--- title: "Costs of Selling a House in South Africa: Seller’s 2026 Checklist" source: "Solace Realty" --- # Costs of Selling a House in South Africa: Seller’s 2026 Checklist Understand the common costs South African property sellers should budget for, from professional fees and compliance to bond cancellation and tax. Canonical: https://solaceproperty.co.za/blog/costs-of-selling-a-house-south-africa Published: 2026-08-29 Reviewed: 2026-08-29 Primary topic: costs of selling a house in South Africa The selling price is not the amount that reaches your bank account. A useful plan works backwards from expected proceeds and allows for professional fees, compliance work, finance-related charges, clearances, moving costs and possible tax. The exact amount depends on the property and the transaction. ## The quick formula: estimate net proceeds Start with the expected selling price. Deduct the agreed property-practitioner fee including VAT where applicable, outstanding bond settlement, bond-cancellation costs, compliance and repair costs, municipal or levy amounts, moving expenses and any tax that applies. The result is an estimate, not a final settlement figure. Use conservative numbers until written quotations arrive. Your conveyancer, lender, tax practitioner, municipality and body corporate remain the sources for transaction-specific figures. ## 1. Property-practitioner fee Agency fees are negotiable and should be recorded clearly in the mandate. Confirm the percentage or fixed amount, whether VAT is included, when the fee is earned and whether any extra marketing costs can be charged. Solace Realty’s published standard success fee is 3% of the achieved selling price excluding VAT, payable when the property is sold. Check the current fee page and your signed mandate for the terms that apply to your instruction. ## 2. Bond cancellation and early-termination costs If a mortgage bond is registered over the property, the bank must provide settlement figures and instruct a bond-cancellation attorney. Attorney charges and lender requirements vary. Ask your lender how much notice it requires before cancellation and whether an early-termination charge may apply. Give notice before the expected transfer date only after understanding the consequences; notice does not replace the formal cancellation process. ## 3. Compliance certificates and repairs The sale agreement and the property’s features determine which certificates are needed. An inspection can reveal remedial work that must be completed before a certificate is issued. Obtain written quotations and distinguish the inspection fee, repair cost and certificate fee. - Electrical compliance - Electric-fence compliance where an electric fence exists - Gas compliance where there is a qualifying gas installation - Water-installation or beetle requirements where contractually or locally applicable - Repairs specifically agreed in the offer to purchase ## 4. Municipal, levy and clearance amounts A conveyancer ordinarily obtains the figures needed for a rates-clearance certificate. The amount requested can include advance collections, arrears or other account items; the municipality later reconciles the account according to its process. For sectional-title or homeowners-association property, levy clearance and related certificate charges may apply. Special levies and amounts due under the sale agreement should be identified before offers are evaluated. ## 5. Capital gains tax may apply Capital gains tax is not a flat fee on the selling price. It depends on ownership, base cost, qualifying expenditure, use of the property, residence history and the seller’s tax position. SARS states that, from 2 March 2026, the primary-residence exclusion is R3 million of qualifying capital gain or loss. Conditions and apportionment rules apply. A property owned by a company or ordinary trust, used partly for trade, rented for part of the ownership period, or held by a non-resident needs careful advice. Keep purchase records and invoices for qualifying capital improvements, and consult a registered tax practitioner when the outcome may be material. ## 6. Preparation, marketing and moving Depending on your mandate, photography and portal marketing may be included or charged separately. Sellers may also choose to pay for cleaning, decluttering, storage, garden work, minor repairs, staging or security during viewings. Budget for removals, short-term storage, insurance changes, occupational-rent arrangements and temporary accommodation if occupation dates do not align. These are not transfer costs, but they affect the cash outcome of the move. ## Costs buyers usually carry Transfer duty, transfer-attorney costs and bond-registration costs are commonly buyer-side items, unless the agreement changes the allocation or a VAT treatment applies. Do not add buyer costs to your seller budget without checking the signed agreement. SARS publishes the current transfer-duty rules and brackets. ## Questions to ask before listing - What is the fee in rand at my target selling price, including VAT? - Which marketing services are included? - What does my lender require for bond cancellation? - Which certificates are likely to apply to this property? - Are there municipal, levy or special-levy issues to resolve? - Could CGT or non-resident withholding affect the proceeds? - What net amount remains under a realistic and a conservative scenario? ## About this guide Published by Solace Realty for general South African property education. Verify legal, tax, financial and Sharia-related decisions with appropriately qualified advisers.