Fees & Commission
Real Estate Agent Fees
Our fees, in full: the commission, whether GST is included, what marketing, photography, floorplans, signboards and auction costs actually cost, any minimum fee, the conditions on a discounted fee, and what the total looks like at different sale prices.
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- We do not publish a minimum fee.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.
Photography, floorplans, signboards and auction costs
Every campaign item is charged at cost. There is no markup, and you approve the budget first.
Professional photography
Charged at cost. You see the supplier invoice, and we coordinate the shoot.
Floorplan
Drawn to scale and charged at cost — it is one of the most used tools buyers rely on.
Signboard
Manufacture, installation and removal charged at cost. Not used on an off-market sale.
Portal and digital advertising
Advertising spend is charged at cost, so you control the budget rather than paying a margin on it.
Auctioneer and auction-day costs
Only where an auction is the chosen method of sale, and charged at cost.
Property styling
Only where styling is used. Optional, and charged at cost.
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.
How the rate changes what you pay
Every percentage-based commission is calculated the same way — on the sale price — so the rate is the only variable. On a $900,000 sale, the difference looks like this.
| Commission rate | Commission on $900,000 | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 1% — our starting rate | $9,000 | — |
| 1.5% | $13,500 | $4,500 more |
| 2% | $18,000 | $9,000 more |
| 2.5% | $22,500 | $13,500 more |
| 3% | $27,000 | $18,000 more |
These are illustrations, not a quote — your rate is confirmed in writing. Our starting rate is 1%, and it is not available on every engagement. The other rates shown are common market commissions included for comparison only; they are not a quote from any specific agency. A lower rate is only better value if the sale price holds up — that is the trade-off worth judging an agent on.
Why we publish our fees
Most sellers only find out what an agent charges after they have sat through a listing presentation. We would rather you had the numbers before you call us, so you can compare us honestly with anyone else you are considering.
We are not claiming to be the cheapest agency, and we would encourage you to be sceptical of anyone who does. What we can offer is a clear fee, a campaign budget charged at cost, and a sale price that is backed by real local evidence.
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.
Real estate agent fees — frequently asked questions
What are William Whyte Property's real estate agent fees?
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. Our fee is quoted plus GST, which is added to the commission at the rate set by law (10%). Marketing and campaign costs are charged separately, at cost.
Is GST included in your commission?
Our fee is quoted plus GST, which is added to the commission at the rate set by law (10%).
What do photography, floorplans, signboards and auction costs add?
All of these are charged separately, at cost — we pass on the supplier invoice rather than adding a margin. That covers professional photography, a scaled floorplan, the signboard (manufacture, installation and removal), portal and digital advertising spend, auctioneer and auction-day costs where an auction is used, and styling where it is used. You approve the budget before anything is spent, and none of it is hidden inside the commission.
Do you charge a 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 does the 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.
How do your fees compare with percentage-based commission elsewhere?
Every percentage-based commission is calculated the same way — on the sale price — so the difference is simply the rate. On a $900,000 sale, the gap between our 1% starting rate and 2.5% is $13,500. That is worth weighing against the result, because a lower rate only saves you money if the sale price holds up.
Are you the cheapest real estate agent?
We do not claim to be the cheapest, and it is worth being cautious of any agent who does. Our fees start from 1% of your final sale price plus GST, with marketing charged separately at cost, and the starting rate is not available on every engagement. Cheapest is not the same as best value — an agent who achieves a higher sale price usually delivers far more than a commission discount saves.
How transparent are your real estate agent fees?
Every component is published on this page: the commission, the GST position, what the commission includes, what is charged separately at cost, any minimum fee, and the conditions attached to any discounted fee. The figures that apply to you are then confirmed in writing before you sign an authority.
Want your own numbers, not a general guide?
Start with a free appraisal, and we will put the fee and campaign costs for your specific property in writing — before you commit to anything.
William Whyte Property · 261 Thomas Street, Dandenong VIC 3175