Who Pays an Agent’s Commission Fee—the Buyer or the Seller?

In a real estate transaction, who pays the agent's commission fees?

This is another question I get asked a lot. The answer is the seller typically pays both their agent’s commission fee and that of the buyer’s agent. In California, the usual commission fee is 5% to 7% of the sale price. This gets paid out once the transaction closes—there is no upfront fee.

This means if you’re a buyer, your agent’s services essentially come for free. Outside of that, you’ll pay the same costs that come with a home sale that the seller does (escrow and title fees, the transfer tax, etc.), but you’ll also have to pay the closing costs of the transaction.

If you have any more questions about who pays for what in a real estate transaction or you have any other real estate needs I can help you with, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to speak with you.