Affordable & low-cost selling
Low-Cost Real Estate Agent
If you are searching for an affordable, low-cost or low-commission agent, this page tells you exactly what our lower fee includes, the conditions that apply to it, and how to compare agents on value rather than price alone.
What "low cost" means here — and the conditions
Our fees start from 1% of your final sale price, plus GST. The rate that applies to your property depends on the campaign and the terms of the authority, and is confirmed in writing before you sign.
The 1% starting rate is not available on every engagement. What applies to your property depends on the campaign, the property and the terms of the authority, and is confirmed in writing before you sign.
We are deliberately not calling ourselves the cheapest agent in Melbourne, because we have no way to verify that claim and you should not trust one that is made without evidence. What we can do is show you the whole fee, in writing, before you commit.
Our fee structure at a glance
- How we charge
- Our fees start from 1% of your final sale price, plus GST. Marketing and campaign costs are charged separately, at cost. The rate that applies to your property is confirmed in writing before you sign.
- Commission
- Our fees start from 1% of your final sale price, plus GST. The rate that applies to your property depends on the campaign and the terms of the authority, and is confirmed in writing before you sign.
- GST
- Our fee is quoted plus GST, which is added to the commission at the rate set by law (10%).
- Marketing & campaign costs
- Charged separately, at cost. You see the supplier invoices — we do not add a margin on top of them.
- Minimum fee
- We do not publish a minimum fee. Any minimum that applies to your engagement is set out in your written agreement before you sign.
- What the starting rate depends on
- The 1% starting rate is not available on every engagement. What applies to your property depends on the campaign, the property and the terms of the authority, and is confirmed in writing before you sign.
What is included, and what is charged on top
Nothing should appear on your final statement that you were not told about upfront. This is the split.
Included in our commission
- Appraisal and pricing advice
- Campaign strategy and day-to-day coordination
- Buyer database matching and private inspections
- Negotiation with buyers on your behalf
- Coordinating the sale contract with your conveyancer
- Regular progress reporting through the campaign
Charged separately, at cost
- Professional photography
- Floorplan
- Signboard manufacture, installation and removal
- Portal and digital advertising spend
- Auctioneer and auction-day costs (where an auction is used)
- Property styling (where used)
These are supplier costs passed on at cost, not a fee of ours. They vary with the campaign you choose, and you approve the budget before we spend it.
Cheapest is not the same as best value
On a $900,000 sale, our 1% starting rate and a commission at 2.5% differ by a few thousand dollars. A sale price that comes in 3% lower costs you tens of thousands. That is the whole argument in one sentence: the percentage you pay matters far less than the price you achieve.
So the useful question is not "who is cheapest?" but "who will get me the best result, and what do they charge for it?" That is a question you can actually answer — by looking at an agent's recent local sales, their marketing plan for your home, and their full fee structure in writing.
Our fee is a percentage of your final sale price, which means our income rises when your price does. Marketing and campaign costs are charged separately, at cost, so nothing is quietly marked up inside the commission.
Example total costs at different sale prices
These illustrations use our starting rate of 1% and show the fee component only. The rate that applies to your property is confirmed in writing, and marketing and campaign costs are charged separately, at cost — they are not included below.
| Sale price | Commission at 1% | GST | Total fee | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $600,000 | $6,000 | $600 | $6,600 | 1.10% |
| $750,000 | $7,500 | $750 | $8,250 | 1.10% |
| $900,000 | $9,000 | $900 | $9,900 | 1.10% |
| $1,100,000 | $11,000 | $1,100 | $12,100 | 1.10% |
| $1,300,000 | $13,000 | $1,300 | $14,300 | 1.10% |
"Effective" is the total fee as a percentage of the sale price, once GST is added. At the 1% starting rate that works out at 1.10% of the sale price.
The figures on this page are illustrations based on our starting rate of 1% plus GST — they are not a quote for your property. Your rate is confirmed in writing before you sign an authority. Marketing and campaign costs are charged separately, at cost, and vary with the campaign you choose.
Low-cost and low-commission agents — frequently asked questions
Are you the cheapest real estate agent?
No, and we do not claim to be. Our fees start from 1% of the final sale price plus GST, and that starting rate is not available on every engagement. We would rather explain exactly what the fee covers than compete on a headline number. If the lowest possible fee is your only criterion, an agent who charges less but achieves a lower price will still leave you worse off.
How do I find a low-cost real estate agent without losing value?
Compare the whole picture, not the percentage. Ask what the fee includes, whether marketing is charged at cost or with a margin, what the agent's recent local results are, and how they will reach buyers. A fee is only 'low cost' if the result holds up — the best value is the combination of a fair fee and a strong sale price.
Is a flat-fee real estate agent cheaper than a commission?
Not necessarily. A flat fee is fixed, so it looks cheaper on a low sale price and can look expensive on a high one, and it usually excludes marketing. Our fee is a percentage of your final sale price with marketing charged separately at cost, which keeps our incentive aligned with yours: we are paid more when you sell for more. Neither model is automatically cheaper — it depends on your property and the price it achieves.
What does an affordable real estate agent actually include?
It should include the work that sells a home: appraisal and pricing advice, campaign strategy and coordination, buyer database matching, private inspections, negotiation and progress reporting. On our fee, those are included in the commission. Marketing and campaign items are charged separately, at cost.
Is a low-commission real estate agent a good idea?
A lower commission is only good value if the sale price holds up. Because our fee is a percentage of the final price, we are paid more when you sell for more — so the incentive is aligned. Judge any low-commission offer on the agent's local results and marketing, not the percentage alone.
What does your starting rate depend on?
The 1% starting rate is not available on every engagement. What applies to your property depends on the campaign, the property and the terms of the authority, and is confirmed in writing before you sign.
Is GST included in your fee?
Our fee is quoted plus GST, which is added to the commission at the rate set by law (10%).
Get a fee you can compare, in writing
Start with a free appraisal, and we will set out the fee and campaign costs for your property — so you can weigh them against the result, not just the percentage.
William Whyte Property · 261 Thomas Street, Dandenong VIC 3175