Typical listing fee
3%–4%
This is what I generally charge for representing the seller in a conventional listing. The exact fee depends on the price of the property and the work involved.
REAL ESTATE COMMISSION
How Real Estate Commission Works on Long Island and in New York City
My listing fee is generally between 3% and 4%. A request for the seller to compensate a buyer’s agent is separate and can be accepted, rejected or negotiated as part of an offer. Complicated assignments that require substantial hands-on work may carry a higher listing fee.
The percentage alone does not tell a seller whether an offer is good. When I compare the financial side of competing offers, the question I want answered is: What is the estimated amount the seller receives after the agreed deductions?
Written and reviewed by Andrew Ragusa, Licensed Real Estate Broker and Broker of Record, REMI Realty LLC — 11+ years of transactions across Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens.
THE DIRECT ANSWER
My listing fee and a buyer’s agent’s compensation are not automatically the same fee.
Buyer-agent compensation
Negotiated separately
A buyer’s offer may request compensation for the buyer’s agent. The request can be accepted, rejected or countered along with the price and the other terms.
Complicated assignments
Priced by scope
A property that requires months of cleanout, renovation coordination, contractor management or other substantial work may carry a higher listing fee.
All real estate compensation is negotiable. There is no commission rate set by law. My listing fee is agreed to in writing, and a seller does not owe buyer-agent compensation merely because it was requested.
LISTING FEE VS. TOTAL COMMISSION
Why do people still hear that real estate commission is about 5% to 6%?
When an article reports an average real estate commission, it is usually describing the combined compensation paid across both sides of a transaction—not one agent’s individual listing fee.
A national survey of 533 real estate agents published in 2026 reported an average combined commission of 5.70%: approximately 2.88% on the listing side and 2.82% on the buyer side. That helps explain how my typical 3% to 4% listing fee can exist alongside a national figure closer to 5% or 6%.
The combined amount in an individual transaction can be lower or higher. It depends on the listing agreement, the buyer’s representation agreement, what an offer requests and what the parties ultimately negotiate.
National figures reviewed September 23, 2026. Source: Bankrate, citing Clever Real Estate’s 2026 national agent survey. Commission is negotiable and varies by transaction.
WHAT CHANGED
The compensation conversation became more explicit after August 17, 2024.
Before the 2024 industry practice changes, many listing agreements established a total commission and the listing brokerage offered a portion of that amount to a buyer’s brokerage through the Multiple Listing Service.
Effective August 17, 2024, offers of compensation could no longer be communicated through participating MLS systems. Buyers working with participating real estate professionals also generally became required to enter into written buyer agreements before touring a home.
That did not create a rule that the buyer must always pay the buyer’s agent or that a seller can never contribute toward that expense. A seller may still authorize compensation toward a buyer’s representation, but the amount must be approved in writing and cannot be advertised as an offer of compensation through the MLS.
In practice, that means a buyer’s offer may include a request for the seller to pay some or all of the buyer-agent compensation. Like the purchase price, concession, closing date and other terms, that request can be negotiated.
Before the change
- Buyer-broker compensation was commonly established through the listing side.
- An offer of compensation could be communicated through the MLS.
- Sellers often discussed one combined percentage at the beginning.
Current practice
- The listing fee and buyer-agent request can be evaluated separately.
- Offers of buyer-broker compensation are not communicated through participating MLS systems.
- A buyer may request seller-paid compensation as part of an offer.
- The seller can accept, reject or counter the request.
- Any approved amount must be documented in writing.
TRANSPARENCY
The seller sees the offers and the estimated numbers directly.
When I represent a seller, every offer is entered into Realtor Sync. The seller receives a private login and can review the offers directly instead of relying on me to provide a verbal summary.
The portal can show the offer price, the estimated amount after the commissions and other deductions entered, the down payment, financing, contingencies and proposed closing date. If a buyer’s agent requests compensation, that request is included in the comparison.
I can recommend an offer and explain the tradeoffs, but the seller can see the same information I see. We can also negotiate more than the purchase price. A buyer-agent compensation request can be countered while the rest of the offer is being negotiated.
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The Realtor Sync evidence image is not displayed because it contains identifying information.
REAL OFFER COMPARISONS
The commission request can change while the offer is being negotiated.
Price is not the only number I negotiate. If an offer asks the seller to compensate the buyer’s agent, I can accept that request, reject it or counter it while negotiating the rest of the offer.
These examples use actual offer terms. They show estimated amounts after the entered commissions only. They are not complete closing statements.
One buyer’s offer changed three times.
On a recent listing, the same buyer’s offer progressed through three versions. The buyer increased the price and ultimately agreed to pay their own agent.
| Offer version | Price | Listing fee | Seller-paid buyer-agent compensation | Estimated amount after entered commissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening offer | $830,000 | 4% | 2% | $780,200 |
| Revised offer | $850,000 | 4% | 2% | $799,000 |
| Final negotiated offer | $850,000 | 4% | $0 | $816,000 |
From the opening version to the final version, the estimated amount after the entered commissions increased by $35,800. That improvement came from negotiating both the purchase price and the buyer-agent compensation request.
The highest price did not produce the highest estimated amount.
In another real set of competing offers, a represented buyer offered $550,000 and requested 2% from the seller for the buyer’s agent. An unrepresented buyer offered $540,000 without a buyer-agent compensation request.
Both offers were subject to the same 6% listing fee.
| Offer | Price | Listing fee | Seller-paid buyer-agent compensation | Estimated amount after entered commissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher-priced represented offer | $550,000 | 6% | 2% | $506,000 |
| Lower-priced unrepresented offer | $540,000 | 6% | $0 | $507,600 |
The $540,000 offer was $10,000 lower in price but produced an estimated amount $1,600 higher after the entered commission terms.
That does not mean an unrepresented buyer is automatically better. It means the seller has to compare the complete financial result instead of assuming that the highest price or lowest individual percentage always wins.
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The Realtor Sync evidence image is not displayed because it contains identifying information.
INTERACTIVE COMPARISON
Compare what different offers leave after the entered deductions.
Enter the terms from as many as three offers. A higher offer can still produce a lower result after commissions, concessions and credits—or a higher offer may remain the best offer even when it includes a larger compensation request.
Offer A
- Listing fee amount
- $0
- Seller-paid buyer-agent compensation amount
- $0
- Seller concession
- $0
- Other negotiated credits
- $0
- Estimated amount after entered deductions
- $0
Offer B
- Listing fee amount
- $0
- Seller-paid buyer-agent compensation amount
- $0
- Seller concession
- $0
- Other negotiated credits
- $0
- Estimated amount after entered deductions
- $0
Comparison result
Enter at least one offer price to calculate an estimated amount.
This calculator compares only the figures entered above. It is not a closing statement or a complete estimate of seller proceeds. It does not automatically include a mortgage payoff, transfer taxes, attorney fees, title charges, tax adjustments, liens or other closing expenses. Actual compensation and closing figures are controlled by the signed agreements and final transaction documents.
INDEPENDENT CLIENT FEEDBACKRead my Google reviews
What past sellers say about working with me.
The anonymized offer comparisons above show how the purchase price, listing fee, buyer-agent compensation request and other negotiated deductions can change the estimated amount a seller receives.
Past sellers have also chosen to describe their experience working with me publicly on Google. Those reviews reflect their overall experience with my representation. They are not being presented as endorsements of one particular commission percentage or compensation structure.
So, what commission will a seller pay when working with Andrew Ragusa?
My listing fee is generally between 3% and 4% for a conventional sale. A complicated assignment that requires substantial hands-on coordination may carry a higher listing fee.
If a buyer’s offer requests seller-paid compensation for the buyer’s agent, that amount is considered separately. It may be accepted, rejected or negotiated. The buyer may pay it, the seller may pay it, it may be divided between the two sides, or the request may be removed during negotiations.
The exact amount is determined by the written agreements and the offer the seller chooses. I show sellers the estimated amount produced by each offer so they can evaluate the complete financial result.
The net number is the financial comparison—not the entire offer decision.
After comparing the money, I still evaluate whether the buyer is likely to reach the closing table. Financing, down payment, lender strength, appraisal exposure, inspection terms, contingencies and the proposed closing date can all affect the strength of an offer.
A seller should understand both questions:
- Which offer produces the strongest estimated financial result?
- Which offer has the strongest combination of terms and likelihood of closing?
The best decision comes from seeing both.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Real estate commission questions sellers ask me.
How much does Andrew Ragusa charge to list a property?
My listing fee is generally between 3% and 4% for a conventional sale. A complicated assignment that requires substantial hands-on coordination may carry a higher fee. The exact listing fee is negotiable and agreed to in writing.
Does a seller have to pay the buyer’s agent?
No. A buyer’s offer may request seller-paid compensation for the buyer’s agent, but the seller can accept, reject or counter that request. The buyer may pay their own agent, the seller may contribute, or the expense may be divided between the two sides.
Why do national commission figures often say 5% to 6%?
National figures usually combine the listing side and buyer side. A 2026 national survey reported an average combined commission of 5.70%, divided between approximately 2.88% on the listing side and 2.82% on the buyer side. That combined figure is different from one broker’s individual listing fee.
Does a lower commission always leave the seller with more money?
No. The sale price, listing fee, buyer-agent compensation, seller concessions and negotiated credits all affect the result. A higher-priced offer with a compensation request may still leave more money than a lower-priced offer without one—or the opposite may be true.
Can buyer-agent compensation be negotiated with the offer?
Yes. I can negotiate the buyer-agent compensation request while negotiating the price and other terms. A request can be accepted, rejected, countered or removed during negotiations.
How does the seller see the offers?
I give the seller private access to Realtor Sync. The seller can review the prices, estimated amounts, financing, down payments, contingencies and other terms instead of relying only on my verbal summary.
TALK THROUGH THE NUMBERS
Let’s compare the complete offers—not one percentage.
If you are considering selling, I can explain my listing fee, estimate the likely closing costs and show you how I would compare the offers that come in. You will know what is being requested, what can be negotiated and approximately what each option leaves you before you make the decision.