📊 The data: Our September 2024 survey of local agents found that the average real estate commission in Rhode Island is 5.25%, which is less than the national average of 5.32%. Calculate your estimated commission in Rhode Island.
When selling a house in Rhode Island, you'll pay an average of 5.25% of the home's sale price in realtor fees.
For context, if you sell a home that costs $350,000, you'd typically pay around $18,375 in realtor fees; $36,750 for a $700,000 home; and $61,425 for a $1,170,000 home.
Realtor commission is usually the largest cost you'll face when selling your home — but you don't have to pay the full 5.25%. You can use a low commission real estate broker to save on listing fees.
Clever Real Estate could help you save thousands on listing commission by pre-negotiating 1.5% listing fees with full-service Rhode Island realtors from top brokerages.
On a typical Rhode Island home, you'd pay just $16,700, up to 32% less than the average rates.
»SAVE: Sell with Clever for 1.5% listing fees and save thousands in commission!
How real estate commission works in Rhode Island
| Average listing commission | 2.68% |
| Average buyer's agent commission | 2.57% |
| Total average commission | 5.25% |
There are usually two real estate agents involved in the real estate transactions of a home sale:
- The seller's agent (also called the listing agent), who represents the home seller
- The buyer's agent, who represents the person buying the home
The seller's agent earns their commission by determining an appropriate listing price and managing the closing process.
The buyer's agent earns their commission by bringing a qualified buyer who agrees to the terms of the contract and completes the sale on time.
Sellers and buyers must negotiate realtor fees with their agents separately (as required by the 2024 NAR lawsuit settlement). The seller and buyer each sign a contract with their agent, promising to pay the agreed-upon commission. Sellers can offer to pay the buyer's agent commission to help the buyer afford the home.
Real estate commission calculator for Rhode Island
Use this commission calculator to estimate how much you'll pay in realtor fees when you sell your home in Rhode Island. Enter an estimate of your home's sale price, and see how much you'll pay at different commission rates.
Who pays realtor fees in Rhode Island?
The seller pays for at least their agent, and often covers the buyer's agent fees, as well. When selling a home in Rhode Island, you don't need to pay the realtor fees upfront. Similar to closing costs, the real estate agent fees are deducted from the sale revenue when the home purchase is finalized.
When you offer to pay for the buyer's agent, you'll owe an average of 5.25% in commission, taken from the sale proceeds at closing. If you don't offer to pay for the buyer's agent, the buyer will owe their agent an average of 2.57% on top of the price of the home and closing costs.
Should sellers pay the buyer's real estate agent commission?
Sellers are not required to pay for the buyer's agent, but most listing agents will recommend you offer to cover this fee. Experts suggest offering a buyer's agent concession within 0.5% of the local norm, which is 2.57% in Rhode Island.
Here are a few reasons to offer this concession during negotiations:
- It will likely attract more potential purchasers for your home.
- Your home will be affordable to more buyers since they won't have to pay their agent's commission upfront in addition to the down payment and closing costs.
- Agents will be motivated to showcase your property to their clients, increasing your chances of securing multiple offers.
What is the NAR lawsuit?
After losing a lawsuit over their practices in 2024, the National Association of Realtors agreed to change how real estate professionals do business.
As of August 2024, buyer's agents are required to sign an "agency agreement" before providing services to a buyer. This agreement has to specify what services the agent will provide, and how much they will get paid.
Real estate agents are no longer allowed to split commissions with one another. In the past, it was common for a listing agent to collect a 6% fee from the seller, and then split this fee with a buyer's agent who brought a buyer. Going forward, buyer's agents will have to negotiate their fee directly with the buyer they represent.
Learn more about how the lawsuit impacts buyers and sellers.
Will the NAR settlement change how real estate commission works?
Buyers may feel the most immediate impact from the NAR settlement changes. If the seller doesn't offer to pay for the buyer's agent at closing, the buyer could be on the hook for an extra 2–3% of the home's sale price. This may convince some buyers to skip hiring an agent and try to navigate the market themselves.
Many sellers may continue to offer to pay for the buyer's agent like they always have to help sell their home. However, a seller may decline to offer any concessions if they're in a competitive seller's market in which they have all the leverage.
A Clever Real Estate survey found that 94% of home sellers support the commission changes.
How to save on realtor fees in Rhode Island
Commission rates are not set in stone. In fact, we found that while 2.68% is the average listing commission in Rhode Island, rates are typically 1.00%–4.50%. You can save money by negotiating a lower rate with your listing agent or by working with a discount real estate brokerage.
| Listing commission range | 1.00%– 4.50% |
| Buyer's agent commission | 1.00%– 4.00% |
| Total commission range | 2.00%– 8.50% |
» LEARN: See state-by-state average commission rates. How does your state compare?
How to negotiate real estate commission in Rhode Island
Real estate commission is always negotiable. According to our survey of real estate agents, you'll likely have an easier time negotiating low rates if:
- You're selling a high value home
- You have a personal relationship with a realtor
- You can offer a realtor repeat business
The state of the housing market in Rhode Island will also impact your ability to negotiate realtor fees.
In a seller's market, home sellers have more leverage than buyers. This makes listing agents' jobs more straightforward, so they may be open to reducing their fees. The opposite is often true in a buyer's market.
To assess the current state of your local real estate market, look at the months of inventory, sale-to-list price ratio, and home values.
If all factors indicate Rhode Island is a seller's market, you may be in a good position to negotiate a lower rate with your agent. If market conditions are mixed or favor buyers, it may be tougher to get your realtor to accept a cheaper commission.
The current state of the Rhode Island real estate market
Low-commission real estate companies in Rhode Island
Negotiating a lower rate with a professional negotiator can be hard! In many cases, home sellers can save just as much (or more!) by selling with a low-commission real estate company.
Low commission real estate brokers typically offer full-service support for a reduced commission percentage or flat rate. How they create those discounts will depend on the company's model, with some creating more risks and trade-offs than others.
Top 5 low commission real estate companies in Rhode Island
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⚡ Get StartedAgent MarketplaceClever Real Estate
Claimed ✔Listing fee*1.5%Actual cost*$7,425Savings*$5,841SummaryPros & ConsFull ratingsCompany InfoClever Real Estate is our Top Pick 🥇 for Rhode Island home sellers looking for a great realtor and solid commission savings. Clever isn’t actually a discount real estate brokerage, but an agent marketplace that negotiates lower rates on your behalf. This gives you more choice and control over who you work with: Clever’s nationwide agent network includes 19,000+ realtors from top regional brokerages and major brands like Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Compass. But you also get competitive built-in savings: Clever sellers pay their agent just a 1.5% listing fee at closing, on par with leading discount brands like Redfin. Clever’s agent matching platform is fast, easy to use, and free with no obligation. Clever is also currently the number-one rated real estate company on Trustpilot with 3,100+ 5-star reviews. Read full review.
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Discount Real Estate BrokerRedfin
Listing fee*1.5%Actual cost*$7,425Savings*$5,841SummaryPros & ConsFull ratingsCompany InfoRedfin is a discount real estate brokerage with agents in Rhode Island, plus more than 803 other markets across 44 states. Redfin advertises a competitive 1.5% listing fee with a $4,000 minimum fee in Rhode Island. Redfin offers an additional 0.5% refund if you also buy with a Redfin agent within 12 months of your sale. Redfin’s 1.5% fee gets you all the baseline expected services and support, plus some non-standard services like 3D Tours and virtual staging. Redfin sellers get a dedicated agent, but much of the process is often managed by a support team and Redfin’s technology platform. This can be a benefit or drawback depending on your personal preferences. Redfin has a 4.9 customer rating across 41,889 reviews nationwide. The Rhode Island office has 13 years of verified activity. Read full review.
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Discount Real Estate BrokerDiane Atkinson - 1 Percent Lists AR RE
Listing fee*1%Actual cost*$4,950Savings*$8,316SummaryPros & ConsFull ratingsCompany Info1 Percent Lists is a discount real estate franchise with a local office serving Rhode Island. Local offices are independently owned and operated. Diane Atkinson - 1 Percent Lists AR RE charges a very competitive 1% listing fee. There’s typically no minimum fee, but make sure to confirm pricing and terms when you reach out to the company. 1 Percent Lists agents in Rhode Island should provide all expected services, including pro photography, social media marketing, and in-person support through closing. Diane Atkinson - 1 Percent Lists AR RE has a 5.0 average customer rating based on 9 total reviews, with verified activity dating back to 2024. .
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Discount Real Estate BrokerBest Choice Flat Fee
Listing fee*0.01%Actual cost*$699Savings*$12,567SummaryPros & ConsFull ratingsCompany InfoBest Choice Flat Fee is a discount real estate broker with agents available in Rhode Island. It advertises a hybrid listing fee with $699 due upfront plus 0.01% due at closing. Best Choice Flat Fee has better savings for pricey homes, offering a less-than-1% effective listing commission for homes above $100,000. It has advertised listing fee includes premium services, like marketing materials, and virtual tours. .
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Discount Real Estate BrokerDiscount Broker Realty
Listing fee*3%Actual cost*$14,850Savings*$-1,584SummaryPros & ConsFull ratingsCompany InfoDiscount Broker Realty is a discount real estate broker based in Rhode Island. It advertises a listing fee of 3%. .
» LEARN: How do discount real estate brokers offer lower fees?
How much do real estate agents make in Rhode Island?
Even though the average total real estate commission is 5–6%, not all those fees go directly to the agents. In most cases, the agents must share as much as half of their commission with their sponsoring brokerage.
Let's say a home sells for $600,000 and each agent is earning 2.5%. Each agent would earn $15,000 at closing. However, since they would owe their brokerage half, their take-home pay would only be $7,500.
What do real estate agents do in Rhode Island?
Homeowners continue to rely on real estate agents when selling. A recent Clever survey found that 88% of homeowners planning to sell within the next year intend to use a real estate agent and see them as an important part of the process.
The most important advantage of an agent is their ability to increase the home's sale price. Research by the National Association of Realtors indicates that homes sold with an agent typically sell for nearly $100,000 more than those sold by owner.[1]
Full-service real estate agents provide a wide range of helpful services, including:
- Providing comparative market analysis
- Developing pricing strategies
- Listing and marketing properties to attract buyers
- Negotiating offers and advising the seller on how to proceed
- Guiding sellers through the closing process
Next steps
Think you're ready to sell your home? Start by setting up some listing appointments with local agents. During these meetings, an agent will visit your home to discuss its estimated value, lay out their marketing strategy, and provide a quote for their fee.
Here's why it's smart to sit down with a few agents before signing with one:
- It's completely free to meet with agents: There's no obligation or risk on your end. Just keep in mind that the agent is meeting with you to win your business and will try to sell you on their service.
- You can compare pricing and features: Shopping around helps you find the best fit for your specific needs — in terms of fees, experience, and services provided.
- Learn more about your market from an expert: Realtors can provide local data, like how much nearby homes are selling for, how fast they sell, and other current market trends.
- Learn about the home sales process: An agent can walk you through the sales process from start to finish, and provide tailored advice for marketing your property to home buyers.
To get started, check out our guide on the best ways to find real estate agents — or you can sign up for Clever’s free agent matching service below to connect with top realtors in your area right now (and save on commission).
Clever has pre-negotiated low commission rates of only 1.5%, with Rhode Island's top agents. Contact Clever today to find out how much you can save on commission!
Clever can connect you with top local agents sell your house for a pre-negotiated low rate: just a 1.5% listing fee when your home sells (half the typical rate!).
You can interview your Clever agent matches, get free pricing estimates, and compare marketing plans — all with no strings attached.
Ready to learn more? Click below to take our simple quiz and see your agent matches!
Methodology
We gathered our commission rate data from a survey of 734 of our partner agents. The survey asked about standard local rates for both listing and buying agents. To ensure an adequate amount of agent data, these data points are averages based on responses we've received from 121 agents in the Northeast region.
We also asked agents about when and why they're willing to negotiate real estate commissions.
Additionally, we utilized the following data from Zillow and Realtor.com:
- Home values, list prices, and sale prices: Based on Zillow data as of November 2024
- Sale-to-list ratios: Based on Zillow data as of November 2024 (unless specified otherwise)
- Months of inventory: Based on Realtor.com data as of December 2024
