Average Real Estate Commission in Oakland, CA: 2026 Survey
Written by 
Jon StubbsView full profile →Edited by 
Michael YessisView full profile →
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The average total realtor fees due at closing in Oakland are 5.47% of the home's sale price, which is less than the national average of 5.70%.
Calculate your estimated commission in Oakland, or see what that works out to across a few price points:
- $46,861 in realtor fees on a $856,700 home
- $62,500 on a $1,142,000 home (the Oakland median price)
- $156,212 on a $2,855,800 home
Clever Real Estate could help you save thousands on listing commission by pre-negotiating 1.5% listing fees with full-service Oakland realtors from top brokerages.
On a median priced home, that's about $48,400 back in your pocket, up to 22.49% less than the average rates.
» SAVE: Sell with Clever for 1.5% listing fees and save thousands in commission!
Real estate commission calculator for Oakland
The default home sale price is Oakland's median home value.[1] Adjust the home price or either commission rate to see how much you'll potentially pay.
Realtor fees won't be your only expense when selling. Find out the total cost of selling your home with our Oakland seller closing costs calculator.
How real estate commission works in Oakland
There are usually two real estate agents involved in the transaction 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, each promising to pay the agreed-upon commission. Sellers can offer to pay a buyer's agent concession to help the buyer afford the home.
Because commission is negotiable, what sellers actually pay shifts with the local market, the home's price, and how much competition there is for listings. So the statewide average shifts between surveys.
Here's how Oakland's total commission has tracked across our agent surveys:
Oakland average commission trends
Who pays realtor fees in Oakland?
The seller pays for at least their own agent, and often covers the buyer's agent fees as well. Sellers may offer to pay a buyer's agent concession in some cases, like if it helps the buyer afford the home.
When selling a home in Oakland, you don't need to pay the realtor fees upfront. Similar to closing costs, the agent fees are deducted from the sale proceeds when the home purchase is finalized.
When you offer to pay a concession for the buyer's agent, you'll owe an average of 5.47% in commission, taken from the sale proceeds at closing. If you don't offer to pay a concession for the buyer's agent, the buyer will owe their agent an average of 2.74% on top of the price of the home and closing costs.
Should sellers pay the buyer's agent's commission?
Sellers aren't required to pay for the buyer's agent, but most listing agents will recommend you offer to cover this fee.
"I try to explain to my sellers that typically the buying side of the transaction is a lot more work. That agent has driven miles showing multiple properties; most likely they're written multiple offers for this client," says Michael Pellegrini of HomeSmart Advantage Realty in Santa Rosa, CA.
Learn more about why experts recommend offering a buyer's agent concession.
How to save on realtor fees in Oakland
Commission rates aren't set in stone. In fact, we found that while 2.73% is the average listing commission in Oakland, rates typically range from 2.00%–4.00%.
You can save money by negotiating a lower rate with your listing agent or by working with a discount real estate brokerage.
Low-commission real estate companies in Oakland
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, usually 1% to 1.5%. How they create those discounts will depend on the company's model, with some creating more risks and trade-offs than others.
Top low commission real estate companies in Oakland
How to negotiate real estate commission in Oakland
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 Oakland 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. We take these factors into account for our market heat index.
If all factors indicate Oakland 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.
Oakland housing market
Here are the details of the Oakland housing market as of June 30, 2026:
- The median days on market is 22 days, compared to the rolling average of 21 days.
- The median list price (the seller's asking price for the home) is currently $1,383,165, compared to the rolling average of $1,365,881.
- The median sale price (what homes are actually selling for) is $1,348,784, compared to the rolling average of $1,338,620.
- The sale-to-list ratio (what homes are selling for compared to the original list price) is 107%, compared to the rolling average of 105%.
- There were 600 new home listings, compared to the rolling average of 510.
Keep in mind housing-market trends are most useful at a local level. Statewide data gives a general sense of the market, but research your local market for the most helpful statistics.
In a seller's market, you may be in a better position to negotiate commission with your agent because homes are generally selling quicker, and agents may compete for listings.
If market conditions are mixed or favor buyers, it may be tougher to get your realtor to accept a cheaper commission.
Here's how to determine what kind of a market you're in.
- Median days on the market are down compared to the average. This means homes are selling quickly due to strong demand.
- Median list price and median sale price are up, meaning demand is strong enough to push prices higher.
- Sale-to-list price ratio is at or above 100%, meaning buyers are willing to pay the asking price or more.
- Housing inventory and new listings are down compared to the average. This means buyers have fewer options to choose from.
- Median days on the market are up compared to the average, meaning homes are taking longer to sell.
- Median list price and median sale price are down, showing sellers may be lowering prices to attract buyers.
- Sale-to-list price ratio is below 100%, indicating buyers are finding success negotiating prices down and paying less than the listing price.
- Housing inventory and new listings are up compared to the average, meaning buyers have more options to choose from.
How much do real estate agents make in Oakland?
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.
Use the sliders in the graphic below to see what each agent actually takes home.
What do real estate agents do in Oakland?
Homeowners continue to rely on real estate agents when selling. A 2025 Clever survey found that 91% 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.[2]
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 by owner typically sell for nearly 18% less than those sold with an agent.[3]
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 a few 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 sign up for Clever's free agent-matching service to connect with top Oakland realtors right now and save on commission.
Frequently asked questions
The buyer and seller are ultimately responsible for paying their own agents. However, many sellers offer to pay for the buyer's agent commission. This makes the home more affordable for the buyer, who already has to come up with a down payment.
Real estate commission is not considered a closing cost, even though it's due when the home sells. The term "closing costs" is typically used to refer to costs like transfer fees, title services, and other taxes due at closing.
Dual agency is when one agent represents both the buyer and the seller for the same deal. This can potentially set up a conflict of interest. Dual agency is not legal in eight states: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Most real estate agents will ask clients to sign an exclusive right to sell listing agreement, the most common type of contract. This type of contract says the seller agrees to work with only one agent, and that agent gets paid when the home sells, even if the seller finds a buyer themselves.
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.
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.[4]
Methodology
We gathered our commission rate data from a February 2026 survey of 533 agents nationwide. The survey asked about standard local rates for both listing and buying agents. These data points are averages based on responses we've received from 57 agents in California.
Additionally, we spoke to agents in California about when and why they're willing to negotiate real estate commissions. We also asked Michael Pellegrini of HomeSmart Advantage Realty in Santa Rosa, CA for advice about offering a buyer's agent concession.
Information on market conditions is based on Clever Market Pulse data as of June 30, 2026.
Why you can trust us
Clever has earned home buyers’ and home sellers’ trust with more than 4,200 5-star customer ratings on Trustpilot.
Our team is committed to making home selling more transparent by educating sellers through guides like this one. Our writers, editors, and industry-leading researchers strive to provide readers with the most up-to-date, accurate, and useful information.
For this article, our team conducted in-depth research on commission rates in Oakland as well as other market research, including:
- Data from the National Association of Realtors
- The Clever Market Heat Index
- The Clever Market Pulse data set, which includes data from Realtor.com, Redfin, and Zillow.
As our primary sources update, we refresh the data in our series accordingly. Learn more about why you can trust our articles.
Additional resources for Oakland home sellers
Article Sources
About the author — Jon Stubbs
Jon Stubbs has been at Clever Real Estate since 2021 and has over 20 years of experience as a writer and editor. Before Clever, Jon researched and wrote about a variety of topics, including debt managment, personal finance, and home improvement.