What upfront costs does every property buyer pay?

Reviewed by a licensed conveyancer

Reviewed by

Cordell Smith

Last updated

July 24, 2026

The costs everyone pays when buying are the unavoidable expenses that apply on top of the purchase price, whatever you buy. They include government transfer (stamp) duty, a transfer registration fee, conveyancing, and building and pest inspections — plus lender's mortgage insurance if your deposit is under 20%.

In detail

In our experience, the cost that catches buyers out isn't the big one they've heard of — it's the pile of smaller, unavoidable ones underneath it. Even buyers who pay no stamp duty at all still need a few thousand dollars in cash at settlement for the fees below.

What everyone pays

Duty is the big variable. Everything else is roughly the same regardless of state or price point.

Cost	Range	Notes
Conveyancing	$800–$2,500	"Fixed fee" often excludes disbursements — add $200–$600
Building & pest inspection	$450–$700	Strata reports add $250–$500
Home & contents insurance	$1,200–$2,500/yr	Required from settlement, not move-in
Council rates adjustment	$300–$1,200	Reimburse seller for prepaid rates/water
Body corporate adjustment	$200–$1,500	Strata only. Special levies can add thousands — ask for a current levies certificate
Moving costs	$1,200–$2,500	Local 2–3 bed move
Connection fees	$100–$300	Electricity, gas, internet
Loan application fee	$0–$600	Often waived

In practice

What every buyer pays in practice

In our experience buyers arrive focused on the price and the deposit, and are genuinely surprised by how many smaller costs are simply unavoidable. A common one is assuming a "fixed fee" covers everything, then finding disbursements sit on top. Another is not realising home and contents insurance is needed from settlement, not from the day you move in.

With apartments, the body-corporate adjustment — reimbursing the seller for levies they've prepaid — regularly lands larger than expected, especially where a special levy is in play. What we do is set out the whole list upfront so nothing is a surprise, and for strata we ask for a current levies certificate early.

The takeaway: beyond duty, most buying costs are predictable — the trick is having them all on the page before you commit.

Common questions

What do you pay when buying, besides the deposit and stamp duty?

Beyond your deposit and stamp duty, you'll still pay conveyancing and its disbursements, a transfer registration fee, building and pest (plus a strata report for units), home insurance from settlement, and the rate and levy adjustments that reimburse the seller. Lenders mortgage insurance applies too if your deposit is under 20%.

Do first-home buyers still pay costs if their stamp duty is $0?

Yes. A first-home stamp-duty exemption removes the duty, but not the rest. You still pay the transfer registration fee, conveyancing, inspections, any electronic settlement (PEXA) fee, and the pro-rata rate adjustments — commonly a few thousand dollars in cash at settlement even when duty is nil. Budget for these separately from the exemption.

Which buying costs are unavoidable?

Duty (unless you're exempt), the transfer registration fee, conveyancing, and the settlement adjustments are effectively unavoidable on every purchase. Building and pest is optional but strongly recommended; moving, connection and loan fees vary. Lock the unavoidable ones into your budget first.

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