Selling · 6 min read · 15 September 2026
Real Estate Commission Rates in Brisbane, Explained
Quick answer
Brisbane real estate commission typically ranges from 2% to 3.5% of the sale price plus GST, with inner-city apartments at the lower end and lower-priced or harder-to-sell properties at the higher end. Queensland does not regulate the rate. It is negotiated and recorded in the Form 6 appointment. Flat-fee and advertising-only models charge a fixed amount instead of a percentage.
Key takeaways
- Queensland deregulated commission in 2014. There is no cap and no minimum.
- The rate is only half the picture, what the fee includes matters as much.
- Tiered commission can align incentives, but only if the base target is set honestly.
- Always compare proposals as a total dollar figure at your realistic sale price, not as percentages.
- Advertising-only models remove commission entirely and charge a fixed marketing fee instead.
Commission is the largest single cost in a traditional property sale, and the least examined. Most owners accept the first rate they are quoted because they have nothing to compare it against.
Here is what the Brisbane market actually charges, how the structures differ, and the four questions that change the number.
The current Brisbane range
Inner-Brisbane apartments and higher-value houses commonly attract 2% to 2.5% plus GST, because the dollar value of the commission is already substantial. Outer suburbs and lower price bands sit at 2.5% to 3.5% plus GST, and occasionally higher for difficult stock.
A rate quoted without GST is not the number you pay. Always convert to a total including GST at your expected sale price.
The three structures
Flat percentage is the most common: one rate applied to the whole sale price. Simple, and it means the agent earns more on a higher price, but only marginally. On a 2.5% rate, an extra $20,000 on the price earns the agent $500 before costs.
Tiered or incentive commission applies a base rate up to a target and a higher rate on anything above it. Done properly, it makes the agent materially better off for pushing past the target. The risk is a target set deliberately low.
Fixed fee charges a set dollar amount regardless of sale price. Advertising-only models go further: no sales commission at all, just a marketing fee, with the owner conducting the sale, the inspections and the negotiation.
What the fee should include
Two agencies quoting 2.5% can deliver very different campaigns. Ask what is inside the commission and what is billed separately.
The common gap is marketing. Most Brisbane agencies charge advertising separately from commission, payable whether or not the property sells. Some bundle a base marketing package. Neither is wrong, but you need to know which you are signing.
- · Is advertising included, or invoiced separately?
- · Is advertising payable if the property does not sell?
- · Does the fee include auction costs, if you go to auction?
- · Is there an administration, marketing or "campaign management" fee on top?
- · What is the appointment term, and what happens if you withdraw?
How to compare two proposals
Convert everything to a single dollar figure at a realistic sale price, not the highest price either agent quoted you. Include commission with GST, advertising, and any additional fees.
Then weigh that total against what each proposal does: the campaign channels, who conducts the inspections, how enquiries are followed up, and what reporting you receive. A cheaper fee attached to a portal-only campaign is often the more expensive option once the property has sat for eight weeks.
Thinking about selling in Brisbane?
Request a digital-first sale appraisal and we will walk you through pricing, positioning and campaign strategy for your specific property.
Reviewed by SNJ Properties. Written by the SNJ Properties Editorial Team. Last updated 15 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.
- Most Brisbane sales settle at 2% to 3.5% of the sale price plus GST. Inner-city and higher-value properties tend to sit toward the lower end of that range.
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Thinking about selling in Brisbane?
Request a digital-first sale appraisal and we will walk you through pricing, positioning and campaign strategy for your specific property.