Updated November 2026. Short, sourced answers to the questions people ask most about who pays a real estate agent, and when. Rules read on nar.realtor on November 5, 2026.
Who pays the real estate agent? The seller pays the listing agent out of the sale proceeds at closing. The buyer’s agent is paid under the buyer’s written agreement: by the buyer, or by the seller if the seller agrees to it. That’s been the rule since August 17, 2024. As one benchmark, Redfin put the average buyer’s agent fee at 2.42% in Q3 2025.
Jump to: 📋 Quick table · 🤝 Who pays · 💵 How agents get paid · 🏠 No agent on one side · 💲 What it costs · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- The seller pays the listing agent, as set in the listing agreement.
- The buyer’s agent gets paid under a written buyer agreement signed before touring.
- A seller can still agree to cover the buyer’s agent, but offers can’t sit on the MLS since August 17, 2024.
- The money goes to the brokerage first, then the brokerage pays the agent.
- No agent on a side means no fee for that side.
This page is built as a set of quick answers. Each one is short on purpose, and each links to the guide that goes deeper. If you want the full money trail at closing, our explainer on who pays realtor fees walks through it.
Who pays which agent? The quick table
| Situation | Who pays the listing side | Who pays the buyer’s side |
|---|---|---|
| Both sides use an agent | Seller | Buyer, or seller if the seller agrees |
| Buyer has no agent | Seller | Nobody, there’s no buyer’s agent |
| Seller sells by owner, buyer has an agent | Nobody | Buyer, or seller if the seller agrees |
| One agent works with both sides, where state law allows it | Set in the written agreements; ask before you sign | |
| Seller uses a flat fee MLS listing | Seller pays the flat fee up front | Buyer, or seller if the seller agrees |
For odd cases like new construction, estates and short sales, see who pays commission in special situations.
Who pays the real estate agent in a home sale?
Does the seller pay the agent?
The seller pays the agent who lists the home. The fee is written in the listing agreement, and it comes out of the seller’s proceeds at closing. The seller doesn’t write a separate check.
Does the buyer pay their own agent now?
Sometimes. Under NAR’s practice changes, MLS agents who work with a buyer need a written agreement before touring a home. That agreement says what the agent gets paid. If the seller agrees to cover some or all of it, the buyer owes less. If not, the buyer pays it, often at closing if the lender allows.
Can the buyer ask the seller to pay?
Yes. A buyer can ask for it in the offer, as compensation for their agent or as a credit toward closing costs. The seller can say yes, no or meet in the middle. It’s a negotiation, like the price.
Did the 2024 settlement end seller-paid commissions?
No. It moved where the offer is made. Since August 17, 2024, offers of compensation to buyer’s agents can’t appear on the MLS (NAR settlement FAQs). Sellers can still offer it off the MLS. For the full timeline, see when the commission rules changed.
How does a real estate agent actually get paid?
Does the agent get the whole fee?
Usually not. The fee goes to the agent’s brokerage, which then pays the agent their share under their own contract. Here’s how much a broker takes from an agent’s commission. Florida law is a clear example: a sales associate may not collect a commission except in the name of their employing broker (section 475.42, Florida Statutes). Other states have similar rules. How the brokerage splits it is covered in how commission gets split.
When does the agent get paid?
At closing, in most sales. The title company, escrow agent or closing attorney pays each brokerage from the funds at the table. If the deal falls apart, the agreements decide what’s owed, which is why when commission is paid is worth reading before you sign.
Where does it show on my closing papers?
On the Closing Disclosure and the settlement statement, as a line for each brokerage. The lender must give a borrower the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing, per the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Our guide to where commission shows on the Closing Disclosure reads it line by line.
What if one side has no agent?
Then nobody gets paid for that side. If you sell by owner, there’s no listing commission. If the buyer comes without an agent, there’s no buyer’s agent to pay.
It happens more often than people think. About 36% of Beycome sales closed in 2026 so far had a buyer with no agent; the seller found the buyer directly (Beycome internal data, 2026). Our guide on selling to a buyer with no agent covers what changes in the contract.
How does it work on a Beycome listing?
Beycome charges a flat fee, earned when the listing goes live on the MLS. Nothing more is owed to Beycome at closing, even if you find the buyer yourself. Beycome doesn’t set, collect or pay the buyer’s agent. If a buyer’s agent asks to be paid, you negotiate it directly with that agent and sign a written agreement Beycome isn’t part of. A free template, “Compensation Agreement – Seller to Buyer’s Broker”, is in Legal Forms in your dashboard.
Calls about your home come in on Beycome’s 844 line with your extension. They’re forwarded to you with the caller’s details, also sent by text, so your own number stays off the listing. Offers arrive in the dashboard, where you sign them online. Whichever route you pick, see whether your agent has to show you every offer.
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Buy a home →What does the real estate agent cost?
No law sets it. As a public benchmark for the buyer’s side, Redfin measured these averages for Q3 2025 (Redfin, December 8, 2025):
| Sale price | Average buyer’s agent fee | On NAR’s $417,500 median |
|---|---|---|
| All homes | 2.42% | $10,104 |
| Under $500,000 | 2.52% | $10,521 |
| $500,000 to $999,999 | 2.32% | Not applicable |
| $1 million and up | 2.22% | Not applicable |
These are examples only. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules, and they’re negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation, and how much. Since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS. The median price is from NAR’s September 2026 existing-home sales.
The listing side is agreed separately. Rates vary by market and by how much the agent does. For percentages on other prices, see real estate commission percentages, and for each state, commission by state in 2026. Rate tables on Bankrate help you see how fees and loan costs add up.
How can you pay less?
Sellers can compare quotes, choose a limited-service listing, or list on the MLS for a flat fee. Beycome puts your home on the major home search sites and the MLS, from $99 in most states (see your state page on flat fee MLS listings), with $0 due to Beycome at closing. Want an expert working with you, always on your side? Concierge (see current price) adds that, and every decision stays yours. Beycome has helped 22,000+ homeowners save over $225 million (Beycome internal data, October 2026).
Buyers can negotiate their agent’s fee before signing the buyer agreement, or look at a rebate. The Beycome buyer program has no upfront fee. Beycome keeps 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. It’s open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents; the credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers. Rebate rules vary by state, and it isn’t offered where state law bars it.
For contract basics in plain English, the Nolo legal resource library is a good start. The National Association of Realtors publishes consumer guides on the buyer agreement too.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays the real estate agent when you buy a house?
The buyer pays under their written agreement with the agent, unless the seller agrees to cover some or all of it. Many buyers ask for that in the offer.
Who pays the real estate agent when you sell a house?
The seller pays the listing agent from the sale proceeds at closing. Paying the buyer’s agent is the seller’s choice and is negotiated.
Does the buyer or seller pay the realtor fees?
Each side’s fee is set with the person that agent works for. The seller pays the listing side. The buyer’s side is paid by the buyer, the seller, or both, as agreed in writing.
Is the agent paid if the sale doesn’t close?
Usually not, since most fees are due at closing. Read your agreement: some set out what’s owed if you cancel or back out.
Who pays the agent in a for sale by owner sale?
There’s no listing agent to pay. If the buyer has an agent, the buyer pays them, unless the seller agrees to cover it.
Does the agent keep the whole commission?
No. It’s paid to the brokerage, which pays the agent their share under their contract.
Is real estate commission set by law?
No. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules, and every fee is negotiable.
Rules: NAR settlement FAQs, read November 5, 2026. Commission averages: Redfin press release of December 8, 2025 (Q3 2025 data), read November 5, 2026. Median price: NAR existing-home sales for September 2026, read November 5, 2026. Florida broker rule: section 475.42(1)(d), Florida Statutes. All percentages and dollar figures are examples only. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are negotiable; sellers choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation, and how much; since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
Beycome prices change over time: see your state page or /concierge for the current price. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; taxes, title and any buyer-agent compensation you agree to still apply. The 36% own-buyer share is Beycome internal data for 2026 sales so far, not a promise. Buyer credit: minimum $1,499, lender approval, homes listed by other agents only; rules vary by state. General information, not legal advice.
Sources
- NAR, settlement FAQs, read November 5, 2026.
- Redfin, average buyer’s agent commission, December 8, 2025, read November 5, 2026.
- NAR, Existing-Home Sales, September 2026, read November 5, 2026.
- Florida Statutes, section 475.42, read November 5, 2026.
- CFPB, What is a Closing Disclosure?, read November 5, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features and listing agreement, November 2026.
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