See exactly what the commission costs on your sale, how it splits between the two agents, and what you actually walk away with after payoff and closing costs.
Each row below assumes a seller who owes a mortgage payoff, pays typical seller-side closing costs, and splits the total commission with the buyer's agent. Click any example button above the calculator to load the same scenario and see how the net proceeds change.
| Scenario | Sale Price | Total Commission | Seller Agent | Buyer Agent | Net Proceeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical 5.5% split | $500,000 | $27,500 | $13,750 | $13,750 | $254,500 |
| Low 4% commission | $500,000 | $20,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $262,000 |
| High 7% commission | $500,000 | $35,000 | $17,500 | $17,500 | $247,000 |
| FSBO, no listing agent | $500,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $282,000 |
On a $500,000 sale with a 5.5% total commission, the commission bill is $27,500. Split 50/50 that is $13,750 to each agent. After paying off a $300,000 mortgage and roughly $8,000 of other seller closing costs, the net proceeds land near $254,500 - the real number that reaches your bank account.
The gap between the 4% and the 7% scenario is $15,000 on the same sale price. That is the entire negotiation range, and it is why the rate line on your listing agreement is the single most valuable number to review before you sign.
These are national-regional averages reported for 2026 and are shown for context only. Your actual rate depends on your market, your home's price point, and what your brokerage offers.
| Region | Average Total Commission | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 5.2% | 4.5% - 6.0% | Higher prices; more co-op flexibility |
| South | 5.6% | 5.0% - 6.5% | Highest average; fast-moving markets |
| Midwest | 5.4% | 4.75% - 6.0% | Flat-fee brokerages common |
| West | 5.3% | 4.5% - 6.0% | Wide spread between metros |
Before 2024, listing brokers typically offered a blanket, pre-set commission to any buyer's agent through the MLS. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) settlement, effective in August 2024, changed that practice. Buyers and their agents must now sign a written buyer agreement before touring a home, and buyer-agent compensation is negotiated separately rather than automatically offered through the MLS. Listing-side commission is still negotiated with your listing agent and remains fully negotiable.
The listing-side commission is what you pay your own agent to market the home, list it, run showings, and negotiate offers. The buyer-side commission is what the buyer's agent earns for representing the buyer. In a traditional deal both are paid out of the sale proceeds at closing, which is why the "total commission" line on your settlement statement can read 5-6% even though two different brokers are being paid.
This calculator applies all of it against the sale price and subtracts the other costs you tell it about, so the net proceeds figure reflects what actually lands in your pocket - not just the headline commission.
| Structure | Typical Rate | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional | 5% - 6% | Listing + buyer agent, paid at closing | Full-service, competitive markets |
| Flat Fee | $3,000 - $6,000 | Fixed fee to list on MLS, buyer agent separate | Sellers who can handle showings |
| Discount Brokerage | 1% - 1.5% | Reduced listing side, a-la-carte services | Price-confident sellers |
| FSBO | 0% | Seller handles everything; no listing agent | Experienced sellers, hot markets |
1. Ask what the rate covers. A 6% rate that includes professional photography, staging help, and a full marketing plan may be better value than a 4.5% rate that includes a sign and an MLS listing.
2. Separate the two sides. Since the settlement, you can negotiate the listing side and the buyer side independently. Ask your agent what they charge to represent you alone, then decide what, if anything, to offer a buyer's agent.
3. Compare tiers. Many brokerages offer a lower rate above a certain price point or for a quick sale. Ask directly - the first quote is rarely the final one.
4. Weigh the net, not the rate. A discount agent who sells your home for 3% less than a full-service agent costs you far more than the commission you saved. Compare expected net proceeds, not headline percentages.
The 2024 NAR settlement reshaped how buyer-agent compensation is handled in most U.S. markets. Under the new rules, a buyer's agent must have a written buyer agreement in place before showing a home, and that agreement must state what the buyer's agent will be paid. Compensation is negotiable separately and is no longer automatically offered through the MLS listings that consumers see.
For sellers, the practical effect is more transparency and more choices. You can still agree to contribute toward the buyer's agent's fee as part of the negotiation, and many sellers do because it widens the pool of buyers. But that contribution is now an explicit, itemized line you agree to rather than a hidden default baked into the listing agreement.
Listing-side commission has always been negotiable, and it still is. What changed is the buyer side: if you choose to pay nothing toward the buyer's agent, buyers must cover their own agent's fee, which can affect how their offer is structured or financed.
The commission rate matters, but so does the price point it is applied to. Here is what a 5.5% total commission looks like across a range of sale prices, split 50/50 between the two agents.
| Sale Price | Total Commission (5.5%) | Seller Agent (50%) | Buyer Agent (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $13,750 | $6,875 | $6,875 |
| $400,000 | $22,000 | $11,000 | $11,000 |
| $500,000 | $27,500 | $13,750 | $13,750 |
| $750,000 | $41,250 | $20,625 | $20,625 |
| $1,000,000 | $55,000 | $27,500 | $27,500 |
| $1,500,000 | $82,500 | $41,250 | $41,250 |
Notice that the dollar gap between a 4% and a 7% commission widens dramatically as the price rises: on a $250,000 home the difference is $7,500, but on a $1,500,000 home it is $45,000. That is why high-price markets see the most aggressive commission negotiation.
⚠️ Important: This calculator provides estimates for planning purposes only. Actual commissions, closing costs, and net proceeds vary by market, brokerage agreement, state law, title and transfer-tax rules, and the terms you negotiate. Buyer-agent compensation rules after the 2024 NAR settlement vary by state and by transaction. Your binding figures are those on your listing agreement and your final settlement statement (Closing Disclosure). This is not financial, legal, or tax advice.