How commission works | Save on commission | Maine housing market | Best low commission companies | Methodology
📊 The data:
We surveyed local agents and found that the average real estate commission in Maine is 5.12%, which is less than the national average of 5.37%.
To sell a house in Maine worth $351,375 — the median home value in Maine — you’ll pay about $17,990 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 5.12%.
Clever Real Estate could help you save thousands on commission by pre-negotiating 1.5% listing fees with full-service Maine realtors from top brokerages.
On that same $351,375 home — you'd pay just $12,200, up to 32% 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 | 2.66% |
Average buyer's agent commission | 2.46% |
Total average commission | 5.12% |
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 2.66% of the final home price and 2.46% for buyer's agents, for a total of 5.12%.
» LEARN: How do real estate commissions work?
Who pays realtor fees in Maine?
In Maine, 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 Maine
Commission rates are not set in stone. In fact, we found that while 5.12% is the average in Maine, rates typically fall between 4.19% and 6.05%. 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 | 2.19%– 3.12% |
Buyer's agent commission | 2.00%– 2.93% |
Total commission range | 4.19%– 6.05% |
Tips for negotiating realtor commission in Maine
Whether you’re selling a chic condo in downtown Portland, a vacation cottage in Bangor, or a sprawling family home in Augusta, you should always try to negotiate a lower commission rate — it could save you thousands!
Negotiating a lower realtor percentage in Maine 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 Maine housing market |
|
While your personal situation will obviously vary, Maine 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 Maine 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 Maine real estate market
Factor | Trends | Indication |
|---|---|---|
Months of inventory | There's 4.4 months of housing inventory on the market | Seller's market |
Sale-to-list ratio | Homes are selling for 98.46% of their listing price | Seller's market |
Home values | Home values have risen 44.55% year over year | Seller's market |
Low commission real estate companies in Maine
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 Maine.
The top discount real estate companies in Maine
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).
» LEARN: How do discount real estate brokers offer lower fees?
The top flat fee MLS listing services in Maine
Flat fee MLS services list your home on your local MLS for a low fee, often around $300–$1,500. The trade-off is that you'll have to handle almost the entire home-selling process yourself.
Discount Realty
Discount RealtyBest For
Sellers who only need basic guidance and are willing to sell their home primarily on their own.
Price Range
$299-999
Pros:
- You can include up to 30 photos in even the basic package.
- Printable flyers and brochures are available for marketing assistance.
- The partial service option can be added to the initial package at any time, with the additional fee due only at closing.
Cons:
- Greater delay in listing upload - up to 72 hours rather than same day or next day.
Flat Fee Realty
Flat Fee RealtyBest For
Budget-conscious sellers who need a simple, affordable listing.
Price Range
$199
Pros:
- Your listing comes with all the state seller's disclosures that you'll need.
- You can pay a little more to post up to 25 photos on the MLS instead of the standard six.
Cons:
- Flat Fee Realty doesn't offer any pricing or contract assistance.
- The company won't be your listing broker. Instead, they'll refer you to a Maine-based broker who will list your property. If you have problems or questions, you'll end up talking to two companies instead of just one.
» MORE: What you need to know about flat fee MLS services.
Learn more
Maine has an independent streak and plenty of wilderness. It’s not a large state in terms of population and area, yet there’s plenty of room to spread out. Maine also boasts low crime and a healthy economy, and its livability is no secret. The state's inbound-migration rate doubles the national average.
Maine home values have nearly doubled over the past decade as well, and currently rank above the national average. There’s quite a bit of inventory here, however. That might soften demand in the near term, but Maine has a durable appeal that should continue to draw new residents in the long term. Bottom line: This is a great market for investors and buyers, and sellers should feel optimistic about their prospects.
If you want to save thousands of dollars of commission on your Maine home sale, Clever pre-negotiates a low 1.5% commission rate, and the company only works with top agents in Maine. Contact Clever today to get started on your commission savings!
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