8 min read
Author: Alex Wilson
Development Acquisition Manager here at Opes.
Reviewed by: Brittany White
Licensee (Eligible Officer) and Team Leader for Opes Property
It costs somewhere between $35,000 and $63,500 to sell a $1 million house in New Zealand.
It’s easy to focus on how much profit you’ll make when you sell your house.
However, house sellers are often surprised by the number of hidden costs they have to pay.
These costs can add up quickly, often reaching tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the property and how it’s marketed.
In this article, you’ll learn what the main costs are for getting your house listed and when you have to pay them.
It typically costs between $35,000 and $63,500 to sell a $1 million house in New Zealand. Most of that is real estate commission, although marketing, staging, legal fees and repairs can also add thousands of dollars.
When you add up all the costs involved in selling a house, here’s what you can expect to pay for a $1 million property in New Zealand:
Real estate agent commission makes up the largest share of the cost, typically ranging from $29,000 to $40,000 on a $1 million sale.
By comparison, marketing and staging usually cost between $3,700 and $7,500 combined, while building reports are typically under $1,200.
Repairs are the biggest variable, ranging up to $10,000+ depending on the condition of the property.
Cost breakdown: Selling a $1 million house in New Zealand
| Cost | Low end | High end |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate commission | $29,000 | $40,000 |
| Marketing and photography | $1,700 | $3,500 |
| Staging | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Building reports | $800 | $1,150 |
| Lawyer fees | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Repairs | $0 | $10,000+ |
| Other e.g. cleaning, gardening, exterior washing | $0 | $2,300 |
| Total | $35,000 | $63,450 |
Cost: around 3%+ of the final sale price
When do I pay it? Usually after your property sells
Most people use a real estate agent to sell their house. They charge a commission – a percentage of the final sale price.
It’s often hard to figure out how much a real estate agent will charge. That’s because they might charge 4% + GST on the first few hundred thousand dollars, then charge 2% + GST on anything above that.
Commission rates vary based on the agency you use, and every agency’s tiering (when the lower fee kicks in) is different.
Here’s what different real estate agencies might charge to sell a $1 million house in New Zealand (including GST):
Most real estate agent commissions fall between 2.9% and 4.0%, or roughly $29,000 to $40,000 on a $1 million sale.
In this $1 million example, Mike Pero and Barfoot & Thompson sit at the lower end of the range, while Bayleys sits at the higher end.
Top tip is to check whether the quoted commission includes GST. If it doesn’t, multiply the fee by 1.15 to calculate the GST-inclusive cost.
| Real Estate Company | Commission | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Pero | $29,114 | 2.91% |
| Barfoot & Thompson | $29,728 | 2.97% |
| RE/MAX | $30,475 | 3.05% |
| Professionals | $34,155 | 3.42% |
| Harcourts | $34,558 | 3.46% |
| Century 21 | $34,845 | 3.48% |
| LJ Hooker | $34,845 | 3.48% |
| Ray White | $34,845 | 3.48% |
| Bayleys | $39,790 | 3.98% |
Free calculator
Plug in your expected sale price and compare real estate agent commissions across different agencies - so you know what to budget before you list.
Calculate my agent feesCost: $1,700 – $3,500
When do I pay it? Upfront
The first step is to get your house listed online.
These days buyers expect your listing to have high-quality photos, videos, and even drone shots.
Real estate agents often bundle these services into a marketing package.
This package usually includes:
This can cost anywhere from $1,700 - $3,500, depending on the extent of marketing.
People selling more expensive properties tend to spend more on marketing, which includes the sale board outside your house.
This cost is paid regardless of whether your house sells, and you usually pay for that upfront – before the listing goes live.
Cost: Around $2,000–$4,000
When do I pay it? Upfront – before the furniture goes into the property
Next, you might consider staging.
Staging is a popular strategy to make your home more appealing to potential buyers.
It involves temporarily showing your home with modern furniture and décor.
This often means you take your belongings out of the house and replace them with staging furniture or stage a property to fill an empty house. That’s because empty areas often feel small.
From experience, it’s hard to comprehend how a bed will fit in some smaller bedrooms if it’s empty, but once you see the bed or couch it’s easier to visualise living there.
Staging can range from $2,000 to $4,000, depending on the size of your home and the amount of furniture required. This price is for a 4-week marketing campaign.
But because the national median property took 48 days to sell in June 2026, a four-week staging package may not always be long enough.
In that case you’ll need to pay more to keep the furniture in there.
Remember, you’ll want to take your marketing photos once the furniture is in there. And you want to take your photos when it’s not raining.
So, you’ll have to allow a few days before your listing goes live.
Staging your house isn’t compulsory, but many agents recommend it.
Cost: $800-$1,150
Repair costs: $0 - $10,000+
When do I pay it? Upfront
Agents often recommend you get a building report before you list your house. This can identify problems before buyers discover them, giving you the chance to repair them or explain them upfront.
A building report usually costs between $800 and $1,150.
If the report uncovers problems you might need to invest in repairs before listing your home.
Common repairs include re-carpeting, repainting, or fixing minor defects.
These costs can quickly add up. Some homeowners spend upwards of $10,000 to make their home market-ready.
But still, fixing a known issue may cost less than the discount a cautious buyer asks for once they discover it.
For example, replacing worn carpet might cost $5,000, but a cautious buyer could reduce their offer by more than that because they are also allowing for the inconvenience and uncertainty.
The other risk is that if the buyer finds something wrong with your property they are going to be more cautious ... the seeds of doubt have been sown.
And the real estate agent has to tell all interested buyers if they find an issue, so it’s best practice to get ahead of this first.
Typical cost: $1,500–$2,500
When do I pay it? Usually around settlement
Your lawyer handles all the paperwork and makes sure the buyer gets everything they need to take ownership of the property.
For most home sales expect to pay somewhere between $1,500 and $2,500, although the final cost depends on how straightforward your sale is.
Your legal fees typically cover:
Cost: $0-$2,300
When do I pay it? Upfront
Beyond major expenses there are several smaller costs to consider:
1. Property cleaning
A deep clean can make your home shine, but it may cost you around $500 to $1,000, depending on the property’s size.
2. Gardening
If your garden needs a spruce you won’t get much change from $500.
3. Exterior house washing
Cleaning the exterior of your home can cost between $500 and $800.
Some costs are unavoidable, such as legal fees and your real estate commission, but others are optional.
For instance, you could clean the house yourself, mow the lawns, or hire a water blaster instead of paying someone else.
That said, be careful not to become penny wise and pound foolish.
Once you’ve spent money preparing your home, it’s easy to think, “I’ve already invested so much … I just want to get it sold.”
That mindset can tempt some sellers to accept a lower offer than they otherwise would have.
You can reduce the cost of selling your home by:
But the cheapest option won’t always leave you with the most money.
Saving $3,000 on marketing or presentation may not be worthwhile if it reduces buyer interest and leads to a $20,000 lower sale price.
So, focus on the choices that could make the biggest difference to your sale price:
Choose the right agent. Look for someone with a strong track record selling similar properties in your area.
Present the property well. A clean, tidy home makes a stronger first impression and helps buyers picture themselves living there.
Market your property well. Good photos and advertising can help more buyers see it and encourage them to compete.
The goal isn’t to spend as much as possible; it’s to spend money where it has a reasonable chance of improving your final result.
Licensed real estate agent Alex Wilson says by understanding these hidden costs upfront you can better prepare for the sale ... and avoid unwelcome surprises along the way.
Selling a home isn’t just about finding a buyer. It’s about presenting your property well, marketing it effectively and managing the legal process from start to finish.
Yes, the costs can add up to tens of thousands of dollars, but they are still relatively small compared to the value of the asset being sold.
One thing I’ve noticed is that sellers often spend weeks negotiating over a few thousand dollars of commission or marketing costs.
The bottom line is to focus on the decisions that could make the biggest difference to your final sale price rather than trying to save a few hundred dollars along the way.
This article is for your general information. It’s not financial advice. See here for details about our Financial Advice Provider Disclosure. So Opes isn’t telling you what to do with your own money.
We’ve made every effort to make sure the information is accurate. But we occasionally get the odd fact wrong. Make sure you do your own research or talk to a financial adviser before making any investment decisions.
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