There's more than one way to sell a house in South Australia, and the choice you make can put tens of thousands of dollars back in your pocket! This guide compares every option on money, control and speed, and shows why more and more SA owners are choosing to sell privately with PLBO.
Your options at a glance
| Option | What you pay | Who's in control | Exposure | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private sale with PLBO | one upfront fee, $699 – $3,699 inc GST | you | PLBO, Domain, view, homely, Soho, realty, onthehouse, allhomes*, buyers agents, Facebook campaigns | most SA homes, units and land |
| Agent, private treaty | commission (SA average about 2.25%) + marketing | the agent | portals and agent database | owners who prefer to hand everything over |
| Agent, auction | commission + auction and marketing costs | the agent and auctioneer | portals | strongly contested inner-suburb homes |
| Off-market | varies | the agent | limited, private networks | owners wanting minimal publicity |
| Cash / investor buyer | a discount on price | the buyer | none needed | urgent sales of homes needing major work |
At the Valuer-General's June 2026 metropolitan Adelaide median of $975,000, an average 2.25% commission (OpenAgent) is about $21,938. With PLBO, most of that stays with you.
1. Private sale with PLBO
You choose a package, list your home, and it goes live to buyers and buyers agents through PLBO and across Domain.com.au plus view.com.au, homely.com.au, soho.com.au, realty.com.au, onthehouse.com.au and allhomes.com.au*, with Facebook campaigns and targeted notifications depending on your package. Buyers contact you directly, you run the inspections, and you compare every offer in your dashboard. Your conveyancer handles the Form 1, contract and settlement, just as in any sale.
Why owners choose it:
- Keep the commission. One upfront fee, and 100% of the proceeds are yours.
- Full control. Your price, your inspection times, your decision.
- Direct conversations. Buyers hear about the home from the person who knows it best.
- Professional presentation. Signature, Royal and Vertex include professional presentation and wider promotion.
See selling a house privately in SA: benefits and savings.
2. Agent private treaty sale
The agent appraises, advertises and negotiates for a set asking price, for a commission plus a separate marketing budget. If you go this way, get the commission rate, marketing costs and agency term in writing. Many owners find they can do these same steps themselves with PLBO and keep the commission.
3. Auction
Buyers bid on one day under terms fixed in advance, and a buyer at auction has no cooling-off period. Auctions work best when several buyers are competing strongly. If bidding stops below the reserve, the home is passed in and negotiation continues afterwards. A private treaty sale gives you more flexibility on timing and terms.
4. Off-market sale
The home is offered quietly to selected buyers without public advertising. It's discreet, but fewer buyers see it. With PLBO you can have privacy and exposure at once: your address and inspection details are yours to manage, and you still reach buyers on the major channels.
5. Cash or investor buyer
Some companies advertise "we buy houses" or "cash for your house". They buy as-is and can settle fast, but they make their profit by paying below market value. If speed is your priority, compare any cash offer with a sharply priced PLBO campaign. Our guide to selling your house fast in Adelaide shows how.
How to choose
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| to keep the most money | private sale with PLBO |
| full control of price and timing | private sale with PLBO |
| to move quickly without a big discount | a sharply priced PLBO campaign |
| to sell a home that needs major work, today | compare a cash offer with a PLBO Essentials listing |
What each option means on a $975,000 Adelaide home
| Option | Typical selling cost | What stays with you |
|---|---|---|
| Private sale with PLBO (Essentials) | $699 | $974,301 before conveyancing |
| Private sale with PLBO (Vertex) | $3,699 | $971,301 before conveyancing |
| Agent sale at 2.25% commission | about $21,938 + marketing | about $953,062 before marketing and conveyancing |
The numbers speak for themselves. Choosing PLBO keeps up to $21,239 more in your pocket on a median Adelaide house.
Where your PLBO listing appears
PLBO, Domain.com.au, view.com.au, homely.com.au, soho.com.au, realty.com.au, onthehouse.com.au and allhomes.com.au*, plus buyers agents, Facebook campaigns and targeted notifications, depending on your package. That's wide exposure for one upfront fee!
*Availability on allhomes.com.au may depend on the property's location, listing type and applicable portal requirements.
The same legal steps, whichever you choose
Every SA sale uses the Form 1 vendor's statement, a written contract, the buyer's two-day cooling-off period and settlement through conveyancers. The SA legal and tax checklist covers each one.
Ready to go private? Compare PLBO packages, list in minutes, and keep the commission!