{"id":2019,"date":"2026-03-03T05:38:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T10:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salaryfor.com\/blog\/?p=2019"},"modified":"2026-04-07T09:00:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:00:28","slug":"real-estate-commissions-in-2026-whats-changed-and-who-pays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/real-estate-commissions-in-2026-whats-changed-and-who-pays\/","title":{"rendered":"Real Estate Commissions in 2026: What\u2019s Changed and Who Pays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>By <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/\">SalaryFor.com &#8211; real salaries for all professions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Real estate commissions have undergone significant changes since <strong>summer 2024<\/strong>, reshaping who pays agents and how fees are negotiated. Understanding these changes is crucial whether you\u2019re buying or selling a home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd0d <strong>What Changed in Summer\u202f2024<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Seller\u2019s offer of buyer-agent commission no longer automatic<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MLS listings <strong>cannot include automatic buyer agent commission offers<\/strong>. Sellers now negotiate buyer-agent compensation directly with the buyer. (<a href=\"https:\/\/effectiveagents.com\/resources\/average-realtor-commission-rates-in-2023?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">effectiveagents.com<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Written buyer-agent agreements required<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Buyers must sign agreements with agents specifying how the agent will be compensated. Compensation can be from the seller, buyer, or a combination.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>More negotiation and transparency<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Commissions are no longer fixed or automatic; they are explicitly negotiated between parties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcb8 <strong>Current Average Commission Rates<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Total commission (seller + buyer agent): ~5.5\u20135.7%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Listing agent\u2019s share:<\/strong> ~2.8% of sale price<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buyer agent\u2019s share:<\/strong> ~2.7\u20132.8% of sale price (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.realestatewitch.com\/average-real-estate-commission\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">realestatewitch.com<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For a <strong>$400,000 home<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Total commission (5.5%)<\/strong> = $22,000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Listing agent (2.8%)<\/strong> = $11,200<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buyer agent (2.7%)<\/strong> = $10,800<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udccc <strong>Scenario 1: Buyer Has Their Own Agent<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Situation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Alice is selling her home for $400,000.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bob hires his own agent, Carol, under a written buyer-agent agreement specifying 2.7% commission.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How It Works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bob and Carol agree that Carol earns 2.7% of the sale price = $10,800.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bob submits an offer; Alice can <strong>agree to pay some or all of the buyer-agent commission<\/strong> or leave Bob responsible.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who Pays:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Listing agent (Alice\u2019s agent):<\/strong> $11,200, paid by Alice out of sale proceeds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buyer\u2019s agent (Carol):<\/strong> $10,800, paid by either Alice (if negotiated) or Bob (if seller does not cover).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2705 This shows how commissions are now explicitly negotiated \u2014 unlike the pre-2024 model, where sellers automatically paid both sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udccc <strong>Scenario 2: Buyer Works Only With Seller\u2019s Listing Agent<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Situation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bob decides not to hire a separate agent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He works directly with Alice\u2019s listing agent, Dana. Dana may represent both buyer and seller (dual agency\/transaction brokerage).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How It Works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Alice and Dana have a listing agreement for 2.8% of $400,000 = $11,200.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bob does not engage a separate agent; no additional buyer-agent fee is owed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who Pays:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Listing agent (Dana):<\/strong> $11,200, paid by Alice at closing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buyer\u2019s agent:<\/strong> $0, since Bob did not hire a separate agent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 Note: If the listing agent represents both sides, some states require disclosure and may adjust how the agent can split or earn fees \u2014 but the buyer generally does <strong>not<\/strong> pay extra unless agreed in writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\udde0 <strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Commissions are negotiable.<\/strong> Sellers are not required to pay buyer-agent fees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Written agreements are mandatory<\/strong> for buyers with agents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Average commission rates<\/strong> have stayed near 5.5\u20135.7%, with listing agents typically earning 2.8%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>$400,000 home example:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Total potential commissions = $22,000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Listing agent = $11,200<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Buyer\u2019s agent = $10,800<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2024 changes put <strong>more control in the hands of buyers and sellers<\/strong> and require <strong>clear agreements on who pays what<\/strong>. Understanding these rules helps you plan ahead and avoid surprises at closing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/\">click here for more salary information<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By SalaryFor.com &#8211; real salaries for all professions Real estate commissions have undergone significant changes since summer 2024, reshaping who pays agents and how fees are negotiated. Understanding these changes is crucial whether you\u2019re buying or selling a home. \ud83d\udd0d What Changed in Summer\u202f2024 \ud83d\udcb8 Current Average Commission Rates For a $400,000 home: \ud83d\udccc Scenario [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[4077,4076],"class_list":["post-2019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-stories","tag-real-estate-agent-fees","tag-real-estate-commission-changes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2019"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2402,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2019\/revisions\/2402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salaryfor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}