Updated November 2026. South Carolina commission math by region, with Zillow’s September 2026 values and the latest dated national commission figures.
South Carolina has no official average real estate commission rate, as of November 2026. No law or agency tracks it, and every rate is negotiable. The closest dated benchmark is national: Redfin put the average buyer’s agent commission at 2.42% in late 2025, and 2.52% on homes under $500,000. On the state’s typical $304,300 home, each 1% equals $3,043.
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Key takeaways
- Commission in South Carolina is set by the listing agreement you sign, not by state law, the MLS or NAR rules.
- Redfin’s national average for the buyer’s side was 2.42% in the third quarter of 2025, published December 8, 2025.
- A 1% swing is worth $2,271 in Columbia and $5,875 in Charleston on typical values (Zillow, September 2026).
- Selling by owner or with a flat fee listing changes the listing-side cost. Whether to offer a buyer’s agent anything is your call either way.
This page is about commission. For the full by-owner process, read our guide on how to sell a house without a realtor in South Carolina. For package details and the local price, see the South Carolina flat fee MLS page.
What is the average real estate commission rate in South Carolina?
There isn’t a published one. South Carolina’s licensing law doesn’t set a rate, and neither do the regional MLSs or the REALTOR associations. Any page quoting a precise “South Carolina average” is estimating. We’d rather show you what’s measured and dated.
Here’s the best recent data we found. It’s national, from Redfin’s December 8, 2025 report on closed sales in the third quarter of 2025:
| Home price | Average buyer’s agent commission |
|---|---|
| All homes | 2.42% |
| Under $500,000 | 2.52% |
| $500,000 to $999,999 | 2.32% |
| $1 million or more | 2.22% |
Notice the pattern. The rate tends to drop as the price rises. Most South Carolina homes fall in the under-$500,000 tier, so 2.52% is the closer national marker for them.
Those numbers cover the buyer’s side only. The listing agent’s fee is a separate line in your listing agreement. We haven’t found a dated public source for an average listing-side rate, so we don’t print one. Our post on average real estate commission by state explains why no state has an official figure.
How much is commission on a South Carolina home, by region?
A percentage means little until it’s in dollars. Here’s what one point of commission, and Redfin’s tier average for the buyer’s side, come to on typical values in each part of the state (Zillow Research, September 2026).
| City | Typical value | Each 1% | Buyer’s side at the tier average | 5% total, example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $227,100 | $2,271 | $5,723 (2.52%) | $11,355 |
| Myrtle Beach | $323,000 | $3,230 | $8,140 (2.52%) | $16,150 |
| Greenville | $328,500 | $3,285 | $8,278 (2.52%) | $16,425 |
| Charleston | $587,500 | $5,875 | $13,630 (2.32%) | $29,375 |
| Hilton Head Island | $781,900 | $7,819 | $18,140 (2.32%) | $39,095 |
The 5% column is an example only, not a typical or recommended rate. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any buyer-agent compensation, and how much. Since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS, per NAR’s settlement FAQs.
For every state side by side, see the 2026 commission table by state. Selling on the coast? Our Charleston flat fee MLS ranking compares local options service by service.
Who pays the real estate commission when you sell in South Carolina?
The seller pays the listing agent, under the listing agreement. The buyer’s agent is a different story since the 2024 NAR settlement. Buyers now sign a written agreement with their own agent that states the fee. The seller may agree to cover some or all of it, but doesn’t have to.
In practice, it often comes up in the offer. A buyer asks you to pay their agent, or asks for a credit toward it. You can say yes, no or meet in the middle. Our explainer on who pays the buyer’s agent commission covers the options in more detail.
Can you negotiate commission in South Carolina?
Yes, always. Ask agents for their rate in writing, and ask what it buys: photos, MLS listing, showings, open houses, negotiation help. Compare the same services side by side. Some sellers happily pay a full-service fee for a fast, hands-off sale. Others want to handle more themselves and pay less. Both are fair choices.
What does a FSBO or flat fee seller pay in South Carolina?
Do you need a realtor to sell in South Carolina? No, it’s not required; it’s your choice. If you sell by owner, there’s no listing-side commission. You do the pricing, marketing and showings. The catch is reach: most buyers work with agents who search the MLS.
A flat fee listing sits in between. Beycome Basic is from $99 in most states (see your state page). Beycome is a full platform to sell, buy and close, so your home goes to the major home search sites and your regional MLS, and $0 is due to Beycome at closing. You keep the decisions and the choice on buyer-agent pay. Prefer an expert to work with you on offers and paperwork? Concierge (see current price) keeps you in control of every call. Beycome has helped 22,000+ sell, a pace of a home sold every 30 minutes (Beycome internal data, October 2026).
| On a $304,300 home | Full-service, 5% example | Flat fee listing | FSBO, no MLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing side | About $7,600 (2.5% example) | Flat fee, $0 at closing | $0 |
| Buyer’s agent, if you offer it | About $7,600 (2.5% example) | Your choice | Your choice |
| On the MLS | Yes | Yes | No |
| Who runs showings and offers | Your agent | You, with Artur AI | You |
The commission splits in this table are examples. They’re negotiable and not set by law or NAR rules.
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Buy a home →What other costs do South Carolina sellers pay besides commission?
Deed recording fee. It’s $1.85 for each $500 of value under S.C. Code 12-24-10. On a $304,300 sale, that’s about $1,127.
Closing attorney. The South Carolina Supreme Court has held that a lawyer must supervise title work, closing, recording and disbursing funds (opinion 25508). Budget for that fee.
Property tax. A legal residence is taxed on a 4% ratio and most other homes on 6% (S.C. Code 12-43-220). Taxes are prorated at closing. Need your parcel number? Here’s how to find your South Carolina property tax ID.
Nonresident withholding. If you live out of state, the buyer withholds state income tax at closing under S.C. Code 12-8-580, unless an exception applies. An affidavit of your gain can shrink it.
Disclosure. Most owners give the buyer the Real Estate Commission’s disclosure form under Title 27, Chapter 50. It costs nothing but time.
Want a worked net sheet? Our Columbia, SC listing guide subtracts each cost from a typical sale. For the contract itself, see drafting a FSBO contract in South Carolina, and compare by-owner sites in the 2026 ranking of FSBO websites in South Carolina.
Nationally, homes sold in a median of about a month in September 2026 (NAR). If you’re ready to price yours, start with what your home is worth, then see the South Carolina listing options or read more about selling by owner in South Carolina.
FAQ: real estate commission in South Carolina
What is the average real estate commission rate in South Carolina?
There’s no official South Carolina average. The latest dated benchmark is national: Redfin’s average buyer’s agent commission was 2.42% in the third quarter of 2025, and 2.52% on homes under $500,000.
Is real estate commission set by law in South Carolina?
No. Commission isn’t set by state law, the MLS or NAR rules. It’s agreed in writing between you and the agent, and it’s negotiable.
Do sellers have to pay the buyer’s agent in South Carolina?
No. Sellers choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation and how much. Since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
How much is a 3% commission on a $300,000 house?
$9,000. That’s an example only: rates are negotiable and not set by law or NAR rules.
Can I sell my house in South Carolina without paying commission?
Yes. Selling by owner means no listing-side commission, and a flat fee listing replaces it with a set fee. You still decide separately whether to offer a buyer’s agent anything.
Who pays closing costs in South Carolina?
It depends on the contract. Sellers usually pay the deed recording fee of $1.85 per $500, their attorney and their share of property tax. Buyers usually pay their loan and title costs.
Is commission lower on expensive South Carolina homes?
Often, as a percentage. Redfin’s national data showed 2.22% for the buyer’s side on homes of $1 million or more, versus 2.52% under $500,000.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026. Commission figures: Redfin, Q3 2025 national data, published December 8, 2025. All commission percentages here are examples only: commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are negotiable; sellers choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation, which can’t be shown on the MLS since August 17, 2024.
Beycome prices as of November 2026 and subject to change; see your state page. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; deed recording fees, attorney fees, taxes and any buyer-agent compensation you agree to still apply. Beycome Title doesn’t close in South Carolina. Beycome lists in 17 states and DC. General information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources
- Redfin, average buyer’s agent commission, Q3 2025, published December 8, 2025.
- NAR, settlement FAQs, read October 27, 2026.
- Zillow Research, ZHVI, September 2026 snapshot.
- S.C. Code Title 12, Chapter 24, deed recording fee, read October 27, 2026.
- S.C. Code 12-43-220, assessment ratios, read October 27, 2026.
- S.C. Code 12-8-580, nonresident withholding, read October 27, 2026.
- S.C. Code Title 27, Chapter 50, disclosure, read October 27, 2026.
- South Carolina Supreme Court, opinion 25508.
- NAR, existing-home sales for September 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, November 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
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