PRIVATE TREATY SALE
Private treaty sale: how selling privately works
Set your price, take offers and negotiate with buyers directly. No auction day and no commission. Unreserved lists your home on realestate.com.au, Domain, Homely and View for a flat $900 and gives you the tools for every stage.
A private treaty sale is a sale by negotiation: you advertise an asking price or price range, buyers make written offers, and you negotiate until you accept one. There is no auction day. Buyers can attach conditions such as finance approval or a building and pest inspection, and in most states they get a short cooling-off period after signing. It is how most Australian homes are sold. You need a licensed conveyancer or solicitor for the contract, but you do not need an agent: Unreserved lists your home on realestate.com.au, Domain, Homely and View for a flat $900 and gives you the dashboard, pricing data and offer tools to run the sale yourself.
WHEN IT SUITS
When a private treaty sale makes sense
Private treaty gives you control of the timing. You can take an offer in week one or wait for the right buyer, with no auction date forcing a decision.
It suits homes with a clear market value, buyers who need time to get finance approved, and areas where auctions draw small crowds. You also see every offer in writing before you commit.
The trade-off is that buyers do not bid against each other in the same room. You create that competition yourself, with a clear price, quick replies and a deadline for offers when interest peaks.
ONE DASHBOARD
Run your private treaty sale from one dashboard
See your enquiries, offers, buyer activity, and documents in one view, so nothing slips past you.
THE TOOLS
Tools for every stage of a private treaty sale
You win a private treaty sale on pricing, follow-up and negotiation. Unreserved gives you buyer data and a clear process for each one.
Know exactly who’s interested
Track every buyer, from first view to final offer. See who’s serious, who’s watching, and when interest is building.
Price with confidence
Clear pricing guidance based on actual buyer behaviour, not opinions. Avoid underselling.
Stay on top of every offer
All offers captured, organised, and easy to compare in one place.
Negotiate with clarity
Structured workflows help you respond to buyers the right way, at the right time.
Keep buyers engaged automatically
Automated follow-ups and reminders keep buyers active throughout the process.
See everything in one place
From enquiries to offers to buyer activity, everything is centralised in a clear dashboard.
HOW IT WORKS
How a private treaty sale works, step by step
Four stages from asking price to signed contract. You run each one, with the platform behind you.
Set your price and list
Choose an asking price or range from recent comparable sales, then go live on the major portals.
Take written offers
Buyers inspect and put offers in writing, including any conditions such as finance or a building and pest check.
Negotiate
Compare offers side by side, counter, or ask every buyer for their best and final offer by a set date.
Sign and settle
Your conveyancer prepares the contract. Once both sides sign, your state’s cooling-off rules apply, then settlement.
WHAT IT COSTS
A private treaty sale costs $900, not $21,170
Agents charge a percentage. Unreserved charges a flat fee. Here is the same $700,000 sale, both ways.
| Cost | Traditional agent | Unreserved |
|---|---|---|
| Commission at 2.1% | $14,700 | $0 |
| GST on commission | $1,470 | $0 |
| Vendor paid advertising | ~$5,000 | Included |
| Flat platform fee | $0 | $900 |
| Total cost to sell | ~$21,170 | $900 |
| You keep | n/a | $20,270 more |
Based on a $700,000 sale at 2.1% commission. Australian agents charge between 1.8% and 3.5%, so on a $1.2M sale an agent takes $21,600 to $42,000. Run your own numbers on the commission savings calculator, or compare our plans.
NEGOTIATE
Negotiate offers using real buyer data
You see how buyers engage in real time, instead of relying on assumptions or an agent’s read of the room.
Every view, enquiry, and offer builds a clearer picture of demand, so you know when to push, when to wait, and when to accept.
COMPETITION
Get buyers competing, without an auction
A single offer gives you nothing to compare it with. Keep every interested buyer engaged at the same time, then set a deadline for offers when interest peaks.
A best and final offer round asks each buyer for their top price once, in writing, which gives you auction-style competition on private treaty terms.
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Private treaty sales: common questions
What is a private treaty sale?
It is a sale by negotiation. You set an asking price or price range, buyers make written offers, and you accept the one that suits you on price and conditions. Nothing is binding until both sides sign the contract.
The other common method is auction, where buyers bid on a set day and the highest bid above the reserve wins on unconditional terms.
Is private treaty or auction better?
It depends on the home and the market. Auctions can work when many buyers want the same property at the same time. Private treaty gives you more control over timing, lets buyers attach finance conditions, and costs less to run.
For a side-by-side look, read auction vs private treaty.
Can a buyer pull out of a private treaty sale?
Before the contract is signed, either side can walk away. After signing, most states give the buyer a short cooling-off period, and the length depends on the state. Buyers can also pull out if a condition in the contract is not met, such as finance approval.
Your conveyancer or solicitor will explain the rules that apply to your contract.
Do I need an agent for a private treaty sale?
No. Selling your home privately is legal in every Australian state and territory. You do need a licensed conveyancer or solicitor to prepare the contract of sale and handle settlement, which is a legal requirement whether or not an agent is involved.
Unreserved gives you the structure, tools and process an agent would run, and keeps you in control. The disclosure rules vary by state, so check the requirements where you are selling.
Can I still get the best price without an agent?
Yes. Buyer demand and the competition between buyers set your price. Whether an agent is involved does not.
Unreserved brings buyers together and lets you manage offers your way. You watch how buyers respond and push for a stronger result, rather than taking an early offer on an agent’s say-so.
How much does it cost to sell with Unreserved?
Unreserved Lite is a flat fee of $900, with no commission. A traditional agent selling the same $700,000 home charges around $14,700 in commission plus $1,470 GST plus roughly $5,000 in advertising, totalling about $21,170.
You keep the difference, which is about $20,270 on that sale. No percentage commission, and no lock-in contract.
Can I list on realestate.com.au without an agent?
Not directly. REA Group only accepts listings from licensed agencies, so every private seller needs a licensed intermediary.
Unreserved holds the agency licence and lists your property on realestate.com.au, Domain, Homely and View for a flat fee, so your home appears alongside agent listings.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Ready to sell by private treaty?
A flat $900, no commission. You get AI guidance and real-time buyer data, plus licensed agents on hand when you want them.
Still deciding? Compare ways to sell without an agent · Work out your commission savings · Compare plans
Ready to sell your own home online? Sell it yourself from $900, or have our licensed team run the whole campaign for $6,900. No commission, no lock-in.