Who Pays Realtor Commission, and How to Reduce It (2026)

Updated October 2026. For sellers and buyers who want to know who pays the realtor commission, and how to pay less of it.

In most home sales, the seller pays the listing agent’s commission at closing, out of the sale proceeds. Since August 17, 2024, the buyer’s agent is paid under a written agreement with the buyer, and the seller may or may not agree to cover it. On NAR’s $417,500 median price for September 2026, each 1% is $4,175, so every point you negotiate matters.

Jump to: 🤝 Who pays · 💲 What it costs · 🏠 Sellers: cut it · 🪜 Buyers: cut it · ❓ FAQ

Below, we walk through who pays what, how much it adds up to, and the moves that actually lower the bill, for sellers and for buyers.

Who pays the realtor commission in 2026?

There are two sides to a commission, and they’re paid in different ways now.

The listing side

If you hire a listing agent, you sign a listing agreement with their brokerage. It says what you pay and when. In most cases the fee is a percentage of the price, taken from your proceeds at closing. You never write a check yourself; the title or escrow company pays it from the money the buyer brings.

The buyer side

This part changed in 2024. Under the NAR settlement, offers of compensation to buyer agents can’t appear on the MLS, and agents who work with buyers must sign a written agreement with them before touring a home. That agreement says what the buyer’s agent will be paid. The NAR settlement FAQ also says the agreement must state that compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.

So who pays the buyer’s agent? It can be the buyer, the seller, or both. A buyer can ask the seller to pay it as part of the offer. The seller can say yes, no, or meet in the middle. It’s a term of the deal like the price or the closing date.

Does the buyer really pay anyway?

Some people argue the buyer pays everything, since the commission comes out of money the buyer brings. That’s partly true. But the seller is the one whose net goes down. What matters to you is who agreed to pay, and how much. Our explainer on who really pays real estate commission covers the history behind the old 6% habit.

How much is a realtor commission on a typical home?

Here’s what common rates look like on NAR’s September 2026 median price. These are examples only, not the rate you’ll be quoted.

A note on these figures: they’re examples only. 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. Want to run your own numbers? Try our guide to the real estate commission calculator.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has plain guides on closing costs, and it’s worth reading before you sign anything. Commission is often the biggest line on a seller’s statement, bigger than title fees and transfer taxes put together.

How can a seller reduce the realtor commission?

You have more room than most people think. Here are the moves that work, from smallest change to biggest.

1. Ask for a lower rate

The rate in a listing agreement is a starting point. Ask. Agents often take less on a home that will sell fast, a high price, or when you’re also buying through them. Get the final rate in writing before you sign.

2. Shorten the term and add an exit

A long listing term with no way out keeps you tied in. Ask for a shorter term, or a clause that lets you cancel if the agent misses an agreed step, like photos or an open house. That gives you leverage later.

3. Decide the buyer-side question on purpose

You don’t have to offer buyer-agent compensation. Some sellers offer it up front to draw more showings. Others wait and treat it as a term in each offer. Both are fair choices. Read buyer agent commission insights for home sellers before you choose.

4. Switch to a flat fee listing

This is the biggest change. A flat fee broker puts your home on the MLS for a set price, and you run the showings and the offers. You keep the same MLS exposure, which feeds Zillow, Realtor.com and other sites. Our guide on a 1% commission realtor vs flat fee MLS compares the two side by side.

5. Get help only where you need it

If you want a person to negotiate but don’t want to pay a percentage, look at a flat-priced full-support plan. With Beycome Concierge, experts handle the negotiation and paperwork while you stay in control of every decision. It’s $999 through October 31, 2026 (list price $1,399), with $0 at closing.

Selling on your own isn’t for everyone. The Nolo legal guide is a good place to check your state’s rules on contracts and disclosures. If you’d rather hand off the whole sale, a full-service agent is a fine choice too. It’s your call.

How can a buyer reduce what they pay their agent?

Buyers now sign an agreement with their agent, so they have a say in the price for the first time.

• Read the buyer agreement before your first tour. Ask what the fee is, and whether it’s a flat amount or a percentage.
• Ask the seller to pay it. You can write it into your offer as a seller concession.
• Look for a rebate program. Some brokerages return part of the commission to the buyer at closing, where the lender allows it.

With the Beycome buyer program, there’s no upfront fee. Beycome keeps 1% of the price, with a $1,499 minimum, and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission to you at closing, with lender approval. On a $400,000 home where 3% is offered, you’d get $8,000 back. 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.

Buyers also have federal protections in the closing process. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is a good starting point for fair housing and settlement rules. Ask your agent what they earn on your purchase; it’s a normal question.

What does a lower commission cost you in service?

Paying less usually means doing more yourself. Be honest about what you’ll handle. A full-service listing agent prices the home, books photos, runs showings, and negotiates. With a flat fee listing, you do those tasks, with tools to help.

At Beycome, every plan includes e-signature, state forms, unlimited listing updates and the Artur AI assistant for help with offers. Support is 7 days a week, Artur AI 24/7. Enhanced, at $399, adds professional photos. A flat fee MLS listing with Beycome starts at $99, and you owe Beycome $0 at closing.

Before you list, check a value range with our property value calculator. A good price does more for your net than any commission cut. For the full rules on who covers what, see understanding who covers realtor commission costs and realtor commissions and how they affect costs.

Frequently asked questions