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
(1) Licensed broker employed to represent and match both buyers and sellers. Usually employs several real estate agents in an office. (2) Commission or fee charged to sell real estate or ...
Gets rid of unwanted substances and materials from a residence or office building. Waste includes solids and liquids, hazardous and nonhazardous materials. ...
Opening so that air or gas may enter or leave. For example, an air conditioner has a "vent open" or "vent closed" knob for outside air. The "vent close" switch must be on for air ...
Millennials – also known as Generation Y, because they come after the so-called Generation X - is a term coined for a generational extract of people born at the end of the first ...
Land and any existing tenements that are part of a conveyance. For example, upon closing a real estate sale. The seller deeds the premises to the purchaser. ...
Note having more than one maker, if one or more of the makers default on the note, all makers are sued jointly, rather than just one or all, to make restitution ...
A method of brick construction where the bricks are laid with their sides facing outward. ...
When talking about the open space ratio we are referring to a term that is used in zoning laws and regulations. The open space ratio is a term used to measure open space on a developed land ...
Method to obtaining title to property through open, notorious, adverse, and continuous use of the property for a statutorily prescribed period of time. For example, Jack openly and ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.