Selling · 7 min read · 8 September 2026
What Does It Actually Cost to Sell a House in Brisbane?
Quick answer
Selling a Brisbane house typically costs between 2.5% and 4% of the sale price all in. The largest single item is agent commission at roughly 2% to 3.5% plus GST, followed by advertising at $1,500 to $8,000 depending on the campaign, and conveyancing at $900 to $2,000. Commission and advertising are the two costs owners have the most control over.
Key takeaways
- Commission is the largest cost in a traditional sale and the one most owners never question.
- Advertising is a genuine, unavoidable cost. The question is whether it is bundled into a percentage fee or paid directly.
- Presentation spend (photography, styling, minor repairs) usually returns more than it costs on inner-Brisbane stock.
- Conveyancing, searches and government fees are fixed and small relative to commission.
- An advertising-only model removes the commission line entirely, in exchange for the owner running the sale.
Most owners find out what selling costs after they have signed. It is worth knowing the full picture beforehand, because two of the largest line items are variable and one of them is negotiable to zero.
The figures below are realistic Brisbane ranges for 2026. Your property, price band and campaign will move them, but the structure holds.
Agent commission
Brisbane commission generally sits between 2% and 3.5% of the sale price plus GST. On a $900,000 sale that is roughly $19,800 to $34,650 including GST. Queensland has no legislated maximum commission rate. It is whatever is agreed in the Form 6 appointment.
Some agencies use a tiered structure, where a base rate applies up to a target price and a higher rate applies above it. Structured well, that aligns the agent with the result. Structured poorly, it just raises the average.
Advertising and marketing
A standard inner-Brisbane campaign runs $1,500 to $4,000. A premium campaign with featured portal placement, video, drone and paid social can reach $8,000 or more.
The main components are portal listings on realestate.com.au and Domain, professional photography, a floor plan, copywriting, a signboard and any paid digital media. Portal upgrades (highlight, premiere, feature placement) are usually the biggest swing factor.
- · Professional photography: $400 to $1,200.
- · Floor plan: $150 to $350.
- · Signboard: $200 to $600.
- · realestate.com.au and Domain listings: $900 to $5,000+ depending on tier and suburb.
- · Video or drone: $600 to $2,500.
- · Paid social and search: $300 to $2,000 depending on campaign length.
Presentation and preparation
Styling for a Brisbane apartment typically costs $2,000 to $5,000 for a six-week hire; a full house is more. Minor repairs, painting, garden tidying and a deep clean commonly add $500 to $5,000.
This is discretionary spend, and it is the one that most reliably returns more than it costs, provided it is targeted. Repainting a tired interior pays. A new kitchen weeks before sale usually does not.
Legal and government costs
Conveyancing or solicitor fees for a Queensland sale run roughly $900 to $2,000. Title searches, body corporate certificates and council rates certificates add $200 to $600.
If you have a mortgage, expect a discharge fee from your lender, usually $150 to $400. There is no stamp duty payable by a seller in Queensland. That is a buyer cost.
Putting it together
On a $900,000 Brisbane sale run through a traditional full-service agency with a mid-range campaign, total costs commonly land between $25,000 and $40,000, of which commission is 70% to 85%.
Remove the commission and the same sale costs $4,000 to $9,000, the advertising, the presentation and the conveyancing. That is the arithmetic behind advertising-only models: you take on the selling work in exchange for the largest line item disappearing.
Want to sell without paying commission?
See what a fixed-fee advertising campaign includes, what it costs, and what stays your responsibility as the owner.
Reviewed by SNJ Properties. Written by the SNJ Properties Editorial Team. Last updated 8 September 2026.
This content is general in nature. Property markets, legislation, fees and rental conditions can change. Owners and investors should seek independent legal, financial, tax or real estate advice before making decisions.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Related questions from Brisbane property owners.
- Yes. There is no legislated maximum or minimum commission rate in Queensland. The rate is whatever is agreed and written into the Form 6 appointment before the campaign starts.
Talk to SNJ
Want to sell without paying commission?
See what a fixed-fee advertising campaign includes, what it costs, and what stays your responsibility as the owner.