Selling House Calculator Australia
Turn a proposed sale price into a settlement cash waterfall. Separate percentage commission, fixed selling costs, mortgage payout and a user-entered tax reserve, then show an ownership-share result and price sensitivity.
Enter the sale and payout amounts
Settlement cash waterfall
How this selling house calculator works
The waterfall starts with the expected sale price. Agent commission is calculated as the entered percentage of that price. Marketing, legal, preparation, loan discharge, settlement adjustments, moving and other costs are added as fixed amounts. The result after selling costs is then reduced by the mortgage payout and the user-entered tax reserve.
The final ownership percentage is applied to whole-property net cash. This assumes every entered cost, debt and reserve has already been allocated at property level and the remainder is divided by that one percentage. Real co-owner rights can depend on title, loan liability, contribution, agreement, trust, family law, estate administration and tax. Do not use the percentage field to settle a dispute.
Whole-property net cash: sale price − selling costs − secured-debt payout − tax reserve.
Your simple share: whole-property net cash × ownership percentage.
Cash break-even price: (fixed costs + debt payout + tax reserve) ÷ (1 − commission rate).
Expected price needs market evidence
An agent appraisal, automated estimate and formal valuation serve different purposes. Ask for recent comparable settled sales, property differences and the date of evidence. A listing price is not a completed sale. Market conditions, presentation, buyer finance, contract terms and auction competition can move the result above or below an expectation.
The sensitivity percentage recalculates commission and net cash at a lower and higher gross price while holding fixed costs, debt and tax reserve constant. It shows that a 5% price change does not translate into exactly the same net change after percentage commission. Run a wider range when comparable evidence is weak or sale timing is uncertain.
Read the agent agreement line by line
Commission can be a flat percentage, tiered rate, fixed fee or combination. GST may be included or added depending on the quote. Marketing can be paid upfront, on settlement or even when the property does not sell. Auctioneer, photography, floor plan, portal upgrades, styling and administration may be separate. Convert the signed agreement into the fields rather than using an advertised headline.
The calculator applies one percentage to the entire price and treats every other agent-related amount as fixed. For a tiered commission, calculate the expected commission externally and convert it into an equivalent rate for each price scenario, or include a fixed portion in other costs. Check exclusive agency periods, withdrawal costs and authority to spend before signing.
Preparation spending is not guaranteed to add equal value
Repairs, cleaning, painting, landscaping and styling can improve presentation, but spending $10,000 does not guarantee a $10,000 higher sale. Separate work required for safety or disclosure from optional presentation. Obtain quotes, define scope and compare likely buyer response. Avoid starting work that cannot be completed, approved or documented before marketing.
Some expenditure may affect the property’s CGT cost base, while deductible repairs or capital works can have different treatment for an investment property. The cash waterfall deducts preparation once as a sale-related cash cost; it does not decide its tax treatment or calculate whether the expense increased the gain.
Use a current mortgage payout, not the app balance
A payout figure can include interest to the settlement date, discharge fees, fixed-rate break costs, other secured facilities or processing time. An online balance may exclude those amounts. Request a formal payout for the planned settlement date and confirm which mortgages, lines of credit or caveats must be discharged.
The lender and conveyancer coordinate discharge and settlement, and processing deadlines can affect the proposed date. If sale proceeds are insufficient, the lender may require evidence of funds for the shortfall before releasing security. The break-even output is a planning threshold, not lender consent.
Settlement adjustments move cash between parties
Council rates, water, strata levies, rent and other amounts may be adjusted under the contract so each party bears the appropriate period. The direction can be a credit or debit. This simplified field accepts only a positive cost deduction. If verified adjustments create a net credit, reduce another fixed cost or calculate the signed adjustment externally and preserve the settlement statement.
Special levies, unpaid amounts, tenancy bonds, rent, land tax and utility arrangements can complicate an investment-property settlement. Review the contract and searches with the conveyancer. Do not estimate an adjustment from last year’s bill when a current certificate is available.
Tax reserve is deliberately user-entered
Capital gains tax is part of income tax and is not a flat percentage of the sale price. The result can depend on cost base, ownership, main-residence history, rental use, acquisition date, capital works, improvements, losses, discount eligibility, residency and entity. The existing CalcForLife capital gains page can build a separate general gain scenario, but property exemptions and apportionment may require professional work.
For a rental property, agent and legal sale costs may form part of the CGT cost base rather than an immediate rental deduction. Mortgage principal affects settlement cash but does not become a cost-base element simply because it financed the property. Enter a reserve only after preparing a separate tax estimate and avoid subtracting the same cost twice.
Selling-cost evidence checklist
| Item | Preferred evidence | Timing question |
|---|---|---|
| Sale price | Current comparable sales and campaign feedback | What happens if settlement is delayed? |
| Commission | Signed agency agreement including GST and tiers | When is commission earned and payable? |
| Marketing | Itemised campaign authority | Is it payable if the property does not sell? |
| Legal and adjustments | Conveyancer quote, contract and certificates | Which amounts are paid before settlement? |
| Mortgage payout | Formal lender payout for expected date | How early must discharge be requested? |
| Tax reserve | Property history and professional tax estimate | When will the tax liability actually fall due? |
Net sale cash is not investment profit
Cash after repaying a mortgage can be large even when the investment return was modest, or small even when the property gained in value. Lifetime profit must also consider purchase price, buying costs, interest, ownership expenses, rent, improvements, tax and the timing of cash flows. This page answers the narrower question of cash moving through sale settlement.
If the proceeds will fund another purchase, keep the transactions separate. The new home’s deposit, duty, legal costs and loan timing may not align with the sale. Bridging finance, deposit bonds and simultaneous settlement carry additional approval, fee and timing risks that are not represented here.
Reconcile forecast and final settlement
Save the pre-listing estimate, update it when the agency agreement is signed, and replace it again after exchange and lender payout confirmation. On settlement, compare each forecast line with the conveyancer’s statement and invoices. A difference may be a timing adjustment rather than a permanent cost, so trace it before changing the final net figure.
Keep the contract, settlement statement, agent invoice, legal invoice, discharge evidence and improvement records together. Those documents support cash reconciliation and may also be needed for tax records long after the sale. The final review should explain every movement from gross price to bank receipt without relying on a rounded headline estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Does the result include capital gains tax?
Only through the reserve you enter. The calculator does not determine the capital gain, exemption, discount, marginal tax rate or payment date.
Why is mortgage payout separate from selling costs?
Debt repayment affects settlement cash but is not an agent, legal or marketing cost. Keeping it separate also prevents confusing principal with CGT cost base.
Can I enter a tiered commission?
The page uses one percentage. Calculate the commission under the signed tiers for each price and convert it to an equivalent rate or fixed component.
Is the ownership-share output legally binding?
No. It is a simple percentage allocation after whole-property deductions. Title, agreements, trusts, family law and liabilities require legal and tax advice.
What does break-even mean here?
It is the gross price that covers entered percentage commission, fixed costs, secured debt and tax reserve. It excludes purchase history and investment profit.
Should moving costs be deducted from sale proceeds?
They may not appear on the settlement statement, but including them can show cash available for the household after the move. Keep the scope consistent.