Who Pays The Real Estate Agent's Commission

When you are purchasing a house, somebody has to pay the commission fees for the real estate agents. Find out if the buyer or the seller is responsible for paying the real estate agent's commission.

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Thomas & Webber
514 Williamson Rd.
STE. #431
Mooresville, NC 28117

704.663.1600

Real Estate Attorney Mooresville, NC
Closing Attorney Mooresville, NC
Ben Thomas - Real Estate Lawyer 31 years
Tiffany Webber- Real Estate Lawyer 5 years
Helping clients handle both residential and commercial real estate closings in Mooresville, NC.

[MrWaterbugdesign]

"Nobody is trying to trick you." Really? Let's follow the money...

I've bought and sold about 15 houses in my lifetime. When a seller the total amount of money I've had to deposit into escrow for all 15 houses has been exactly $0. When a buyer I'm the only person moving money out of my bank account and into escrow.

The escrow company then disburses the buyer's money according to instructions set in the deal. Some money may go to a home inspector, some to termite treatment, some to the escrow company and some to the listing agent and some to the buyer's agent. and the what remains goes to the seller.


Who paid?

The last house I sold I posted on Zillow as I was finishing up the remodel. Agent came in with a woman buyer and her parents to view the house. Cool. They all went outside for a bit and the agent came back in with good news, full asking price offer (verbal) $245k. Mine you the buyer is outside so doesn't hear the rest. #1 thing the agent wanted to nail down "But I need a 3% commission." I said "No problem, just tell the buyer the price is $252, 500." She didn't like that idea at all. They never returned, no counter. I suspect the buyer agent never told the buyer about my counter or why. The house sold a week later for $275k.

The listing contract and the purchase contract really only have a single primary purpose...lock in the agent commissions.

It's a con. One of the most beautiful scams ever created. Telling buyers the seller pays commissions, the buyer pays $0, makes it so much easier to get the buyer to sign a contract agreeing to pay them 2, 2.5, 3%.

Criminal organization.

[xprtzabc]

So you sure buyer do not pay the comm amount with interest for the next 20 years or so 😂😂😂

[CatsAreNiceMeow]

My agent is telling me she wants to charge me 4.5 percent to sell my house.
That is using a commission rate of 4.5% split with the buying agent. If buyer comes without an agent which is rare, she said then we can discuss my fee. Does that sound like it's too high or reasonable? Is it too low to offer 3.5 percent rate for my seller to split with buyer agent? I want the transaction to be fair for everyone. Also, when I buy do I have to pay commission again?

[superman]

I don’t understand. Seller pays? But with the money the buyer pays the seller? Doesn’t that mean the buyer is truly paying?

[kimm]

My agent told me today that the buyer pays