The average Australian home sold for just over $1 million in 2025. At a standard 2-2.5% commission, that's $20,000-25,000 going to a real estate agent. On top of that, you'll typically pay $5,000-10,000 for marketing and advertising — money that comes out of your pocket regardless of the sale price.
Here's what most homeowners don't realise: you can sell your own home in Australia, list it on realestate.com.au and Domain, run your own open homes, and keep that $25,000+ in your pocket. It's completely legal, thousands of Australians do it every year, and it's not as hard as the real estate industry wants you to believe.
I've been selling properties privately for over 21 years as a property flipper. It's not a side experiment — it's how I've sold every property I've ever flipped. This guide covers exactly how to do it, step by step.
Is it legal to sell your own home in Australia?
Yes. In every state and territory of Australia, you have the legal right to sell your own property without a licensed real estate agent. You will still need a conveyancer or solicitor to handle the legal documentation (contract of sale, transfer of title, settlement), but the actual selling — the marketing, open homes, negotiations, and buyer management — can all be done by you.
How much does it actually cost to sell privately?
The total cost of selling your home privately in Australia is typically $2,000-5,000, compared to $25,000-35,000+ using an agent. This breaks down roughly as: a private sale listing platform (like For Sale By Owner or similar) at $500-1,500 to get on realestate.com.au and Domain; a conveyancer or solicitor at $800-1,500; professional photography (optional but recommended) at $300-500; signage and marketing materials at $100-300; and a building and pest report to have ready for buyers at $400-700.
That means on a $1 million property, you're spending $3,000-5,000 instead of $30,000+. The saving is $25,000 minimum.
Step 1: Prepare your home
Before you list, your home needs to be buyer-ready. This doesn't mean spending $50,000 on renovations. It means decluttering every room (less is more — buyers need to imagine their furniture in the space), deep cleaning everything including windows, carpets, and grout, fixing the small things that signal "this home has been neglected" — dripping taps, scuffed walls, broken door handles, overgrown garden, and staging key rooms so they feel spacious and inviting.
Street appeal matters more than almost anything else. Mow the lawn, pressure-wash the driveway, paint the front door if it's tired, and add a couple of potted plants. Buyers decide if they like a home within the first 30 seconds — and those 30 seconds happen before they walk through the front door.
Step 2: Price it right
This is the part that scares most people, but it's actually straightforward. Go to realestate.com.au and look at what comparable properties in your suburb have actually sold for (not listed for — sold for) in the last 3-6 months. Filter by properties that are similar to yours in size, condition, and features.
Take 3-5 comparable sales and average them. That's your starting point. If your home is in better condition, price slightly above. If it needs work, price slightly below. You can also order a professional property valuation for $300-500 if you want a formal opinion.
The common fear is "what if I underprice it?" The reality is that in a competitive market, if you price slightly under market value, you attract more buyers, create competition, and often end up selling for above your asking price. Underpricing as a strategy is how agents get those "sold above asking" results.
Step 3: List on the major platforms
You can't list directly on realestate.com.au or Domain without either an agent or a private sale platform. The most popular option in Australia is For Sale By Owner (forsalebyowner.com.au), which gives you a listing on all major platforms for a flat fee.
Your listing needs professional-quality photos (this is worth paying $300-500 for — smartphone photos will cost you buyers), a compelling description that tells the story of the home and highlights what makes it special, accurate property details including bedrooms, bathrooms, land size, and features, and clear contact information so buyers can reach you directly.
Step 4: Run your open homes
Open homes as a private seller are simpler than you think. Put your signboard out, open the front door, and welcome people in. You know more about your home than any agent ever could — where the morning sun hits, which neighbours are friendly, why you chose this house in the first place.
Have a sign-in sheet ready so you capture every buyer's name and phone number. Be warm but not pushy. Answer questions honestly. If you don't know something, it's perfectly fine to say "great question — I'll find out and get back to you."
After the open, follow up with every person who came through within 24 hours. A simple text: "Hi [name], thanks for coming through today. Did you have any questions I can help with?" This is where most private sales happen — in the follow-up.
Step 5: Negotiate the sale
This is the part most people are nervous about, but here's something the real estate industry doesn't tell you: most negotiation today happens via text message and email, not face-to-face. You don't need to be a smooth talker. You need a system.
When a buyer makes an offer, you have three options: accept it, reject it, or counter-offer. In most cases, the first offer is never the best offer. A simple counter like "Thanks for the offer. We've had strong interest and aren't in a position to accept at that level, but we'd consider [your counter-price] with a 14-day unconditional settlement if you're serious" is usually enough to move things forward.
The psychology is simple: be friendly, be firm, and always imply there are other buyers interested (if there are, which there usually will be if you've priced correctly).
Step 6: Handle the legal side
Once you've agreed on a price, your conveyancer takes over. They prepare the contract of sale, handle the deposit (held in a trust account), manage any conditions (building inspection, finance approval), coordinate settlement with the buyer's solicitor and both banks, and handle the final transfer of title.
Your conveyancer will guide you through every step. This is not something you need to learn — it's something you pay a professional $800-1,500 to handle. It's the one part of selling you should never DIY.
The six misconceptions that stop people
"An agent will get a better price." Research consistently shows that buyers trust homeowners more than agents. Properties sold privately often sell for 2-10% more because buyers feel they're getting a fair deal without agent pressure.
"I'm not confident enough to negotiate." You don't need confidence. You need scripts. The right words in the right order work regardless of how nervous you feel. And when in doubt, take 24 hours to respond — there's no rule that says you have to reply immediately.
"I don't have time." The total time investment is roughly 2-4 hours per week for 4-8 weeks. That's 20-30 hours of your time to save $25,000+. That's over $800 per hour. There's no job on earth that pays that well.
"What if something goes wrong legally?" That's what your conveyancer is for. They handle every legal aspect. You handle the selling.
The bottom line
Selling your own home in Australia is legal, realistic, and can save you $20,000-30,000+ on a single transaction. Thousands of Australians do it every year. The process is simpler than the real estate industry wants you to believe: prepare, price, list, show, negotiate, and let your conveyancer handle the rest.
I built the Sell Your Own Home System specifically for Australians who want to do this. It's a 12-step interactive guide with templates, negotiation scripts, a built-in AI negotiation coach, and personal coaching from me throughout your campaign.
Get the Sell Your Own Home System — $2,997 →
That's less than 12% of what you'd pay an agent on a $1 million property. And you get personal coaching from someone who's been doing this for 21+ years.
Written by Jimmi Schleusener, founder of Flipping Aussies. 21+ years selling properties privately across Australia.
