SA property sellers hit with Australia’s third highest fees

South Australians are paying the third highest agent commission rate in the country when selling, a new report reveals.

According to real estate agent comparison service bRight Agent’s Real Estate Agent Commission Rates 2026 report, SA’s median agent commission is 2.9 per cent, sitting behind Tasmania’s 3.25 per cent, and the Northern Territory’s 3 per cent.

In comparison, the national median agent commission was 2.65 per cent.

You’ll find SA’s highest commissions in SA’s regions, with Whyalla Norrie on the Spencer Gulf recording a median commission of 3.65 per cent, or $10,767, and Yorketown on the Yorke Peninsula agents earning a median commission of 3.5 per cent or $12,600 per sale.

Whyalla was the fifth most expensive nationally, while Yorketown came eighth in the national top 10.

bRight Agent co-founder Aaron Scott said greater transparency around commissions would enable buyers to push for better value.

“Selling your home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make, yet commission rates are still one of the least transparent parts of the process,” he said.

“We’re giving homeowners a clearer benchmark and the confidence to push for better value.

“The principle driver for the higher agent commission rates in rural and regional areas is a lack of competition amongst agents.

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“Without strong competition, homeowners aren’t able to shop around as much to get a better rate, and as such they’re forced to pay higher prices.”

But Scott believes it’s still important to shop around wherever possible in order to get the best possible rate.

“Even a small reduction in commission can put thousands of dollars back in a seller’s pocket, which is especially important if you’re selling under financial pressure,” Mr Scott said.

Real Estate Institute of Australia president Jacob Caine.

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Real Estate Institute of Australia president Jacob Caine said there was significant variability in agent commissions for a variety of reasons.

“Ultimately, those who charge higher fees tend to offer more comprehensive service – the scale, scope and inclusions that come with a higher fee are also backed up by more people hours, more people working within their teams, and generally a higher level of proficiency or sophistication when it comes to marketing, negotiation, styling and the frequency and duration of open inspections and the overall ‘project management’,” he said.

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He said in some regional markets, where homes sit on the market for longer, agents may charge a higher commission to cover the length of campaign and prolonged time investment.

“What it boils down to is that it’s a free market – property sellers have every opportunity to choose who they want to run their campaign and they get to negotiate with agents.

“If the value isn’t there they will choose someone who charges a fee that corresponds with where they see value.

“Broadly we would support greater transparency because the one thing that undermines the entire system are those operators who are less skilled, less diligent and who are investing less people hours into in the job … those less proficient providers tend to sully the reputation of the hardworking diligent expert agents out there.”