How long does it take to sell a townhouse?

Cotality reports a median of 39 days to sell for capital city homes in September 2026, against 23 days a year before. That figure covers all homes, not townhouses. Add the settlement period, which NSW says is typically about six weeks after exchange.

How quickly can a strata or owners corporation certificate be obtained?

In Victoria any person can apply, and the owners corporation must issue its certificate within 10 business days of receiving the application and fee. The NSW page for buyers does not state a timeframe, so it is worth asking the strata manager early. In Queensland the body corporate certificate is among the documents a seller must give before the buyer signs.

Is the agent's commission negotiable?

NSW says you can negotiate commissions, fees and other expenses. Queensland says commission must be set in writing when the agent is appointed and is usually payable once the sale is unconditional. Neither state page gives a standard percentage. NSW says the agency agreement must set out the fee, the commission and any marketing costs the seller agrees to cover.

Is there a cooling-off period when selling?

In NSW there is a five working day cooling-off period for private treaty sales and none for auctions, and the NSW page says it can be waived with a lawyer's certificate. Victoria and Queensland have their own rules, so confirm them with a conveyancer or solicitor or on the state government site.

Do I pay tax when I sell?

It depends on use. A main residence may be exempt from capital gains tax, an investment townhouse generally is not, and rules for gains after 1 July 2027 are changing. The ATO and a registered tax agent can say how it applies to a particular sale.

What to expect when selling a townhouse

Selling a townhouse follows the same steps as selling any home, with one addition: if the townhouse is in a strata, owners corporation or body corporate scheme, the scheme's paperwork becomes part of the sale, and the rules differ by state. As at October 2026, Cotality reports that capital city homes took a median of 39 days to sell in September, against 23 days a year earlier, with settlement still to follow. This guide covers New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

In Queensland, if the required disclosure documents are not given, or are inaccurate or incomplete, the buyer may be able to end the contract at any time up to settlement. In Victoria, the owners corporation certificate has to go in the section 32 statement, and Consumer Affairs Victoria says those statements can be prepared up to 12 months before a sale.

Checked October 2026. Rules, rates and prices change, so confirm anything that matters with the source linked below.

The usual order of events

The NSW Government sets out these steps for sellers in New South Wales:

A lawyer or licensed conveyancer prepares the contract of sale.
The seller chooses private treaty or auction.
Contracts are exchanged, mostly electronically, and the buyer pays a deposit, usually 10% of the price unless a lesser sum is agreed.
A cooling-off period of five working days applies to private treaty sales, and none applies at auction.
Settlement is typically about six weeks after exchange and is done electronically.

NSW also says outstanding land tax must be resolved before settlement to avoid delays. Victoria and Queensland have their own steps and cooling-off rules, which are set out on the state government websites and should be confirmed with a conveyancer or solicitor.

Browse new townhouses

See the townhouse developments selling now, with bedrooms, prices and completion dates, city by city.

Strata and body corporate paperwork

State	What the seller deals with
Victoria	A seller of a lot in an owners corporation must include an owners corporation certificate and its accompanying documents in the section 32 (vendor's) statement. The certificate's attachments include the owners corporation rules, the prospective purchasers and lot owners information statement and the resolutions from the last annual general meeting.
New South Wales	A buyer can obtain a strata information certificate (a section 184 certificate) from a strata committee member or the managing agent under the owners corporation seal. It shows levies owed, committee and managing agent details, capital works proposals from the 10-year plan, and by-laws not yet registered. A fee is payable.
Queensland	From 1 August 2025, a seller must give the buyer a completed disclosure statement (Form 2) and prescribed certificates before the buyer signs. For a lot in a community titles scheme that includes a community management statement and a body corporate certificate.
Freehold townhouse with no scheme	There are no scheme certificates, though the other contract documents, such as the title search and plan, still apply.

In Victoria any person can apply in writing for an owners corporation certificate, the fee cannot exceed the prescribed fee, and the corporation must issue it within 10 business days of receiving the application and fee. The NSW page does not give a timeframe. The owners corporation certificate guide explains the Victorian document in more detail. WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT have their own processes, so check the state authority.

A buyer's strata report covers similar ground, so the same questions about levies, repairs and disputes tend to come back to the seller.

What selling costs

Agent commission. NSW says commission is negotiable and the written agency agreement must state the fee and commission. Queensland says commission must be set in writing when the agent is appointed, is usually payable once the sale is unconditional, and suggests asking two or three agents for a listing presentation.
Marketing and other expenses. NSW says agents may ask the seller to cover advertising, auctioneering, cleaning, decorating or landscaping, and the agreement must specify them. Queensland notes advertising is not usually part of commission.
Legal costs. A solicitor or licensed conveyancer prepares and manages the contract.
Scheme certificates. These carry fees, as noted above.
Outstanding land tax and levies. NSW says outstanding land tax must be resolved before settlement to avoid delays, and levies owing for the lot appear on the scheme certificate.

Tax when a townhouse is sold

The tax result depends on how the townhouse was used. The ATO's main residence exemption covers a home that was the owner's main residence, and the exemption can be reduced where the home earned income. For an investment townhouse, the ATO says an individual can reduce a capital gain by 50% if they owned it for at least 12 months and are an Australian resident for tax purposes.

The Budget explainer says the 50% discount is being replaced from 1 July 2027 by cost base indexation and a 30% minimum tax rate, applying to gains that accrue after that date. For an asset owned before 1 July 2027 and sold after, gains to 1 July 2027 are treated under the current rules and later gains under the new ones, using the value on 1 July 2027. The ATO says commissions and other costs of selling are not deductible against rent, and that capital works deductions that were claimed must be taken into account in working out the capital gain or loss. A seller who was able to claim capital works begun after 26 February 1992 should also give the buyer a capital works notice within six months after the income year of the sale. A registered tax agent can run the numbers for a particular sale.

What buyers ask for

Buyers commonly ask for the scheme certificate and its attachments, the by-laws or rules, the minutes and financial statements, a building and pest inspection, and details of any planned capital works or disputes. In a market with more choice for buyers, Cotality says homes are taking longer to sell and vendors are having to become more realistic about price. The resale value guide covers what shapes the price, and selling an off-the-plan property before settlement covers that case.

Common questions

How long does it take to sell a townhouse?: Cotality reports a median of 39 days to sell for capital city homes in September 2026, against 23 days a year before. That figure covers all homes, not townhouses. Add the settlement period, which NSW says is typically about six weeks after exchange.
How quickly can a strata or owners corporation certificate be obtained?: In Victoria any person can apply, and the owners corporation must issue its certificate within 10 business days of receiving the application and fee. The NSW page for buyers does not state a timeframe, so it is worth asking the strata manager early. In Queensland the body corporate certificate is among the documents a seller must give before the buyer signs.
Is the agent's commission negotiable?: NSW says you can negotiate commissions, fees and other expenses. Queensland says commission must be set in writing when the agent is appointed and is usually payable once the sale is unconditional. Neither state page gives a standard percentage. NSW says the agency agreement must set out the fee, the commission and any marketing costs the seller agrees to cover.
Is there a cooling-off period when selling?: In NSW there is a five working day cooling-off period for private treaty sales and none for auctions, and the NSW page says it can be waived with a lawyer's certificate. Victoria and Queensland have their own rules, so confirm them with a conveyancer or solicitor or on the state government site.
Do I pay tax when I sell?: It depends on use. A main residence may be exempt from capital gains tax, an investment townhouse generally is not, and rules for gains after 1 July 2027 are changing. The ATO and a registered tax agent can say how it applies to a particular sale.

Keep reading

Sources

This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Get advice that suits your situation before you buy.