How commission works | Save on commission | Colorado housing market | Best low commission companies | Methodology
📊 The data:
We surveyed local agents and found that the average real estate commission in Colorado is 5.52%, which is higher than the national average of 5.37%.
To sell a house in Colorado worth $539,640 — the median home value in Colorado — you’ll pay about $29,788 in realtor fees.
Realtor commission is usually the largest cost you'll face when selling your home — but you don't have to pay the full 5.52%.
Clever Real Estate could help you save thousands on commission by pre-negotiating 1.5% listing fees with full-service Colorado realtors from top brokerages.
On that same $539,640 home — you'd pay just $20,500, up to 31% less than paying average rates.
» SAVE: Sell with Clever for 1.5% listing fees and save thousands in commission!
How real estate agent commission works
Average listing commission | 2.73% |
Average buyer's agent commission | 2.79% |
Total average commission | 5.52% |
There are usually two real estate agents involved in 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
Based on our research, the average commission rate for listing agents is 2.73% of the final home price and 2.79% for buyer's agents, for a total of 5.52%.
» LEARN: How do real estate commissions work?
Who pays realtor fees in Colorado?
In Colorado, home sellers pay real estate commission fees out of the final sale proceeds for both agents involved in a deal. Offering to pay for the buyer's agent's commission is an incentive for agents to show your home to their clients.
If you'd like to save on commissions, Clever can connect you with a top listing agent in your area. You'll pay just 1.5%, keeping more money in your pocket at the end of your sale.
How to save on realtor fees in Colorado
Commission rates are not set in stone. In fact, we found that while 5.52% is the average in Colorado, rates typically fall between 4.78% and 6.26%. You can save money by negotiating a lower rate with your listing agent or by working with brokerage that has a discounted commission model.
Listing commission range | 2.36%– 3.10% |
Buyer's agent commission | 2.42%– 3.16% |
Total commission range | 4.78%– 6.26% |
Tips for negotiating realtor commission in Colorado
Whether you’re selling a vacation cabin in Aspen, a condo in downtown Denver, or a luxury ski home in Vail, you should always try to lower your realtor commission.
Negotiating a lower realtor percentage in Colorado depends on two main factors: your situation and the housing market.
Factor | You may have an easier time negotiating low rates if... |
|---|---|
Your situation |
|
The Colorado housing market |
|
While your personal situation will obviously vary, Colorado real estate market conditions will affect all home sellers in your area.
In general, in a seller's market — where home sellers have more leverage than buyers — a listing agent's job is easier and they may be more willing to lower their commission rates. The opposite is usually true in a buyer's market.
» LEARN: Find our top tips for negotiating lower commission fees
To judge the current state of your real estate market, look at these three factors:
- Months of inventory ⓘ
- Sale to list price ⓘ
- Home value trends ⓘ
If every factor points to Colorado being a seller's market, then you may be in a good position to negotiate a lower commission rate with your agent. If market conditions are mixed or favor buyers, it may be more challenging to persuade your realtor to accept a cheaper fee.
The current state of the Colorado real estate market
Factor | Trends | Indication |
|---|---|---|
Months of inventory | There's 1.5 months of housing inventory on the market | Seller's market |
Sale-to-list ratio | Homes are selling for 98.49% of their listing price | Seller's market |
Home values | Home values have risen 29.00% year over year | Seller's market |
» FIND: The average commission rates in more Colorado cities:
Low commission real estate companies in Colorado
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.
These are some of the top discount and flat-fee MLS services in Colorado.
The top discount real estate companies in Colorado
Discount real estate companies 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.
Clever Real Estate
Get Started💲 Listing Fee
1.5% (min. $3,000)
💰 Avg. Savings
$5,625
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.9/5 (1,995 reviews)
Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service.
- Clever offers a free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX.
- You get multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit.
- Clever pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for a low 1.5% listing fee.
- If you buy with Clever, you could get cash back after closing.
- You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
- Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.
Clever has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, based on 1,844 reviews.
Clever has pre-negotiated low commission rates with top agents in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
Redfin
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
1.5% (min. fees vary)
💰 Avg. Savings
$5,550
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
3.7/5 (301 reviews)
Redfin offers real savings and is a proven brand. But sellers could compromise on service — especially agent experience and availability.
- If you buy and sell with Redfin, you'll get a 0.5% listing fee discount.
- Redfin gives its listings premium placement in its popular home search app.
- If finding the right agent is a top priority, you'll have limited options — Redfin only has a few agents in each of its markets.
- Redfin agents handle more customers at once than the average realtor, so they may not be able to provide as much personalized service.
Redfin has a 3.7 out of 5 rating (301 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Yelp.
Redfin is available in 80+ U.S. markets (see all locations).
Homie
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
$3,500
💰 Avg. Savings
$8,500
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.3/5 (1,187 reviews)
Homie offers legit flat-fee savings — but may provide less personalized service than a traditional agent.
- The flat-fee pricing model offers big commission savings on higher-priced homes.
- The self-service listing process lets you get your home on the market quickly.
- Homie agents provide no in-person services or support.
- Agents juggle up to 10 times as many customers at once, which increases the risk you'll have a bad experience.
Homie has a 4.3 out of 5 rating (1,187 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Yelp.
Homie is available in the following areas: AZ, CO, ID, NV, UT.
Redefy
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
$3,500 (1% above $1M)
💰 Avg. Savings
$8,500
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.6/5 (300 reviews)
Redefy’s flat fee could offer big savings. But hands-off service and non-refundable upfront fees make it a hard sell over other, less risky options.
- Flat $3,500 listing fee is an excellent value for higher-priced homes
- Agents provide more in-person services than some similarly-priced low commission brands
- Redefy charges an upfront, non-refundable $500 fee (most companies don't make you pay anything until your house sells)
- Your agent will not host an open house for you
Redefy has a 4.6 out of 5 rating (300 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Zillow.
Redefy is available in the following areas: CO, FL, GA, IL, NC, SC, TN, TX, VA.
» LEARN: How do discount real estate brokers offer lower fees?
The top flat fee MLS listing services in Colorado
Flat fee MLS services list your home on your local MLS for a low fee, often around $200–$700. The trade-off is that you'll have to handle almost the entire home-selling process yourself.
Home Savings Realty
Home Savings RealtyBest For
Sellers who expect their home to sell quickly
Price Range
$399-699 (0.25% at closing)
Pros:
- The broker is involved in all parts of the selling process as long as your listing is active.
- Your listing package includes professional photos of your home.
Cons:
- The listing terms are short compared to other Colorado flat-fee MLS companies.
HybridMLSListings
HybridMLSListingsBest For
Inexperienced sellers who need extra guidance
Price Range
$299-549 (0.5% at closing)
Pros:
- You can add as many photos as the MLS allows with all listing packages.
- The broker will handle all your offer negotiations for you.
Cons:
- The basic package doesn't include any pricing assistance.
» MORE: What you need to know about flat fee MLS services.
Learn more
Colorado consistently ranks near the top on lists of most livable states, and it’s easy to see why. From natural beauty like the Rocky Mountains, to lively cities like Denver and Aspen, to a booming economy based on tourism, tech, and legalized marijuana, Colorado is the total package.
So it’s probably no surprise that the Colorado housing market is one of the very hottest in the nation. Home values here have more than doubled over the past decade, and are currently almost double the national average. Appreciation in the Denver market puts it on par with white-hot markets like San Francisco and Washington, DC. Inventory is low, though, so even at this price point, the market likely has a lot of room to grow.
If you’re interested in saving thousands on real estate commission when you sell in Colorado, Clever has already pre-negotiated low listing rates with some of Colorado’s top real estate agents. You'll only pay listing fees 1.5%. Contact Clever today to find out how much you can save!
Methodology
We gathered our commission rate data from a survey of 630 of our partner agents. The survey asked about standard local rates for both listing and buying agents.
Additionally, we utilized the following data from Zillow and Realtor.com:
- Home values, list prices, and sale prices: Based on Zillow data as of March 2023
- Sale prices and sale-to-list ratios: Based on Redfin data as of February 2023 (unless specified otherwise)
- Months of inventory: Based on Realtor.com data as of February 2023