If you're selling a house in South Australia, your biggest cost will usually be your agent's commission. According to internal data, it averages 1.76 per cent of the sale price, including GST, or about $14,080 on an $800,000 home.

You'll also pay for the Form 1 (the vendor's statement SA law requires you to give the buyer), conveyancing and marketing, and possibly an auctioneer. On an $800,000 house, the commission, conveyancing, Form 1 and fees to clear a mortgage from the title come to about $16,400 to $17,500, before marketing and other extras (see the example below).

For a figure based on your own home, try our selling costs calculator. There's more on the whole process in our guide to selling a house in South Australia.

Key costs to consider when selling your house in South Australia

Commission figures are from internal data, 1 January 2025 to 1 October 2026. The others come from businesses' own published prices, our cost guides and Land Services SA's 2026-27 fee schedules.

What would it cost on an $800,000 home?

Say you sell a house on its own title (not strata or community title) for $800,000. Your agent charges the SA average commission, and you have a NAB or Westpac home loan to pay off. Here's what you'd pay:

• Commission at 1.76 per cent: $14,080, including GST
• Conveyancing: $990 to $1,859
• Form 1, with searches: $810 to $968.25
• Registering the mortgage discharge: $204
• Your lender's discharge fee: $350 (NAB's and Westpac's, October 2026)

That comes to about $16,400 to $17,500, before marketing, any auctioneer, anything your home needs before sale, and other fees your conveyancer charges or passes on. In Adelaide, at its 1.66 per cent average, the commission on the same sale would be $13,280.

For other states, see our guide to the costs of selling a house across Australia.

What is a Form 1, and how much does it cost?

If your house is on its own title, expect to pay about $810 to $970 for a Form 1, including the searches and GST, going by three SA firms that publish a price (October 2026). For a strata or community title property, you'll pay about $925 to $1,170.

SA law calls the Form 1 a vendor's statement, and you may also see it called a vendor's disclosure statement. It tells the buyer what the law says they must be told about the property, such as any mortgages and other charges on the land.

Firms charge for preparing the form and for the government searches, either separately or as one price. The searches cost more for some types of property. One of the searches, Land Services SA's property interest report, costs $378 in 2026-27.

Some SA conveyancing firms don't include the Form 1 in their price, so check whether your conveyancing quote covers it. If you sell through an agent, they can arrange the Form 1 with a conveyancer or a Form 1 firm, and they must make sure the required searches are done and certify the result.

If you're selling without an agent, the SA Government recommends a qualified conveyancer or solicitor to prepare it.

When does the buyer need the Form 1?

By law, you must give (or "serve") the buyer the Form 1 at least 10 clear days before settlement, the day ownership passes to the buyer. The buyer's cooling-off period, when they can pull out of the contract, doesn't start until they have it (see the FAQ below).

If you sell at auction, your agent (or the auctioneer, if you don't have an agent) must make it available for at least 3 business days in a row immediately before the auction, and at the auction for at least 30 minutes before it starts.

If the Form 1 is wrong or incomplete, the buyer may be able to withdraw from the sale or take legal action, according to Consumer and Business Services (CBS), SA's consumer regulator. Not meeting these Form 1 rules is also an offence, with fines of up to $10,000.

How much is agent commission in South Australia?

According to internal data, the average commission in South Australia is 1.76 per cent of the sale price, including GST, below the national average of 2.01 per cent. It can be as low as 1.01 per cent or as high as 3.08 per cent, depending on the area and the agent. In Adelaide, the average is 1.66 per cent.

These rates include GST, so a quote of 2 per cent plus GST is 2.2 per cent.

Where you sell changes how much commission you could pay:

• In Adelaide's Western Suburbs, the average commission rate is 1.43 per cent, or $11,440 on an $800,000 sale
• In the Adelaide Hills, the average rate is 1.87 per cent, or $14,960 on an $800,000 sale
• In South East SA, the average rate is 2.26 per cent, or $18,080 on an $800,000 sale

That's a gap of 0.83 percentage points between these areas, or $6,640 on an $800,000 sale. A lower rate is only part of the deal, so it's worth comparing what each agent includes for their fee.

That's because some agents include part of the marketing in their commission and others charge for it separately. Some also charge a low commission rate but more for marketing, CBS says, so always ask what is and isn't included.

Commission can be a flat rate or tiered, and some agents charge a set fee instead. A flat rate is simply your sale price multiplied by the commission rate. A tiered rate rewards the agent with a higher rate on every dollar they get above a price you've agreed.

How much does an auctioneer cost in SA?

If you sell at auction, a registered auctioneer must run it. Of the Adelaide auctioneers that publish a price, one charges from $795 and another charges $1,100, including GST, to run an auction at your home (October 2026).

Your agent will normally organise the auctioneer, says the SA Government, so check whether the fee is in their quote. For more, see our guide to auctioneer costs.

How much does conveyancing cost in South Australia?

If you're selling in SA, conveyancing for a home sale costs $990 to $1,859, including GST, at three conveyancers and lawyers who publish a full price (October 2026). There's a state-by-state breakdown in our guide to conveyancing costs.

Searches and government fees are extra, and other charges, such as administrative or transaction fees, may be too, so ask for a breakdown before you sign.

Clearance certificate. If you're an Australian resident, you'll need a free clearance certificate from the ATO, which you give the buyer by settlement. Without one, the buyer must hold back 15 per cent of the price and pay it to the ATO.

If you own the home with someone else, you each need one. It can take up to 28 days, so apply as soon as you're thinking of selling.

How much does marketing cost?

Your agent will quote marketing for your campaign, either inside their commission or as a separate charge. The cost depends on the photos, online listings, signboards and print you choose.

In SA, the agency agreement (the contract you sign with your agent) must list any marketing you pay for separately, with what it costs and when it's due. Ask for an itemised quote before you sign.

What do you still pay if your home doesn't sell?

If your home doesn't sell, what you pay depends on your agency agreement, which must say when the agent is entitled to their commission. CBS says you may be charged the up-front cost of advertising.

Under a sole agency agreement, where one agent has the exclusive right to sell your home, they can be entitled to commission even if you end up selling it yourself.

Two Adelaide auctioneers that publish a price also say that once an auction is booked, their fee is still payable if the auction is cancelled or your home sells beforehand.

Before you sign with an agent, ask

• Who will prepare the Form 1, and is its cost in your quote?
• If I sell at auction, is the auctioneer's fee in your quote?
• Is the marketing itemised in the agency agreement, with what it costs and when it's due?
• What will I pay if my home doesn't sell, or if I end the agreement early?
• If the commission is tiered, at what price does the higher rate start?
• Does the rate include GST?

What else might you pay to get your home ready?

Before you spend on repairs or upgrades, the SA Government suggests weighing their cost against any increase in the selling price.

Going by businesses' own published prices (October 2026):

• Repairs: nationally, handymen charge $80 to $165 an hour, often with a call-out fee or minimum charge. See pre-sale repair costs.
• Cleaning: in SA, a vacate clean (the deep clean once you've moved out) of a three-bedroom home has a middle price of $450.
• Styling: one Adelaide stager charges from $295 a week for a three-bedroom home, including delivery, styling and collection, or $1,770 for its six-week minimum. See home staging costs.
• Garden: a one-off gardener costs $59 to $75 an hour at one national chain. See gardening costs.
• Moving: in SA, removalists charge a median of $136.50 an hour for two movers and a truck on a weekday. See moving costs.

Other factors that can alter the cost of selling a house in South Australia

Property location

If you're selling in regional SA, commission rates tend to be higher than in Adelaide, according to internal data. In the Barossa, Clare Valley and Yorke Peninsula, the average is 2.09 per cent.

Property type

If you have an unusual property or one that's only going to appeal to a small number of buyers, your agent may have to work harder to sell it. Ask each agent whether that affects their rate.

Method of sale (private or auction)

Selling at auction can cost more than a private sale, because you'll usually pay an auctioneer.

Property value

Higher-value homes tend to attract lower commission rates. In Adelaide, according to internal data, the average is 1.70 per cent on homes sold for $500,001 to $750,000, 1.66 per cent from $750,001 to $1 million, and 1.55 per cent from $1,000,001 to $1.25 million.

Frequently asked questions