Typical Sales Commission – Realtors Will Negotiate

The typical sales commission for real estate can run anywhere from three to seven percent depending on many different circumstances including geographic location and competition among realtors. With the way everything in the world is today, many homeowners do not want or cannot afford to pay high real estate commissions.

No worries, though.

The typical sales commission that realtors charge can and should be negotiated. There is a challenge, however. Most home owners do not have the knowledge or capacity to go against a highly trained professional to get a reduced commission. After all, you’re hiring the realtor to negotiate on your behalf when a buyer is found. Are you looking for one that will lower their commission without an effort? If so, what would they do when a buyer is found and presents a low offer? Give your house away without an effort?

The other problem is, when you look online to find tips and hints on how to negotiate the typical sales commission you’ll find information that states it’s legal to negotiate a commission. The great strategy, you’ll learn, is to simply ask the realtor to lower their commission.

That’s almost laughable. Unless you are interviewing a new realtor just starting in the business the chances are the realtor has been around the block, has listed several properties, and has been asked to reduce their commission each and every time. It’s almost certain the realtor has at least a half dozen objection handling techniques to counter the Lower Your Commission request.

The key to a successful negotiation with the realtor to lower the typical sales commission is to understand what their objection handling techniques are and then devise a counter response to them.

Suppose, for example, you follow the advice of some negotiating expert and ask the realtor to reduce their commission. Now, remember, the realtor has been asked this before and has spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars learning how to get the highest commission possible. What happens when the Realtor responds with something like this?

"I understand you want to save money selling your home. However, I have the most dynamic marketing plan compared to any other realtor that will sell your home in half the time it takes the average realtor. Even though you feel the commission is high, you’ll still get more with me than if you hired another Realtor for less commission. Are you looking to save a few dollars on a commission or do you want to walk away with more money in your pocket at closing?"

This is just one of several responses a realtor will give. What if the realtor gives you three solid reasons why they are worth every cent they charge?

Are you ready to negotiate further? Are you prepared to counter those responses and demand a lower commission? Do you understand exactly what realtors do? Can you use that against them and beat them at their own game?

Once you understand how real estate works, what the realtor actually does, what their objection handling techniques are and a few other simple items, you can then negotiate with the most highly trained realtor in the industry and demand less than the typical sales commission with the same results had you paid full price.