Buyers Agent Commission Rates

Buyers agent commission is a hot topic in the real estate industry. It is important for home sellers to know what commission they should offer the buyers agent (if any). And it is important for home buyers to know what their buyers agents are earning and who is paying them what.

To help with commission visibility, we’ve been publishing annual reports on average buyers agent commission rates in our local area for years. Whether you’re looking to buy a home and are curious if a buyers agent will charge you any commission, or if you’re considering selling a home and wondering what you should or want to offer a buyers agent, we have the data to help you make an informed decision about commission.

If you’re thinking of selling your home in the next twelve months, Stephen would love to tour your home. Call today to set an appointment.

Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor
4% Max. to Sell a Home
Cancel Anytime Policy
Licensed Since 2003
503-714-1111

If you’re considering buying a home in the next twelve months, Kami Price, buyers specialist would love to hear what you’re looking for. Call today to set an appointment.

Kami Price, Realtor
Represented Hundreds of Buyers
Licensed since 2004
503-773-0000

Average Buyers Agent Real Estate Commission, 2023 Report

March 27, 2023

I love writing about real estate commission. Licensed for 20 years now, I have always been surprised when Realty companies and other real estate agents are hush-hush about their commission rates. I have the opposite approach. My commission rates are transparent and upfront and I write annual reports on local and national real estate commission rates, divided into what sellers agents are charging and what buyers agents are receiving. Typically when a homeowner hires a Realtor to sell the home, they pay both the sellers agent and buyers agent fees. Let’s say the total commission charge is 5% (a common rate these days), the sellers agent might take 3% of that and give 2% to the buyers agent (check your...

Average Buyers Agent Commission, Portland 2022 Report

April 13, 2022

Buyers agent commission has been in the news a lot lately. The National Association of Realtors recently approved multiple MLS (multiple listing services) across the country to display publicly what commission the buyer’s agent would earn if they brought a buyer. This comes after the Department of Justice started and investigation into industry commission practices. Redfin, a home search portal, and national Realty company also produced a recent report on buyers agents commission nationally (as much as they had access to), saying that buyers agents commissions have dropped to a new low nationally of 2.63%. Buyers agent commission averages less than that in Portland, Oregon. For a number of years we have produced a buyers agent commission report based on...

Portland Real Estate Buyers Agent Commission Rates 2021

March 31, 2021

Real Estate Commission is not typically split 50/50 between the sellers and buyers agent. Many sellers assume that real estate commission, whether they are paying their real estate agent 6%, 5%, 4%, or something else, is simply split 50/50 with the buyers agent. This would be a false assumption. All real estate commissions and negotiable and there are no set standards. What we can do is report on what sellers agents are offering buyers agents in a local real estate market. Buyers agent commission is typically advertised in local MLS systems by sellers agents. In the Portland, Oregon real estate market, RMLS is the system used by most sellers agents, and all the listings in RMLS have some rate of...

Average Real Estate Commission, Buyers Agent Rates – 2020 Report

July 24, 2020

When people think of real estate commission, they often think of 6%, 5%, or 4.25% (what we charge as our max. rate). The public is not generally in their mind dividing commission between the sellers agent and buyers agent. But in the vast majority of real estate transactions the commission is split between those two agents, and it is not typically split 50 / 50 like many would assume. No, each listing has its own commission rate that is offered to the buyer’s agent. All real estate commissions are negotiable, there is no set standard. What I’m providing here is research on the local commission rates offered in Portland, Oregon using the data available from RMLS, our local MLS provider...

Average Buyer’s Agent Commission – 2019 Update

June 10, 2019

Why are buyer’s agent’s commission rates important? Most people know that real estate agent commission (whatever it is negotiated to be) is typically paid by the seller to the seller’s agent and then split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent, but they often assume (incorrectly) that the split is 50/50. The majority of the time that is not the case. Say for example the seller’s agent charges 6% commission. In that case, in our area, most of the time they are offering the buyer’s agent 2.5% and keeping 3.5%. Or let’s say you found a seller’s agent that charges 3.5% total. In that case, the seller’s agent would take 1% for themselves and still (the majority of the...

Average Buyer’s Agent Commission 2018

March 29, 2018

Most folks know that the real estate agent commission is typically split between the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent. What most folks do not know is the split varies, it is not always, not even typically 50 / 50. Your seller’s agent could be offering a lower or a higher rate of commission to the buyer’s agent. Locally this buyer’s agent commission is advertised on the RMLS, our local multiple listing service, and it is not something the public can view. If you are considering selling your home, it is important to know what your listing agent is going to offer the buyer’s agent in RMLS. Check out our 4.25% max. reasonable commission rate here. Average buyer’s agent commission...