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How much does a realtor cost?
A realtor is paid at closing, out of the sale — not by the hour and not up front. The commission on a home sale is agreed between the seller and their brokerage and split under the deal’s own terms; there is no single national price, and any agent you interview should state theirs plainly before you sign. What never costs anything is being matched: through the Realtor Referral Hub, requesting and receiving a match is free for homeowners, realtors pay nothing to be listed or matched, and the standard 25% referral fee moves between the brokerages only when a matched deal closes — never out of a homeowner’s pocket as a separate charge.
Where the money actually moves
On a typical sale, the commission is part of the closing: it comes out of the transaction at the closing table, and the brokerages involved split it under the listing agreement and the offer terms. If a referral brought the client, the standard 25% referral fee moves inside that commission, from the brokerage that closed the deal to the brokerage that sent the client. No close, no commission, no referral fee — nobody pays for a deal that did not happen.
Questions that keep you safe
- "What is your commission, in plain dollars on a house like mine?"
- "Who pays what, and when?" — the honest answer is: at closing, or not at all.
- "What do I owe if nothing sells?" — in this network: nothing.
Ask the desk instead
More questions
- How does a realtor referral work?
- Does it cost anything to be matched with a realtor?
- What is a referral fee when buying a house?
- How do I find a realtor in a new city?
- How do I find a realtor to sell my house?
- Where can real estate agents exchange client referrals?
- How does a realtor claim a city territory for referrals?
- Is there a cloud brokerage for realtors in Missouri?
- How do I join the Realtor Referral Hub brokerage waitlist?
- What happens after I request a realtor match?
- How do I buy a house in another state?
- Can I buy a house before selling my current one?
- How do I sell a house from out of state?
- What does a buyer’s agent do — and do I need one?
- What does a listing agent do?
- I’m moving for a job — how do I find a realtor in my new city, fast?
- What is a relocation realtor?
- How do I find a realtor for a military move (PCS)?
- How do I find a realtor in a small town or rural area?
- Do I have to sign anything to be matched with a realtor?
- What if the realtor I’m matched with isn’t a good fit?
- What questions should I ask a realtor before hiring them?
- How do I find a realtor as a first-time home buyer?
- Can a realtor help me find a rental home?
- How long does it take to get matched with a realtor?
- How do realtors get client referrals from other cities?
- How can I get more real estate referrals without buying leads?
- What is Referral Chase?
- How do I join the Realtor Referral Hub?