If you're selling a house in NSW, your biggest cost is usually your agent's commission, which averages 1.85 per cent of the sale price, or 1.63 per cent in Sydney, according to internal data. Conveyancing, marketing and preparing your home add to that, and the table below shows what each one costs.

For example, on a $1 million sale at the NSW average rate, the commission comes to $18,500. If you have a mortgage to pay off, conveyancing at the middle NSW fee, with searches, settlement and mortgage discharge fees, comes to about $3,100. That brings you to about $21,600 before marketing and any auctioneer.

What are the average real estate commission fees in NSW?

According to internal data, the average real estate agent commission in NSW is 1.85 per cent of the sale price, or 1.63 per cent in Sydney. Commissions can be as low as 1.14 per cent or as high as 2.77 per cent, and these rates include GST.

That range leaves out the most extreme rates, and a few regional areas, such as Tamworth, average above it.

Here's what the difference between a Sydney area and a regional one means on a $1 million sale:

• In Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, where the average rate is 1.61 per cent, you'd pay $16,100 in commission.
• In Tamworth, where the average rate is 2.85 per cent, you'd pay $28,500 in commission.

Our guide to NSW agent commission has the figures for more areas.

Most agents charge either a set percentage of the sale price or a tiered rate, and some charge a flat dollar fee instead. With a set percentage, you multiply your sale price by the rate. With a tiered rate, you pay a higher rate on the part of the price above an agreed threshold.

Selling privately saves the commission, but you take on the marketing, negotiating and paperwork yourself.

How much does conveyancing cost in NSW?

If you're selling in NSW, conveyancers' and solicitors' own price pages put a home sale at $1,540 to $2,750, with a middle price of about $1,925. That's from four businesses in October 2026, according to our conveyancer cost guide.

Fees vary with the work involved, the property and the firm. Searches and certificates, the electronic settlement fee and government charges come on top.

In NSW, a contract of sale must be ready before your home is advertised, which is one of the first jobs for your conveyancer. You'll also need a land tax clearance certificate from Revenue NSW. You must give the buyer a copy at least 14 days before settlement, the day the sale completes.

If you're an Australian resident for tax purposes, you'll generally also need a clearance certificate from the ATO. Without one, the buyer generally holds back 15 per cent of your share of the price. The certificate is free and lasts 12 months, and the ATO says to apply as soon as you're thinking of selling.

How much does an auctioneer cost in NSW?

If you're going to auction, one Sydney auctioneer publishes a price of $880 for an auction at your home (October 2026). Across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, auctioneers who publish their prices charge $700 to $1,100, according to our auctioneer cost guide.

The fee may already be in your agent's quote. In NSW, the agent can ask you to pay it only if it's set out in the agency agreement, so check yours. The marketing for an auction can also cost more than for a private sale.

Additional costs of selling a house in NSW

Then there's marketing, plus the optional costs of preparing your home to get the best possible sale price.

Marketing costs

Agents quote marketing for each campaign, and some include part of it in their commission while others charge it separately. In NSW, the agent can ask you to pay for advertising only if the agency agreement sets it out, and you can negotiate the amounts.

Ask for an itemised quote before you sign. Our guide to marketing costs explains what a campaign can include.

Renovations and repairs when selling

For small repairs before you sell, a handyman charges about $80 to $165 an hour, and one Sydney plumber starts at $218 to fix a leaking tap, according to our repairs and renovations cost guide.

Home staging and styling

If you're staging a four-bedroom house in Sydney, stagers' published starting prices run from $4,500 to $5,600, according to our home staging cost guide. A consultation on its own costs $200 to $399, though many stagers visit free to quote.

Gardening and adding kerb appeal

At most businesses that publish a price, expect a small lawn mow to start at $40 to $55 and a basic garden tidy at $70 to $90, with an overgrown garden from about $150 to $350 or more. One national chain charges $59 to $75 an hour for a one-off visit, according to our landscaping and gardening cost guide.

Before you choose an agent, you can calculate the cost of selling your home on your own price.

There are many factors that can affect the cost of selling a house in NSW

What you pay can also depend on:

Property type

Unusual homes, or homes with narrow appeal, are harder to sell. If an agent has to work harder to sell yours, they may charge more for their time.

Property value

Agents may accept a lower rate on a more expensive home, because their cut of the sale is still worth their while. In Sydney, according to internal data, the average falls from 2.03 per cent on homes sold for up to $500,000 to 1.43 per cent on homes over $3 million.

Method of sale (private or auction)

Selling at auction can cost more than a private sale, because of the auctioneer's fee and the advertising.

Location of property

Real estate commission fees in NSW vary depending on where you live and are generally lower in urban areas. For example, according to internal data, the average commission is 1.63 per cent in Sydney, 1.86 per cent across the Illawarra, which includes Wollongong, and 2.85 per cent in Tamworth.

What to ask before you sign with an agent

Before you sign an agency agreement with any of the agents in NSW you're comparing, ask:

• Is the auctioneer's fee included?
• Is marketing included, or charged separately and itemised?
• If the rate is tiered, where's the threshold?
• Is the rate quoted including GST?

Commission is usually payable only when your home sells, according to the NSW Government. The agreement sets out what you pay for expenses such as advertising, so check whether you'd pay them if it doesn't sell.

You also have one business day to change your mind after signing. You can give that up by signing a separate waiver form, but only if the agent gave you the unsigned agreement and the form at least one business day before you signed.

If it feels like a lot to keep track of, our ultimate property guide can help you stay organised.

Frequently asked questions