Selling your own home, sometimes called for sale by owner, comes down to ten jobs. None of them needs a licence, and the legal work goes to a conveyancer or solicitor. Here they are in order.
1. Check your numbers
Ask your lender for a payout figure, then work out what you need to walk away with. Add up your costs using our guide to what it costs to sell privately. This gives you the lowest price you can accept, which you'll want before you talk to a single buyer.
2. Engage a conveyancer or solicitor
Do this first, not last. They prepare the contract and any disclosure documents your state requires, and they can tell you what must be ready before you advertise. They can also help with your ATO clearance certificate, which Australian residents have needed since 1 January 2025 to avoid the buyer withholding 15 per cent of the price.
3. Set your price
Look at what similar homes nearby sold for in the last six months. Our guide on how to price your home shows the method, and a free property value report gives you a starting range.
4. Prepare the home
Declutter, clean, fix the small things and tidy the street view. Then take your photos, or book a photographer. Use our photos, floor plans and presentation checklist.
5. Write your listing
Lead with what makes the home worth inspecting, then give the facts buyers filter on. See how to write a private property listing.
6. Advertise where buyers look
Owners can't load a listing onto realestate.com.au or Domain themselves, so you'll need a listing service. Our guide on listing on the portals without an agent explains how that works. Add a sign out the front too, as neighbours often know someone looking.
7. Handle enquiries and inspections
Reply the same day where you can, as buyers move on quickly. Hold regular inspections and keep a record of who attends. Our guide to running open homes covers timing and safety.
8. Negotiate
Ask for offers in writing and compare the conditions as well as the price. Know your walk-away number. See how to negotiate a private sale.
9. Sign the contract
Your conveyancer or solicitor handles this, so don't sign anything until they've checked it. The deposit goes into a trust account, never to you directly. Then mark your listing as under offer. For more, read handling offers and contracts.
10. Settle and hand over the keys
Your conveyancer manages settlement with the buyer's side and your lender. Before the day, arrange your move, keep the home in the agreed condition for the buyer's final inspection, and cancel or transfer your utilities. Once it's settled, the keys go to the buyer and the proceeds come to you.
How the main states differ
| State | Key seller document | Buyer's cooling-off period |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Contract with the required documents attached | 5 business days |
| VIC | Section 32 vendor's statement and contract | 3 clear business days |
| QLD | Form 2 seller disclosure statement and certificates | 5 business days |
| WA | Offer and acceptance form. No mandatory disclosure statement | None unless you agree to one |
| SA | Form 1 vendor's statement | 2 clear business days |
Cooling-off rules generally don't apply at auction, and details vary. In Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory, ask your conveyancer or solicitor. For more detail see our guides for NSW, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
General information only, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm them with your conveyancer or solicitor.
If you'd like someone to go through your plan with you, book a one-hour strategy session.