Selling a home in Queensland involves more moving parts than most people expect. The process stretches from the first decision to sell through to settlement day — and at every stage there are choices that affect your net outcome. This checklist walks through each phase so you know what's coming, what it costs, and where the decisions matter most.
Step 1: Decide on Your Method
Before anything else, decide how you want to sell. The four main paths are:
- Traditional agent campaign — the most common route. You appoint an agent, they market the property, manage inspections, and negotiate the sale. Costs are significant and the timeline is 8–14 weeks start to settlement.
- Private sale — you handle marketing and buyer management yourself, engaging a conveyancer for the legal side. Lower cost but more work and typically slower to achieve a contract.
- Direct sale — you sell to a professional buyer without a public campaign. Fastest exit, and the net price is often competitive once you subtract the full cost of an agent campaign.
- Property partnership — a structured arrangement where a partner funds and manages preparation and sale. You pay nothing upfront; costs are recovered at settlement. Suited to properties where preparation would lift value.
Step 2: Get a Realistic Property Assessment
Before committing to any path, get two numbers: what your property is worth today (current value, as-is) and what it could potentially be worth with targeted preparation (achievable value). These numbers often diverge significantly — and the gap determines whether preparation is worth the investment.
An honest assessment looks at recent comparable sales, property condition, and local demand — not just what you'd like the number to be. This is the foundation of every good selling decision.
Step 3: Understand the Full Cost Stack
Before you sign anything with an agent, model the full cost of sale — not just the commission headline:
- Agent commission: typically 2–2.5% + GST
- Marketing: $3,500–$7,000 (often paid upfront regardless of sale outcome)
- Property styling: $1,200–$6,000 depending on scope
- Conveyancing: $1,200–$2,500
- Holding costs during the campaign: mortgage, rates, insurance, utilities
The total often reaches 4–7% of the sale price before negotiation leakage. Model it before you commit to a campaign — not after.
Step 4: Property Preparation
Not all preparation is equal. The items that consistently generate the strongest return relative to cost are:
- Kitchen and bathroom presentation — clean, updated fixtures, fresh grout and caulk, decluttered benchtops
- Exterior first impression — lawns, gardens, driveway, fence paint, front door
- Neutral interior repaint — fresh paint is one of the highest-return preparation items per dollar spent
- Flooring — clean or replace worn carpets; polish or refinish timber floors if needed
Major structural work rarely returns its cost in a standard sale. Be selective: only undertake preparation where comparable sales clearly support the investment.
Eleva handles all preparation, project management, and the sale process — you pay nothing until settlement.
See how the partnership works →Step 5: Marketing and Inspections
If you're running an agent campaign, professional photography is non-negotiable — it drives online listing engagement and directly affects how many buyers inspect. A Premiere+ listing on realestate.com.au significantly outperforms standard placement. Budget $5,000–$7,000 for a full marketing package.
Private and group inspections require the property to be presented at its best every time. For owner-occupiers still living in the home, this is the phase most people find most disruptive.
Step 6: Contracts and Conveyancing in Queensland
Queensland uses standard REIQ contracts. Key points:
- Standard conditions include a 5-business-day cooling-off period for the buyer (with a 0.25% penalty if they exercise it)
- Finance and building/pest inspection conditions are common — each adds risk of the contract falling through
- Deposit is typically 10% of the purchase price, held in trust until settlement
- Your conveyancer reviews the contract before you sign and manages the legal side through to settlement
Step 7: Settlement and Post-Settlement
Queensland standard settlement is 30 days from contract date, though 45–60 days is negotiable and common. On settlement day, your conveyancer discharges the mortgage (if applicable), funds are transferred, and keys are released. Budget for final utility bills, rates adjustments, and moving costs.
The Eleva Alternative
If managing every step of this process yourself isn't what you want, Eleva's property partnership model handles preparation, project management, marketing, and the full sale process — at no upfront cost to you. We fund the preparation work and recover it at settlement, with proceeds shared above an agreed floor. Talk to us about whether your property is a fit.