Real estate agent fees in Perth typically run 2.5% commission of the sale price, plus $3,000 to $5,000upfront marketing. On Perth's median dwelling value of $1,050,000 (Cotality, June 2026), a 2.5% commission is $26,250 plus GST before marketing. Commission is not regulated in WA. Fixed-price alternatives such as KeyHive charge $10,500 total inc GST with the standard campaign included.
Four models are available to Perth sellers: traditional commission-based agents, fixed-fee licensed agents, guided private sale through a licensed agency, and private-sale platforms. The cost difference between them is significant, and so are the differences in what each one covers.
Total Cost at Every Price Point
Commission scales with your sale price. Every other model doesn't.
Sale price
$500,000
- Traditional2.5% commission
- $12,500+ marketing
- Modern AgentFlat service fee
- $10,500campaign included
- GuidedOwner-managed
- $5,000campaign included
- Private SalePlatform estimate
- ~$1,200
Sale price
$750,000
- Traditional2.5% commission
- $18,750+ marketing
- Modern AgentFlat service fee
- $10,500campaign included
- GuidedOwner-managed
- $5,000campaign included
- Private SalePlatform estimate
- ~$1,200
Sale price
$1,000,000
- Traditional2.5% commission
- $25,000+ marketing
- Modern AgentFlat service fee
- $10,500campaign included
- GuidedOwner-managed
- $5,000campaign included
- Private SalePlatform estimate
- ~$1,200
Sale price
$1,500,000
- Traditional2.5% commission
- $37,500+ marketing
- Modern AgentFlat service fee
- $10,500campaign included
- GuidedOwner-managed
- $5,000campaign included
- Private SalePlatform estimate
- ~$1,200
Sale price
$2,000,000
- Traditional2.5% commission
- $50,000+ marketing
- Modern AgentFlat service fee
- $10,500campaign included
- GuidedOwner-managed
- $5,000campaign included
- Private SalePlatform estimate
- ~$1,200
Traditional: 2.5% commission plus $3,000+ marketing, paid separately. Modern Agent: $10,500 total inc GST, including the standard campaign scope. Guided: $5,000 total inc GST, also including the standard campaign scope. Private Sale: private-sale platform plus basic photography. Traditional and private-sale figures are approximate.
How Commission Works in WA
Commission is a percentage of the final sale price, paid at settlement and deducted from the proceeds before you receive the balance. In Metro Perth, typical rates run between 2% and 3% of the sale price, and 2.5% is a fair midpoint. There is no legislated rate. REIWA deliberately does not publish guidelines to avoid breaching competition law. The rate is set by the agency and open to negotiation.
On Perth's current median home price of $1,050,000, a 2.5% commission is around $26,250 before marketing. The central tension in this model: commission scales with your sale price, but the work involved in selling a $750,000 home is not materially different from selling a $1.5 million one.
Marketing Costs: The Separate Bill
Marketing is almost always charged separately from commission and paid upfront before your property goes live. The single biggest line item is the realestate.com.au listing tier: most buyers search there, and traditional agents typically bundle a top-tier Premiere+ placement into their package, which alone can cost $2,000 or more. That is a large part of why traditional marketing runs $3,000–$5,000. KeyHive Free publishes on keyhive.com.au only; the standard Guided and Modern Agent campaigns include publication on realestate.com.au, reiwa.com.au and keyhive.com.au. For the line-item breakdown, what agents pay versus what they charge, and the questions to ask before you sign, see our full guide to real estate advertising fees in Perth.
One thing worth understanding about the traditional model: because marketing is paid from your pocket rather than the agency's, there is little incentive to keep the spend lean. It is not the agent's money being spent, so the default is to run the budget up and add more publication or promotion products, whether or not each dollar earns its place. More exposure rarely costs the agent anything; the bill, and the risk if the property does not sell, sits with you. Worth asking any agent which spend is genuinely working for your sale, and which is just the standard package.
Traditional Agent
- Professional photography
- Premiere+ REA listing
- Signboard
- Social media posts
KeyHive Modern Agent
- Professional photography
- Premiere+ REA listing
- Signboard
- Legal documentation
KeyHive Guided
- Professional photography
- Premiere+ REA listing
- Signboard
- Standard campaign launch
Four Ways to Sell in Perth
KeyHive offers a $0 KeyHive-only self-serve path, a Guided campaign where you manage buyers, and a Modern Agent service where a licensed agent manages the campaign, buyers, negotiation and contract process through settlement-agent handover.
Traditional Agent
Full service: appraisal, marketing, home opens, negotiation, contracts, settlement. The most established model. Total cost scales with your sale price, and the commission structure doesn't always align with maximising your outcome. Read more on incentives.
KeyHive Modern Agent
Same licensed agent service: appraisal, standard campaign, home opens, negotiation, contracts, and transaction coordination, for a fixed total regardless of your sale price.
KeyHive Guided
You prepare the listing and manage enquiries, home opens and negotiation. KeyHive improves and launches the standard campaign, then prepares the contract and coordinates the transaction handover. See what is included.
Private Sale Platform
A private-sale platform puts your property online through its own agent-assisted model. Support, licence structure, and local Perth involvement vary by provider. You still carry the day to day work: pricing, enquiries, home opens, negotiation, contract handoff, and buyer follow-up.
FAQ
Common Questions
How much does it cost to sell a house in WA?
With a traditional agent, expect 2.5% commission plus GST plus $3,000 to $5,000 upfront marketing: $29,250 to $31,250 plus GST on the commission, on Perth's median dwelling value of $1,050,000 (Cotality, June 2026). Fixed-price alternatives cost less: KeyHive Modern Agent is $10,500 total inc GST and KeyHive Guided is $5,000 total inc GST, both including the standard campaign.
What percentage do real estate agents charge in Perth?
Most Perth agents charge between 2% and 3% of the sale price, and 2.5% is a fair midpoint. There is no legislated agency fee percentage in Western Australia: each agency sets its own rate, GST may be quoted separately, and the rate is open to negotiation before you sign the agency agreement.
Can I list on realestate.com.au as a private seller?
Not directly. In Australia, private sellers generally access realestate.com.au through a licensed agency subscription. KeyHive Guided includes realestate.com.au Premiere+, reiwa.com.au and keyhive.com.au in its fixed standard campaign while you manage buyers, inspections and negotiation.
Is commission negotiable in WA?
Yes. Commission rates are not regulated in Western Australia. They are set by each agency and open to negotiation. Most agents start at their standard rate, but many will move if you ask. Fixed-fee services remove the rate negotiation entirely. The fee is set upfront regardless of sale price.
Are marketing costs included in the agent fee?
Rarely. Most traditional agents charge marketing separately on top of commission, typically $3,000–$5,000 in Perth. KeyHive Guided and Modern Agent instead include the standard campaign scope in a fixed $2,500 launch payment that forms part of the advertised total price.
What if my home doesn't sell?
Traditional marketing charges are generally non-refundable once delivered. For KeyHive Guided and Modern Agent, the settlement service fee is payable only at successful settlement. The fixed launch payment is refundable before campaign work or supplier bookings begin, less authorised costs already incurred.
Is GST included in the quoted fee?
Not always. Some agencies quote commission exclusive of GST, which adds 10% to the bill. Always ask for the GST-inclusive figure in writing before you sign.
Does the agency fee have to be in writing?
Yes. In Western Australia, the agreed fee (whether commission-based or a fixed amount) must be documented in the agency agreement and initialled by the seller before any work begins. This is a legal requirement. The agreement should also specify what marketing is included and whether those costs form part of the fee or are charged separately. If a fee is not confirmed in writing before you sign, do not proceed.
How do I tell a full-service fixed-fee agent from a listing-only service?
Ask what happens after you list. A listing-only service uploads your photos and walks away. A full-service fixed-fee agent handles pricing strategy, buyer enquiries, home opens, negotiations, contract preparation, and settlement. The same scope as a traditional agent. Get the service scope in writing, not just the fee.
What should I confirm before signing an agency agreement?
The total fee inclusive of GST. Exactly what marketing is included and what costs extra. Who specifically will be handling your property day-to-day. How many listings the agent is currently managing. And what the strategy is if you are not getting the offers you need.
Choosing the Right Model for Your Sale
The right model depends on how much of the process you want to manage yourself, and how your sale price compares to the point where commission becomes materially more expensive than a flat fee.
Whatever you choose, get the full cost in writing before you sign. Fee inclusive of GST, all marketing costs, what is included and what is not.
Questions? Talk to a licensed agent.
Call KeyHive and speak with a licensed WA agent (RA85978), on 0404 997 851. Mon–Sun, 8am–6pm AWST. No obligation.
Sources
Sources, accessed July 2026:
- Cotality Home Value Index: Perth median dwelling value $1,050,000, June 2026.
- REIWA WA market data: Perth metropolitan median sale prices and selling conditions.
- Consumer Protection WA: agent fees and commission are not regulated in WA and are open to negotiation; agreed fees must be documented in the agency agreement.
- KeyHive pricing: keyhive.com.au/pricing, current at July 2026.
Traditional commission and marketing figures reflect typical Perth agency practice and vary by agency and suburb.
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