Tax for Real Estate Agents Australia
This page is for employee real estate agents and property sales staff who want a practical guide to vehicle travel, phone use, client-facing expenses, inspections, and the personal presentation claims that are commonly overstated.
Quick answer: real estate agents can often claim eligible work travel, business-use phone and internet, and some work tools, but conventional clothing, grooming, and normal commuting are usually private. Because the role is mobile, record quality matters more than usual.
Common real estate deduction areas
Often relevant
- Car expenses for eligible trips to inspections, open homes, auctions, and other work locations
- Parking, tolls, and other deductible travel costs linked to deductible work trips
- Business-use mobile phone and internet costs
- Laptops, tablets, and photography or signage tools used in the current role
- Professional association fees and some training directly linked to current duties
Common traps
- Claiming home-to-office or home-to-regular-agency travel
- Claiming suits, dresses, shoes, cosmetics, or hairdressing
- Claiming client entertainment or private meals as work deductions
- Claiming 100% of phone use where private use is obvious
Travel and substantiation checkpoints
- Travel pattern: mobile roles still need a clear distinction between deductible work trips and private commuting.
- Phone use: keep enough evidence to support call, data, and internet apportionment.
- Equipment: tablets, cameras, and other tools may need decline-in-value treatment depending on cost.
- Employer support: remove any expenses your agency reimbursed or directly paid.
Start with these calculators
Tax return calculator
Estimate the refund impact of your eligible real-estate deductions.
Pay calculator
Check take-home pay across salary and commission-heavy pay structures.
Income tax calculator
Model taxable income outcomes before and after deductions.
Depreciation calculator
Use this when tablets, cameras, or other work assets need timing context.
Real estate tax FAQs
Can real estate agents claim car expenses?
Usually yes for eligible work trips such as inspections or travel between work locations. Standard commuting is usually private.
Can real estate agents claim clothing?
Usually no for conventional businesswear, even if your employer expects a polished appearance.
Can real estate agents claim phone and internet?
Often yes for the work-related portion where you paid the cost yourself and kept records.
Tax Accuracy & Sources
This page summarises common employee real-estate deduction patterns only. Actual outcomes depend on whether the trip is genuinely deductible, whether any allowance is assessable, whether the clothing is truly eligible, and whether private use has been properly apportioned.
Uses 2025-26 ATO rates.