Why More Canberra Homeowners Are Looking Beyond Traditional Agents

Selling a home in Canberra has traditionally meant appointing an agent, agreeing to a large commission, and handing over control of the process. But that model is starting to shift.

More homeowners are now questioning whether traditional real estate structures still make sense, particularly when it comes to cost, transparency, and control. As a result, many are actively searching for better ways to sell their home, including lower-fee options and more flexible, modern platforms.

For sale by owner (FSBO) platforms have been available for years, they currently account for 1% of sales in Australia. However, they’ve always relied on the seller being educated in and confident with the sales process. There’s now a new breed of platforms hitting the market that fill the gap between FSBO and the traditional agent model.

Rising real estate fees in Canberra

One key reason homeowners are reconsidering the traditional model is cost.

In Canberra, real estate agent fees vary between 1.5% and 3% of the sale price, with the average being 2.2%. When combined with styling, photography and vendor-paid advertising expenses, the total costs of selling are significant.

On a typical $1m home sale, a commission of 2.2% is $22,000, and an average marketing campaign is around $6,500 paid on top of the commission.

For many sellers, this raises a simple question: Why should selling a home cost so much in the first place?

This is where interest in low-commission, fixed price models or alternative for sale by owner (DIY) models is garnering support. Homeowners are looking for ways to reduce fees without sacrificing exposure, the sale price, or professional support.

A shift in expectations: control and transparency

Beyond cost, expectations around the selling experience are changing. According to the Australian Governance Institute’s 2025 report (2025 Ethics Index), real estate agents are recognised as the least trusted profession in Australia.

At the same time, homeowners have access to more property market data and digital tools than ever before. Buyers are also becoming increasingly informed and are looking for a more transparent and engaging experience.

As a result, many sellers are more comfortable taking an active role in the sales process, particularly when technology makes it easy to stay informed in real time. Rather than relying on periodic updates from an agent, sellers increasingly want direct visibility over:

• Buyer enquiries
• Offers and negotiations
• Campaign performance
• Communication history

This growing demand for transparency and involvement is a key reason more Australians are exploring alternative ways to sell their homes. Traditional agency models don't always provide the level of visibility and control that modern sellers expect, prompting many homeowners to look for new approaches that better align with their needs.

“Sale by agent” vs “For sale by owner”

There are typically two paths that homeowners consider when they start exploring alternatives.

The first is the traditional approach: appointing a real estate agent, paying commission and being completely hands-off in the process. The second is more independent, where sellers market and sell the house themselves, managing the listing process and negotiations on their own.

But both approaches come with trade-offs.

Selling privately can reduce costs, but it also means taking on legal, marketing, and negotiation responsibilities alone. Selling without an agent can also restrict where your property can be advertised. For example, realestate.com.au does not allow private sellers to list directly on their site.

On the other hand, traditional agents provide support, but often at a higher cost and with less visibility over day-to-day activity.

This gap between sale by agent and sale by owner is significant, and this is now creating strong demand for a third option that sits somewhere in the middle.

The rise of low-commission and hybrid platforms

A growing number of Canberra homeowners are now exploring hybrid solutions that sit between full DIY selling and traditional agency models.

These platforms typically allow sellers to:

• Stay in control of their listing and communication
• Access professional support when needed
• Reduce overall selling costs
• Manage enquiries and offers in real time

Instead of a fixed commission structure, the focus shifts toward lower, more transparent fees and a more streamlined process.

This is where interest in a lower cost and more transparent alternatives is accelerating, particularly among homeowners who feel traditional fees no longer reflect the value provided.

What modern selling looks like

New platforms like Lystr are built around a simple idea: selling your home doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive.

Technology can replace most of what a traditional real estate agent offers, whilst providing efficiencies in delivery, better compliance, improved transparency, speed and control. It also provides insights and education along the way, de-mystifying the sales process.

Rather than handing everything over to an agent, sellers are guided through a structured process that typically includes:

• Understanding your home’s value and establishing a sales price
• Preparing the home for market with guided support
• Launching a listing across major portals
• Managing enquiries directly in real time
• Facilitating direct conversations between buyers and sellers while protecting privacy
• Receiving and negotiating offers with assistance
• Completing settlement with professional coordination

The key difference is visibility. Sellers are no longer removed from the process; they're part of it, with support available when needed.

This approach appeals to homeowners who want the benefits of a professionally supported sale without the traditional cost structure.

As a result, more sellers are questioning the value offered by the traditional agency model. Historically, agents have justified their fees by claiming they can achieve a higher sale price or a faster sale. However, as access to property data, marketing tools and buyer insights continues to improve, many homeowners are reassessing whether those costs are necessary.

Recent sales achieved through Lystr demonstrate that sellers can achieve strong outcomes while maintaining greater involvement in the process and significantly reducing their selling costs.

Why Canberra is leading this shift

Canberra’s property market has unique characteristics that make it particularly suited to alternative selling models:

• A high proportion of digitally savvy homeowners
• Strong property values, amplifying commission costs
• A growing expectation of transparency in financial transactions
• Increased familiarity with online-first services across industries

As a result, more homeowners are actively researching how to sell their homes in ways that are more efficient and cost-effective.

A more balanced way to sell

The shift away from traditional agents doesn’t necessarily mean rejecting professional support altogether. Instead, it reflects a desire for balance.

Homeowners still want guidance, negotiation support, and market expertise, but they also want control, transparency, and fairer pricing.

That’s why hybrid platforms are gaining traction. They offer a middle ground between going it alone and paying full commission, giving sellers more flexibility over how they approach one of their biggest financial decisions.

Final thoughts

The way homes are sold in Canberra is evolving. While traditional agents still play a major role in the market, more homeowners are actively exploring alternatives that offer better value, clearer processes, and greater control.

Whether it’s reducing real estate fees or simply finding a smarter way to sell your home, the trend is clear: sellers want more from the experience, and they’re starting to expect it.

As these expectations continue to shift, platforms like Lystr are helping redefine what selling a home can look like: simpler, more transparent, and far more cost-efficient than before.

Get started with Lystr