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In the US, you pay about 6.5-7%. You pay 5.5 to 6% to the two agents (buyer and seller agents) and about 1% in closing costs (title insurance, etc).

It has always seemed wildly inefficient to me. Especially the “buyer agent” who gets a couple percent entirely for escorting the buyer through homes and submitting an offer.

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The buyer’s agent might show someone dozens of properties all around town and not get a sale. The seller’s agent has it much easier: an almost guaranteed sale, and for what effort? They just hire a photographer, help choose a listing price, and maybe do one open house. I’d rather be a seller’s agent any day.

My buyer’s agent could be replaced by giving me access to MLS and lockboxes.

My seller’s agent, on the other hand, was super useful and irreplaceable except by another smart human. I felt like he got us top dollar for the house based on how he renovated, staged, photographed… much more money than we expected.

Also, my experience was I set a budget, put my stuff in truck, left my house a dirty mess, handed the agent my keys, and left town. Then he did all the renovating/etc, posted it, collected offers, and we got paid.

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