How Much Is Real Estate Commission on a House?
July 17, 2026
When people ask how much commission is on a house, they usually want one number for their own price. The rate is a percentage, so the dollar figure moves with the sale price. This piece turns the percentage into real numbers at every common price, so you can find yours in a table instead of doing the math in your head.
The one number to start with
Commission is charged as a percentage of the final sale price, not a flat fee. As of a February 2026 survey of 533 agents, the national average total commission is 5.70% of the sale price. It usually splits into two halves, roughly 2.88% to the listing agent and about 2.82% to the buyer's agent.
So the quick estimate is simple: multiply your sale price by 5.7%. On a $400,000 home that is $22,800. But rates are negotiable and vary by market, so it helps to see a few rates side by side.
Commission by home price
Here is the total commission at three common rates: 5%, the 5.70% national average, and 6%. Find your price on the left and read across.
| Sale price | At 5% | At 5.70% | At 6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $10,000 | $11,400 | $12,000 |
| $250,000 | $12,500 | $14,250 | $15,000 |
| $300,000 | $15,000 | $17,100 | $18,000 |
| $350,000 | $17,500 | $19,950 | $21,000 |
| $400,000 | $20,000 | $22,800 | $24,000 |
| $450,000 | $22,500 | $25,650 | $27,000 |
| $500,000 | $25,000 | $28,500 | $30,000 |
| $600,000 | $30,000 | $34,200 | $36,000 |
| $750,000 | $37,500 | $42,750 | $45,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $50,000 | $57,000 | $60,000 |
The gap between the columns is the reason rate matters. On a $500,000 sale, moving from 6% to 5% saves $5,000. That is why the rate is worth a conversation before you sign a listing agreement.
Who pays it
On a traditional sale the seller pays the full commission out of the sale proceeds, and it covers both agents. The buyer does not write a commission check, though the cost is effectively baked into the price. If you are the one selling, this comes straight off your bottom line, which is why it lands as the single largest cost of selling for most people. For a fuller look at who pays and why, see who pays realtor fees.
One thing did shift recently. After the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent pay is no longer advertised the old way, and buyers and sellers negotiate those terms more openly. That has nudged some deals below the old 5 to 6 percent norm. The rundown in what the NAR settlement changed covers how that plays out at the table.
Commission is not your only selling cost
The commission table above is the biggest number, but it is not the whole bill. Sellers also pay closing costs, usually 1% to 3% of the price, for things like title insurance, escrow or attorney fees, transfer taxes, and prorated property taxes. And if you still owe on a mortgage, that payoff comes out before you see a dollar.
To see what you actually walk away with, run your numbers through the net proceeds calculator. It takes the sale price, subtracts commission and closing costs and your loan balance, and shows the real take-home figure. That is the number that matters, not the sale price on the sign.
How to lower the commission
The rate is not fixed, and there are a few honest ways to bring it down:
- Ask. The simplest lever. Many agents will come off the top rate, especially in a hot market or on a higher-priced home where their cut is already large.
- Bundle. If you are selling one home and buying another with the same agent, you have room to negotiate a lower rate on the pair.
- Compare offers. Rates vary between agents and brokerages in the same town. Talking to two or three surfaces the range fast.
- Consider the trade-offs of selling without an agent. Going FSBO skips the listing side of the commission, though it puts the work and risk on you.
For the full playbook on talking rate, read how to negotiate real estate commission. If you are weighing selling on your own, the FSBO savings calculator shows what you would keep and what you would take on.
Run your exact number
The table covers round prices, but your home has a specific one. Drop your real sale price and rate into the commission calculator and it returns the total, the split between the two agents, and what each side earns. Pair it with the net proceeds calculator and you have both halves of the picture: what the sale costs in commission, and what you keep after everything else comes out.
Common questions
How much is commission on a $300,000 house? At the 5.70% national average it is $17,100. At 5% it is $15,000, and at 6% it is $18,000. The rate is negotiable, so the exact figure depends on your agreement.
How much is commission on a $500,000 house? About $28,500 at the 5.70% average, ranging from $25,000 at 5% to $30,000 at 6%.
Is the commission split between two agents? Usually yes. The total is typically divided between the listing agent and the buyer's agent, close to an even split, though the exact division is set in the listing agreement.
Does the buyer or seller pay commission? The seller pays it out of the sale proceeds on a traditional deal, and it covers both agents. The cost is effectively built into the price the buyer pays.
Can you negotiate the commission rate? Yes. Rates vary by agent and market and are negotiable. Even a half-point cut is real money: on a $500,000 sale, dropping from 6% to 5.5% saves $2,500.