Is 6% Real Estate Commission Standard? Here's What People Actually Pay
Hi Reddit,
I'm a former real estate agent, active investor, and current writer/editor at Clever Real Estate, where I cover realtor commissions. We recently ran a home seller survey to see whether the 6% real estate commission is still the standard nationwide, and we'd love to hear your thoughts.
We surveyed 500 people in July 2026 who sold a home within the last two years. The biggest finding is the gap between what people consider standard and what is actually paid. Key highlights include:
- Only 16% of respondents reported paying a commission of 6% or more.
- 38% of sellers still believe 6% is "the standard rate." But this hasn't been the case for years, as rates have fluctuated between 5.32% and 5.70% from 2022-26, according to our in-house data.
- 93% of sellers who negotiated their commission received some form of reduction, most often by simply asking their agent directly for a lower rate (50%). 45% shaved 0.5 to 0.99 points off their rate (meaning, a drop from 3% down to 2-2.5%). Just 33% of sellers who used an agent, however, actually tried to negotiate their commission.
- 45% didn't know the NAR settlement removed the requirement to offer buyer's agent compensation on the multiple listing service (MLS); 35% still offered to cover the cost in negotiations.
What 6% actually looks like from an agent's perspective: A $500,000 sale at 6% with each agent earning 3% means each side grosses $15,000, before factoring in any brokerage splits or normal realtor fees and expenses (taxes, insurance, MLS dues, marketing, etc; realistic take-home is more like $5,000 to $8,000).
One other thing that surprised people: Buyer's agent fees have actually risen since the NAR lawsuit settlement. They dipped briefly in 2025 but rebounded to 2.8% in 2026. The fee is negotiated on a deal-by-deal basis now instead of being baked into the MLS.
If you sold a house within the past 2 years, we'd be curious to know:
- Your metro or state
- Total commission % you paid (and the split between buyer's and seller's agent)
- Did you negotiate commission with a listing agent, and did it work?
- Did you use a traditional agent, discount brokerage, flat fee, or FSBO?
We would also love to hear from agents: What commission rate are you quoting now versus before the settlement, and are sellers pushing back more than they used to?
Survey link: https://listwithclever.com/research/6-percent-real-estate-commission-statistics