Buying or selling a property? Here’s how to calculate all the costs involved

The cost of buying or selling a property isn’t cheap, especially with the different associated expenses that go along with it.

Whether you’re a first home buyer or property investor, our online calculator allows you to be aware of the costs involved in buying or selling a property before embarking on the lengthy and expensive process.

While property value and mortgage repayment costs are the most obvious, there are several other things which you’ll need to budget for to avoid being stung by bills you weren’t expecting.

Whilst it is always best to speak to a professional, like the team at Metropole, this calculator is a great starting point of anyone looking to buy or sell their property.

In the meantime I’ve put together all the information you might need on costs involved in buying and selling a home, including all the hidden ones you might not even know about.

The costs involved when buying a property

Buying a property is exciting, regardless of whether you’re climbing onto the property ladder for the first time or even if it’s your 10th investment property.

But some home buyers and property investors forget that there are more costs to buying a property than the purchase price alone.

To avoid being caught short, I’ve put together a checklist of all the fees, including any hidden costs, which you need to consider before planning your next purchase.

Purchase price

The biggest expense is, of course, the purchase price of the property, which is likely to be financed via your own savings or equity as well as a mortgage.

Stamp duty

Stamp duty is often the second-largest cost associated with purchasing a property and varies depending on the state you live in and the total price of your property.

It’s an unavoidable state tax levied on the purchase of all properties and could amount to tens of thousands of dollars.

Stamp duty on a $500,000 property in Victoria, for example, will cost you $21,970.

There are also mortgage and land transfer fees to consider, which usually amount to less than $1,500 in total.

Conveyancer or solicitor fees

A conveyancer, or solicitor, is the person who oversees, and manages, the actual transaction of the sale of a property from a seller to a buyer and manages the preparation of any legal documents needed for the transaction.

Fees generally vary as there is no official charge and in addition to the service fee, you will usually also be charged for ‘disbursements’ including a title search, certificate fees, photocopying and paperwork registration costs.

In total, the average cost of conveyancing can roughly be between $900-$2,200.

Accountant fees

A good accountant will pay for themselves many times over by understanding your personal situation and helping you structure your investments accordingly, as well as ensuring you take advantage of the myriad of legal tax “loopholes” available.

Paying for an accountant is even more valuable if you’re buying for investment purposes.

Research and/or buyer’s agent fees

A buyers’ agent will usually charge you a percentage of the purchase price of the property they secure for you.

But while some see it as a cost, I see it as an investment – mistakes are expensive and good advice is cheap in comparison.

Lenders mortgage insurance

If your deposit is less than 20% of the purchase price of your property, you will be required to take out Lenders Mortgage Insurance by law.

Loan application fees

Most lenders charge a home loan application fee to cover the costs of legal contracts, property title checks and credit checks and also a fee for setting up the mortgage in their banking system.

Loan repayment fees and interest

Once you have secured your home loan you’ll be charged both interest and also management fees.

Inspection report fees

A building inspection report and a pest inspection report will give you an accurate picture of the condition of the property and help you assess the likely costs of maintaining it moving forward.

The costs involved when selling a property

And it’s not just property buyers who are faced with a myriad of costs, sellers are also slumped with everything from conveyancing costs to agents’ fees and marketing expenses.

Here’s all the costs you need to consider before putting your property up for sale to avoid making any costly mistakes.

Marketing fees

The seller is responsible for covering the cost of marketing their property for sale, the fees for which can vary greatly depending on the state, property value and type of marketing you opt for.

Conveyancer or solicitor fees

Similarly to conveyancer or solicitor fees for a buyer, for a seller, the fees generally vary as there is no official charge and in addition to the service fee, you will usually also be charged for ‘disbursements’.

Disbursements can include a title search, certificate fees, photocopying and paperwork registration costs.

In total, the average cost of conveyancing can roughly be between $900-$2,200.

Agent fees

Agent fees for a seller can either be at a flat fixed fee or as a percentage of sale and varies depending on the agent and value of the property.

Lender fees

If you have a home loan on the home you’re selling, you’ll need to pay your lender a discharge or early exit fee in accordance with your home loan agreement.

What will your property purchase or sell cost you?

So there you have it. As the above shows, there are many costs involved when buying or selling a house, some of which you might not even realise you needed to budget for.

You can use our home buying and selling calculator to get a better idea of what it might cost you.

Now is the time to take action and set yourself for the opportunities that will present themselves as the market moves on

If you’re wondering how to take advantage of the new property cycle you can trust the team at Metropole to provide you with direction, guidance and results.

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned property investor, we would love to help you formulate an investment strategy or do a review of your existing portfolio, and help you take your property investment to the next level.

In “interesting” times like we are currently experiencing you need an advisor who takes a holistic approach to your wealth creation and that’s what you exactly what you get from the multi award winning team at Metropole.

If you’re looking at buying your next home or investment property here’s 4 ways we can help you:

1. Strategic property advice. – Allow us to build a Strategic Property Plan for you and your family.  Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about it now!  This will give you direction, results and more certainty. Click here to learn more
2. Buyer’s agency – As Australia’s most trusted buyers’ agents we’ve been involved in over $3.5 Billion worth of transactions creating wealth for our clients and we can do the same for you. Our on the ground teams in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane bring you years of experience and perspective – that’s something money just can’t buy. We’ll help you find your next home or an investment grade property.  Click here to learn how we can help you.
3. Wealth Advisory – We can provide you with strategic tailored financial planning and wealth advice. Click here to learn more about we can help you.
4. Property Management – Our stress free property management services help you maximise your property returns. Click here to find out why our clients enjoy a vacancy rate considerably below the market average, our tenants stay an average of 3 years and our properties lease 10 days faster than the market average.

from Property UpdateProperty Update https://propertyupdate.com.au/home-buying-and-selling-calculator/