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What is a reasonable fee for Real Estate agents to charge for selling a home?

What is a reasonable fee for Real Estate agents to charge for selling a home? I’m located in California.

Public Comments

1. wouldn't nothing be a great fee !lol!
2. Most likely between 4 - 5%. Generally the listing agent has to split the commission 50/50 with the buyer's agent. The higher your sale price is, the lower you can get your commission %. Selling a $1m house doesn't cost the agent any more than selling a $750k house, so you should try and get them down below 5%.
3. Generally, they charge 6% of the selling price of the property. However, I found that you can negotiate this with agents.
4. The market standard at present seems to be about 6%.
5. 4-6%
6. The normal rate around the country is 6% of sale, but since the market is turning you should be able to negotiate. You have to remember that unless he is the broker of record for the company, they will have to split there fee's. Plus if they are not the listing & selling agent then fee's will have to be split. So in most cases the person you are working with does not get thee whole fee. So in some case's your are getting alot for very little money, remember you get what you pay for.
7. I paid 5% when I sold my home in Maryland, I think that is reasonable.
8. It really depends on what the Agent does and how much value he can add. The national average for homes sold with the help of a Real Estate Agent as opposed to a For Sale by Owner, according to a study by U.S. Weekly & NAR, showed that Real Estate assisted sales sold for 17-24% higher than FSBOs. If you think that you can provide your client with results somewhere around there, then you are not only doing your job right as a Real Estate Agent, but also worth the fee you charge. Even if you were to charge an 11% fee, the seller still ends up making more money if you sell his house 17% higher. The question is, what can you do for the seller which makes you worth the fee you charge? Agents in California charge anywhere from 6-8%. That's some serious money to begin with anyway. It is easy to see why any seller would rather not use a Real Estate Agent. Psychologically, if you have to pay a Broker for selling something, you feel as if you are not getting 100% of the money your item is worth. This psychology is both right and wrong at the same time. Truth be told, no, you're not getting 100% of what your item (home) is worth to someone. However, you would never be getting that price anyway by yourself, so you're really not foregoing it, so there's really no cost to consider. Furthermore, let's say your house is worth $1 mil. If you sell it by yourself, you can get around that price, or you can have it sit and rot in the for sale market because you don't know how to market it correctly. By using an Agent who charges 6-8% commission, you will actually be getting 17% more in the price of your home! After you pay the agent's fee, you will end up with more than $1 mil for your house! Not only is it worth it to use an Agent, it doesn't make sense not to use one! Lastly, an Agent who is willing to negotiate their fee, is an Agent who is willing to negotiate the price of your home. If he's willing to undersell himself for what he's worth and cutting his price just to get the listing or exclusive, then he will be just as willing, if not more, to cut the price of your home below the most it can be sold for, just to make the deal! Sellers want to feel that they are getting a good deal, and their jaw tends to drop when you mention your fee to them for the first time. Your job is to first show them what you can do, and why you are worth the fee you charge. Even if his first question is "how much do you charge", this should be the last thing you tell him until he understands why you are worth the fee you charge. Make him understand that 6-8% is a bargain for the services and results you offer. Discount brokers which charge 2-3% don't offer any service other than a For Sale sign and an add on the MLS. Explain to him that this isn't what sells homes, and that if this is the only thing he is paying money for, he will end up getting less than a 2% increase in his final selling price, which could end up costing him money where he expected to save! It's easy to fall into the discount broker trap with Real Estate, it's your job to make all these things clear to the seller. If you are the seller, it is important to understand these things and look for an agent who is willing to actively work with you for your best interest. I hope this was helpful and informative, best of luck!
9. The norm is 3%. 6% total, 3 to buyers agent, 3 to sellers agent. Unless you can persuade your agent to charge you less commission. 2.5% isn't unheard of, but keep in mind they have marketing to pay for, etc, so 3% is reasonable.
10. Realtor's can charge anywhere between 0 to 6%. Shop around and see what realtors are charging generically, and then negotiate with them. They will provide you a service, and should be paid for what they do, just don't get ripped off. Commonplace is anywhere from 2 to 3 %. Good Luck.