How much is real estate commission?

Commission is the sale price times an agreed rate. Historically the combined total for both sides ran about 5 to 6 percent, so on a 450,000 home a 5.5 percent total is about 24,750. The rate is negotiable and varies by market and agent, so the total on any given sale can be higher or lower than that range.

Who pays the buyer agent commission now?

It is negotiable. After the National Association of Realtors settlement took effect on August 17, 2024, buyer-agent compensation is no longer set or advertised on the Multiple Listing Service, and buyers sign a written agreement with their agent before touring. A seller may still agree to cover the buyer side as a concession, but it is no longer assumed, so enter whatever the parties have negotiated.

How are real estate commissions split?

The total commission is typically divided between the listing side and the buyer side, and then each side is often split again between the agent and their brokerage. This calculator lets you set the listing and buyer split, and in agent mode it applies the agent/broker split to show one agent's take-home. All of these splits are set by agreement, not by a fixed rule.

What does this result mean?

The total commission is what comes out of the sale for agent services, and the seller net line shows the price minus that fee before any other costs. The listing and buyer amounts show how the total divides between the two sides. Because everything here is negotiable, treat the numbers as a starting point for the conversation with your agent, not a fixed cost.

Real Estate Commission Calculator

Calculate the total real estate commission on a home sale, how it splits between the listing and buyer sides, and the seller's net after the fee.

X f in

Total commission

$24,750.00

Listing side: $12,375.00
Buyer side: $12,375.00
Seller net after commission: $425,250.00
Gross commission income (GCI): Agent mode only
Agent take-home after split: Agent mode only

Commission breakdown

Item	Amount
Total commission	$24,750.00
Listing side	$12,375.00
Buyer side	$12,375.00

Quick answer: With the example inputs this page loads by default, the headline result (Total commission) comes to $24,750.00. Calculate the total real estate commission on a home sale, how it splits between the listing and buyer sides, and the seller's net after the fee. Change any input above and every figure updates instantly in your browser.

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Real estate commission is the sale price times an agreed rate, historically about 5 to 6 percent split between the listing and buyer sides. After the National Association of Realtors settlement took effect on August 17, 2024, the total is negotiable and buyer-agent compensation is negotiated separately rather than set or advertised on the MLS. This calculator finds the total commission, each side's share, and what the seller nets after the fee.

What this result means

The total commission is the headline cost of selling, and at a few percent of the price it is usually the largest single selling expense. It is fully negotiable: the rate, and how much of it either side is paid, are set by agreement, not by a fixed rule. Since the August 17, 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is negotiated separately and is no longer assumed to come from the seller by default, so a seller may or may not agree to cover the buyer side. In agent mode, the take-home figure is what one agent keeps after the brokerage split, before taxes and business costs. These are estimates from the rates you entered, not a quote or advice.

Assumptions

Total commission is the sale price times the total commission rate you enter. The listing side share is that total times the listing share percent, and the buyer side is the remainder (total minus listing side), so the two sides always add up to the total to the cent.
Seller net after commission is the sale price minus the total commission. It is only the commission step: it does not subtract other closing costs, transfer taxes, concessions, or the mortgage payoff, which the Seller Net Proceeds calculator handles.
In agent mode, gross commission income (GCI) is the listing side's commission before the brokerage split, and the agent take-home is that times the agent split percent (100 percent means the agent keeps all of it with no broker cut). Take-home is before income and self-employment taxes and business expenses. Consumer mode leaves these two figures blank.
Commission rates and splits are not fixed by any rule and are fully negotiable. After the National Association of Realtors settlement took effect on August 17, 2024, buyer-agent compensation is negotiated separately and is no longer set or advertised on the Multiple Listing Service, and sellers are no longer assumed to pay the buyer side by default. The split here models whatever the parties agree to.
All figures are rounded to the nearest cent. This is an estimate for educational purposes only and is not a quote, an offer, or financial, legal, or tax advice. Confirm the actual rate and terms in your written agreement.

Key terms

Definitions for the terms this calculator uses, in our finance glossary .

How real estate commission is calculated

Commission is a percentage of the sale price, agreed in writing before the sale:

total commission = sale price x total commission rate

That total is then divided between the two sides of the deal:

listing side = total commission x listing share
buyer side = total commission - listing side

Computing the buyer side as the remainder (the total minus the listing side) guarantees the two sides always add back to the total to the cent, with no rounding gap. The seller net after commission is simply the sale price minus the total commission:

seller net after commission = sale price - total commission

This is only the commission step. It does not subtract other closing costs, transfer taxes, buyer concessions, or the mortgage payoff; the Seller Net Proceeds calculator handles the full walk-down.

Agent mode: GCI and take-home

In agent mode the calculator adds two figures for the listing agent:

Gross commission income (GCI) is the listing side’s commission, the gross the brokerage receives before its cut.
Agent take-home applies the agent/broker split: take-home = GCI x agent split. A 70 percent agent split means the agent keeps 70 percent and the brokerage keeps 30 percent; 100 percent means no broker cut. Take-home is before income and self-employment taxes and business expenses.

A buyer-side agent can read the buyer-side amount and apply the same split by hand.

Worked example

A $450,000 sale at a 5.5 percent total commission with an even (50/50) listing and buyer split:

total commission = $450,000 x 5.5% = $24,750
listing side = $24,750 x 50% = $12,375
buyer side = $24,750 - $12,375 = $12,375
seller net after commission = $450,000 - $24,750 = $425,250

In agent mode with a 70 percent agent split, the listing agent’s GCI is $12,375 and the take-home is $12,375 x 70% = $8,662.50.

Rates are negotiable, and the 2024 settlement changed who pays the buyer side

Commission rates and splits are not set by any rule. Historically the combined total for both sides commonly ran about 5 to 6 percent, and sellers often paid the whole amount, covering the buyer agent by default. That default changed with the National Association of Realtors settlement, whose practice changes took effect on August 17, 2024: offers of buyer-agent compensation may no longer be posted on a Multiple Listing Service, buyers must sign a written agreement with their agent before touring a home, and buyer-agent compensation is negotiated separately rather than assumed to come from the seller. A seller may still agree to cover the buyer side as a concession, but it is no longer automatic, so the split in this calculator models whatever the parties actually agree to.

What this includes and excludes

It includes the total commission, the listing and buyer split, the seller net after commission, and (in agent mode) GCI and the agent take-home after the brokerage split. It does not model referral fees, transaction or brokerage flat fees, franchise fees, income or self-employment taxes on the agent’s take-home, or any other selling cost. All figures are rounded to the nearest cent. This is an estimate for education, not a quote or advice.

Sources

National Association of Realtors, settlement and practice changes effective August 17, 2024 (written buyer agreements; buyer-broker compensation no longer offered on the MLS), nar.realtor.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, guidance that real estate commissions are negotiable and paid from the transaction, at consumerfinance.gov.

Frequently asked questions

How much is real estate commission?: Commission is the sale price times an agreed rate. Historically the combined total for both sides ran about 5 to 6 percent, so on a 450,000 home a 5.5 percent total is about 24,750. The rate is negotiable and varies by market and agent, so the total on any given sale can be higher or lower than that range.
Who pays the buyer agent commission now?: It is negotiable. After the National Association of Realtors settlement took effect on August 17, 2024, buyer-agent compensation is no longer set or advertised on the Multiple Listing Service, and buyers sign a written agreement with their agent before touring. A seller may still agree to cover the buyer side as a concession, but it is no longer assumed, so enter whatever the parties have negotiated.
How are real estate commissions split?: The total commission is typically divided between the listing side and the buyer side, and then each side is often split again between the agent and their brokerage. This calculator lets you set the listing and buyer split, and in agent mode it applies the agent/broker split to show one agent's take-home. All of these splits are set by agreement, not by a fixed rule.
What does this result mean?: The total commission is what comes out of the sale for agent services, and the seller net line shows the price minus that fee before any other costs. The listing and buyer amounts show how the total divides between the two sides. Because everything here is negotiable, treat the numbers as a starting point for the conversation with your agent, not a fixed cost.

Related calculators

Learn how this works

New to this topic? Our companion guide explains it in plain language: Who Pays the Real Estate Commission Now? (NAR Settlement)

By Sam Sage Last reviewed July 2026.