2.1%: $21,000, or $23,100 with GST, plus $3,750 or more in marketing. Unreserved Lite: $900. Unreserved Plus: $6,900. The gap between Lite and the agent is at least $23,850 once marketing is counted. Run your own price through the savings calculator.
For how flat-fee services differ from each other, and what “flat fee” leaves out, read our guide to flat fee real estate agents. To see every Unreserved plan beside an agent, use our comparisons.
02 · The fixed costs
What does every seller pay, however they sell?
Cutting out commission does not cut out everything. These costs land on you whichever row of the table you choose. Where I could find a published figure I have used it. Where I could not, I have said so rather than guess.
| Cost | What it covers | Published figure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conveyancer or solicitor | Contract of sale, disclosure documents, searches, settlement | $400 to $2,500, depending on state and complexity | OpenAgent, September 2026 |
| Contract and disclosure documents | Section 32 in VIC, and each state’s equivalent | Often quoted inside the conveyancing fee, plus search costs. No reliable national range published | Ask your conveyancer for a fixed quote |
| Mortgage discharge (lender) | Your bank releasing its mortgage at settlement | $350 at Commonwealth Bank. $100 to $1,600 across lenders and states | CBA fee schedule, October 2026. OpenAgent |
| Mortgage discharge (land registry) | Registering the discharge on the title | $225.10 in WA. Other states set their own fee | Landgate, from 1 July 2026 |
| Photos and marketing | Professional photos, floor plan, sign | Photography from $215 (Unreserved), from $299 (buymyplace), $370 (PropertyNow), $495 (Sale By Home Owner) | Each provider’s pricing page |
| Pre-sale repairs and styling | Fixing defects, painting, staging | Basic staging about $1,000 to $3,000. Repairs anywhere from $100 to $25,000 or more | OpenAgent. Canstar |
Figures checked 1 October 2026. Ranges are what those sources publish, not quotes. Your conveyancer, lender and state registry will give you exact numbers. State-by-state breakdowns are in what it costs to sell a house.
Two of these deserve a closer look. First, the legal paperwork is not optional. In Victoria, Consumer Affairs says a seller without an agent will need a conveyancer or lawyer to prepare the Section 32 statement and the contract of sale. Every state has its own version, so book your conveyancer before you advertise, not after you find a buyer. Our guide to contracts of sale and vendor statements covers each state.
Second, if you are on a fixed-rate loan, the discharge fee may be the small number. Commonwealth Bank’s fee schedule lists a separate early repayment cost on fixed loans that it calculates when you repay. Ask your lender for that figure in writing before you list.
One cost you will not pay as a seller: stamp duty. The buyer pays it.
Start with the price, not the fee.
A free AI valuation reads recent comparable sales near you, so you know what you are working with before you choose how to sell. About 60 seconds.
Get your free valuation03 · The honest part
Is the cheapest way to sell always the best?
No. The fee is not the biggest number in a sale. The price is. A cheap sale that leaves money on the table is an expensive sale.
So here is the test. On a $1,000,000 home, an agent at 2.1% costs $21,000 before GST and marketing. A $900 flat fee costs $900. The agent is only the better deal if they get you at least $20,100 more than you would get yourself, about 2% of the price, and more once their marketing bill is added. Against Plus at $6,900, the agent needs to find you $14,100 more.
I called more than 2,000 auctions. I have seen agents earn that gap and more. I have also seen homes underpriced, enquiries left unanswered and offers accepted too early, with a commission agent in charge. A percentage fee does not make any of that go away. What moves price is the same either way: pricing the home right, getting it in front of every active buyer, answering fast, and handling offers calmly. Pick the option where you trust whoever is doing those four jobs.
The cheapest option makes sense if
- Your home is the kind buyers already search for in your suburb
- You can be there for inspections, usually on weekends
- You have a valuation from recent comparable sales
- You are comfortable saying no to a low offer
- You already have a buyer and a fair price agreed
An agent may earn the fee if
- The home is unusual or prestige, and buyers have to be hunted, not advertised to
- It is a deceased estate, or the owners disagree about selling
- You cannot be present or reachable for a four to six week campaign
- You would rather pay more than deal with buyers at all
In between sits Plus: a dedicated campaign manager handles enquiries and negotiates offers for $6,900, with no commission and no lock-in. Compare it with Lite on the plans page.
QUICK ANSWERS
Selling for less, answered.
What is the cheapest way to sell a house in Australia?
Selling to a buyer you already know, with only a conveyancer, is the cheapest. If you need to find a buyer, a flat-fee listing on realestate.com.au and Domain costs under $2,000. A commission agent at 2.1% charges $21,000 on a $1,000,000 sale, before GST and marketing.
Can I sell my house without a real estate agent in Australia?
Yes. You do not need a licence to sell your own home. You do need the right legal documents. In Victoria, for example, Consumer Affairs Victoria says you will need a conveyancer or lawyer to prepare the Section 32 statement and contract of sale. Every state has its own disclosure rules, so get your conveyancer involved before you advertise.
Can I list on realestate.com.au without an agent?
Not on your own. Private sellers reach realestate.com.au through a listing platform or a flat-fee service. Platforms we checked in October 2026 publish packages that include realestate.com.au and Domain from $795 to $1,995. Unreserved Lite is $900 and includes realestate.com.au, Domain and three more portals.
What costs do I pay even if I sell my house myself?
Conveyancing, your state’s disclosure documents, your lender’s discharge fee and the land registry fee, plus any photos and repairs you choose. Conveyancing quotes run from a few hundred dollars to about $2,500 depending on state and complexity. Commonwealth Bank, for example, charges a $350 discharge fee, and WA’s Landgate charges $225.10 to register the discharge.
Is a cheaper commission agent the same as a flat fee?
No. A negotiated rate is still a percentage, so it grows with your price, and marketing is usually billed on top. At 1.8%, the bottom of the common range, a $1,000,000 sale still costs $18,000 in commission. A flat fee is a dollar figure agreed before you list that does not move when the price does.
When is paying a real estate agent worth it?
When the agent is likely to get you a better price than you would get yourself, by more than the fee. On a $1,000,000 home that gap is about $20,000 against a $900 flat fee. It can happen with unusual or prestige homes, deceased estates, owners who disagree, or sellers who cannot be available for a four to six week campaign.
KEEP READING
Check the numbers yourself.
SOURCES
Where the numbers come from.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria, Selling property with or without an agent (checked Oct 2026).
- Canstar, How much does it cost to sell a house in Australia?, updated 17 June 2025 (checked Oct 2026).
- OpenAgent, What is the cost of selling a house in 2026?, updated 15 September 2026 (checked Oct 2026).
- Commonwealth Bank, Fees we charge for consumer mortgage lending products, effective October 2026 (checked Oct 2026).
- Landgate WA, Land transaction fees, from 1 July 2026 (checked Oct 2026).
- PropertyNow, Pricing (checked Oct 2026).
- Sale By Home Owner, Packages (checked Oct 2026).
- buymyplace, Sell packages (checked Oct 2026).
- Unreserved, Plans and pricing (checked Oct 2026).
Providers change their prices. Check with them before you rely on any figure. Commission is calculated at 2.1% ex GST, the conservative end of a 1.8 to 3.5% range.
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.
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