Sales Commission
Definition of "Sales commission"
Broadly speaking, a commission is a remuneration a person receives after acting on someone else’s behalf.
In the real estate world, you’ll usually hear the term “sales commission”, which is the remuneration a real estate broker and/or agent earns in regards for his/her service representing the home seller (or the home buyer) in a house buying/selling transaction.
Well… most of the times, at least.
Sorry if you’re looking for easy answers; the real estate market is complex - that’s why an agent expertise is something you should not turn your back to.
Sometimes agents do earn money regardless of a house being sold: Buyer’s agents, for instance, might earn a real estate sales commission even if the prospective home buyer doesn’t end up buying a house. Think about it: the buyer’s agent drove the client around showing houses on the weekend, shared his/her educated knowledge regarding the real estate market… that comes at a cost and it wouldn’t be right if the agent gets nothing out of it should the client decide it’s not the right time to buy a house.
And there are some times when the agent gets no real estate commission at all! Yup; even if the house is sold! If an agent entered an Open Listing or an Exclusive Agency Listing but did not manage to bring the final offer to the table, then the real estate commission will go to the agent who brought it or to the homeowner.
The standard real estate sales commission is 5% to 6% of the final sales price and the listing agent splits it evenly with the buyer’s agent.
Real Estate Tips:
Check our Glossary Terms for more real estate lingo!
And find an agent to help you with the complex task of buying or selling a house!
Popular Real Estate Terms
Market price pf all the property prior to a condemnation proceeding. ...
(1) Right to engage in and earn from a particular activity in return for services or for a particular use. (2) Reduced price used as an incentive. (3) Permission or right, granted by a ...
Type of a real estate investment trust whose investment money is used for the purchase of a portfolio of specific properties to be managed in order to generate investment return through ...
Rainwater pipe attached to a roof gutter channeling the run off down and away form the building. ...
Lender's written assurance that the borrower has fully paid the obligation. The borrower may then show this instrument to interested parties. ...
Maximum loan that can be borrowed by a potential debtor. A ceiling loan represents the topmost credit that can be extended. ...
Favorable occurrence providing a good chance for success, usually in financial terms. ...
A real estate professional’s job is to represent their seller’s or buyer’s best interest in a real estate transaction through an agency relationship. This means that the ...
A lease requiring tenants to pay all utilities, insurance, taxes, and maintenance costs. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.