Allow for cash needed beyond the deposit
A deposit is only one part of the cash required to settle a property purchase in Australia. Transfer duty, legal work, inspections, registration and lender charges can sit outside the purchase price and may affect how much cash is available at settlement.
This tool adds editable listed costs to a general transfer-duty estimate for NSW, Victoria or Queensland. Holding deposits, settlement adjustments, moving costs and a contingency for surprises may also need separate cash planning. It supports early budgeting only; exact liabilities and concessions depend on the property, buyer and current state rules.
How to read the results
Estimated buying costs is the sum of general transfer duty and the entered legal, inspection, registration and lender amounts. It is shown in addition to the deposit, not as a replacement for it.
General transfer duty is the state-rate calculation on the property price. Registration and lender costs combines those two entered fields, while indicative loan is price less deposit and does not confirm a lender will provide that amount. Keep a separate buffer rather than assuming every settlement cost has been captured.
Worked example
For the default NSW purchase price of $850,000 and $170,000 deposit, general transfer duty is $32,437. Adding $2,200 legal costs, $800 inspections and $1,400 registration, with no lender costs, gives estimated buying costs of $36,837.
The indicative loan is $680,000. In this example, the deposit and listed buying costs together require $206,837 before allowing for any other settlement adjustments or reserves.
Assumptions and limitations
- The estimate uses the selected state’s general transfer-duty schedule only.
- The buyer receives no first-home, pensioner, off-the-plan or other concession.
- Foreign purchaser surcharges and landholder, premium and property-specific rules are excluded.
- The $170,000 deposit is applied entirely to the purchase price.
- The loan amount is a simple price-minus-deposit figure and excludes capitalised fees.
Frequently asked questions
Are first-home buyer concessions included?
No. The result deliberately uses general rates and does not test eligibility for concessions or exemptions.
Why is my state not available?
This calculator currently estimates only NSW, VIC and QLD general transfer duty; choose Other only to show that a rate is unavailable.
Is LMI included automatically?
No. Enter any estimated LMI or other lender cost supplied to you; actual lender pricing and approval are separate.
This calculator and supporting information provide general estimates only. They do not take account of every product rule, tax consequence or personal circumstance and are not financial, tax, credit or legal advice.