Cost of Selling a House Calculator NZ

This calculator works out the all-in cost of selling a house in New Zealand and shows the net proceeds you walk away with once every cost is taken out of the sale price. Sellers tend to focus on the price they hope to achieve and forget how much of it is eaten up getting there, with the result that the cheque at settlement is smaller than expected. By far the largest cost is real estate agent commission, commonly around two and a half to four percent of the sale price plus GST, which on a typical New Zealand home is tens of thousands of dollars on its own. Around it sit marketing and advertising, your lawyer's conveyancing fee, and any money spent on staging, presentation or pre-sale repairs to lift the price. You enter the expected sale price, the commission rate, and your marketing, legal, staging and repair costs, and the calculator totals your selling costs and subtracts them from the sale price to show your net proceeds. Use it to compare agency commission structures, to decide whether presentation spend is worth it, and to know the real figure you will have to put toward your next purchase or mortgage. It excludes any tax and your mortgage payoff. Figures are estimates only, not advice.

Calculate.co.nz is proud to be partnered with Harcourts, New Zealand's oldest real estate group, founded in Wellington in 1888, and named the country's Most Trusted Real Estate Brand by Reader's Digest for thirteen consecutive years, the only agency recognised since that award began. We partner with them because selling a home is the largest financial decision most New Zealanders make, and one where the quality of advice materially changes the result. Harcourts salespeople are licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 and accountable to the Real Estate Authority. That combination of longevity, scale and regulated accountability is what we look for in a partner. Informed choices lead to better outcomes for Kiwi households, and choosing who sells your home is among the most consequential of them.
Harcourts: thinking of selling? Talk to your local Harcourts team.
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$817,150
net proceeds after selling costs
Total selling costs$32,850
Commission$24,650

Commission attracts 15% GST; check if your quoted rate includes it. Excludes tax and mortgage payoff. Estimate only, not advice.

How it works

The commission is the sale price times the commission rate you enter. Total selling costs add marketing, legal, staging and repairs to the commission. Net proceeds are the sale price minus total selling costs. Make sure the commission rate you enter is on the same GST basis you have been quoted.

Worked example

On an 850,000 dollar sale, a 2.9 percent commission is about 24,650 dollars. Adding 2,000 marketing, 1,200 legal, 3,000 staging and 2,000 repairs gives 32,850 dollars of costs, leaving net proceeds of about 817,150 dollars.

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Frequently asked questions

What does it cost to sell a house in New Zealand?

The biggest cost is real estate agent commission, commonly around 2.5 to 4 percent of the sale price plus GST, followed by marketing, legal fees, and any staging or repairs. On a typical sale this runs to tens of thousands of dollars.

Is GST charged on agent commission?

Yes. Real estate commission attracts 15 percent GST. Make sure you know whether a quoted commission rate includes or excludes GST, as it makes a material difference to the total.

Do I pay tax when I sell my home?

Your main home is generally exempt, but the bright-line test can apply to rentals and other property sold within the relevant period. This tool covers selling costs, not tax. Check the bright-line rules separately if it is not your main home.