To sell a house in Australia you appoint a real estate agent, choose a sale method (private treaty or auction), present and market the property, then accept an offer, exchange contracts, and let a conveyancer handle settlement. It usually takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, and the smoother part is often the bit that surprises people: the admin.
Below is the whole journey laid out in order, plus the costs that quietly stack up and the decisions that actually move the needle on price.
The short version, start to finish
Most home sales in Australia follow the same arc. The details shift between states, and your timeline depends on the market, but the sequence rarely changes.
- Compare and appoint an agent. Commission commonly runs from around 1.5% to 3% of the sale price, though it varies by state, suburb, and the agent’s own appetite. Weigh track record, local knowledge, and communication over the headline rate. The cheapest agent is not always the one who nets you the most.
- Choose your sale method. Private treaty means you set an asking price and negotiate offers. Auction means an unconditional sale on the day, with no cooling-off period for buyers, which tends to suit hot markets and properties likely to draw competition.
- Prepare and present the home. Declutter, handle minor repairs, and consider styling or staging. Presentation can lift the final price, but it costs money, so weigh the likely return against the spend.
- Agree a price strategy and marketing campaign. Marketing is usually billed separately from commission and can range from around $1,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the package, the portals, and whether you go for signboards, photography, video, or print.
- Run open homes and inspections. Your agent hosts buyers, gathers feedback, and gauges genuine interest. This is where the market tells you whether your price expectations are realistic.
- Receive offers, or hold the auction. Under private treaty, offers trickle in and you negotiate. Under auction, it all happens in one (occasionally heart-stopping) session.
- Accept and exchange contracts. Once you accept, contracts are exchanged and the buyer pays a deposit, commonly around 10% of the purchase price. This is the point at which things become binding.
- Conveyancing handles the settlement process. A conveyancer or solicitor manages the legal transfer, checks the paperwork, and coordinates the money.
- Settlement, and the keys change hands. On settlement day, the balance is paid, the title transfers, and the property is officially no longer yours.
That is the map. Now for the parts worth slowing down on.
Private treaty versus auction
This is the first real fork in the road, and there is no universally correct answer. It depends on your property, your market, and how much certainty you want.
Private treaty
You name a price (or a range) and negotiate with buyers one at a time. It is less pressured, gives buyers room to do their due diligence, and in most states includes a cooling-off period that lets a buyer back out within a short window, usually with a financial penalty. Private treaty tends to suit steadier markets and buyers who want time to think.
Auction
An auction is a public, time-boxed contest. The winning bid is generally unconditional, with no cooling-off period, so the buyer needs their finance and checks sorted beforehand. Auctions can work brilliantly when demand is strong and a property is hard to price, because competition does the work for you. In a flat market, though, a passed-in auction can dent momentum.
An auction sells competition. A private treaty sells certainty. Pick the one your market is actually offering.
If you are unsure, your agent’s read on local buyer behaviour matters more than any general rule, because what works in inner-Sydney can flop in a quiet regional town.
What it actually costs to sell
Sellers tend to fixate on commission and forget the supporting cast. Here is the fuller picture, so nothing ambushes you at settlement.
The usual line items:
- Agent commission. Your largest selling cost in most cases. Always get the rate, and what it includes, in writing before you sign.
- Marketing. Often a separate spend, roughly $1,000 to $10,000 or more depending on reach and production.
- Conveyancing. Fees for the legal work of transferring ownership. Worth shopping around, and worth reading our guide to conveyancing and what it covers before you commit.
- Styling and repairs. Optional, but presentation can pay for itself if it lifts buyer interest. No guarantees, though.
- Capital Gains Tax. If the property is an investment, CGT may apply on any gain. Your main residence is generally exempt, but the rules have conditions and exceptions, so it is worth understanding how Capital Gains Tax works on property early rather than at tax time.
Because commission is usually your biggest controllable cost, it pays to shop around. You can compare local agents and their commissions before you commit to anyone, rather than signing with the first name on the signboard.
Getting the home ready
Presentation will not turn a two-bedroom unit into a mansion, but it shapes first impressions, and first impressions shape offers. The goal is to help buyers picture themselves living there.
Focus on the cheap, high-impact basics first: declutter ruthlessly, deep clean, fix the small annoyances (a dripping tap, a sticking door, a tired light fitting), and tidy the garden. These cost little and signal a home that has been cared for.
Styling, or staging, is the next tier up. Bringing in furniture and styling each room can lift the perceived value and broaden a property’s appeal, but it is a real cost with no promised return, so treat it as an investment to weigh rather than a default. In a tight market it can be the difference. In a slow one, the maths is harder.
If you are also buying as you sell, the dance gets trickier, and our guide to buying property in Australia covers the other side of that coin.
Choosing the right agent
The agent you pick will steer your price strategy, run your campaign, and negotiate on your behalf, so this is not a decision to rush. Interview a few. Ask about recent sales in your specific area, how they would price your home, how they communicate, and exactly what their fee includes.
A lower commission rate looks appealing on paper, but an agent who negotiates a stronger result can more than cover the difference. It is worth understanding how real estate agent commission works so you can compare offers properly rather than just chasing the smallest percentage.
Push past the sales pitch. Ask for evidence, recent comparable sales, references, a clear marketing plan. The right agent should be able to back their price estimate with data, not just enthusiasm.
The bottom line
Selling a house in Australia is a sequence: appoint an agent, choose private treaty or auction, present and market the home, accept an offer, exchange contracts, and settle. Get the agent and the method right for your market, budget honestly for commission, marketing, conveyancing, presentation, and any CGT, and the process is far more manageable than it first looks.
This is general information, not personal advice, and your situation, your state’s rules, and current market conditions all matter. Figures here are indicative and were last checked June 2026, so confirm the specifics with your agent, a conveyancer or solicitor, and where tax is involved, a registered tax professional before you commit.