How commission works | How to save on commission | The current Maine housing market | The best low commission companies | Methodology
📊 The data: We surveyed local agents and found that the average real estate commission in Maine is 5.45%, which is less than the national average of 5.50%. |
That means, to sell an average Maine house worth $297,500 you’ll pay about $16,200 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 5.45%.
Selling with a discount real estate company like Clever could help you save thousands on commission. Clever negotiates 1% listing fees with full-service Maine realtors from top brokers.
On that same $297,500 home — you'd pay just $10,300, up to 37% less than paying average rates.
» SAVE: Sell with Clever for 1% listing fees and save thousands in commission!
Below, we cover everything you need to know about Maine real estate commission fees and share tips on how to save more when you sell.
How real estate agent commission works in Maine
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
Both agents earn a percentage of the home's final price when the sale closes. This payment is called real estate agent commission, and it's baked into the sale price when you sell your home.
Based on our research, the average commission split in Maine has 55.0% of the commission going to the listing agent and 45.0% going to the buyer's agent.
» 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.
However, since this commission is baked into the sales price, you could say that the home buyer is paying — at least in part — through a higher price.
» LEARN: Who pays realtor commission?
How to save on real estate commission in Maine
💰 Best ways to save on commission:
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Keep reading to learn how you can negotiate cheaper rates or find low commission companies that negotiate lower realtor fees for you!
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 |
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The Maine housing market |
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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 2.5 months of housing inventory on the market | Seller's market |
Sale-to-list ratio | Homes are selling for 101.10% of their listing price | Seller's market |
Home values | Home values have risen 15.7% 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. Like traditional agents, these agents are fully licensed and have met all of the requirements of the Maine real estate commission board.
How they create those discounts will depend on the company's model, with some creating more risks and tradeoffs than others.
Clever Real Estate
Learn More💲 Listing Fee
$3,000 or 1%
💰 Avg. Savings
$7,375
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.9/5 (1,004 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.
- Free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX
- Provides multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit
- Pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for a flat $3,000 listing fee, or just 1% if the home sells for more than $350,000
- If you buy with Clever, you could get a check worth up to 0.5% of the home price
- 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.
As of April 2, 2021, Clever has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, based on 974 reviews.
Clever has pre-negotiated low commission rates with top agents in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC.
Redfin
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
1.5% (min. fees vary)
💰 Avg. Savings
$5,550
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
3.2/5 (287 reviews)
Redfin offers real savings and 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 3.2 out of 5 rating (287 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 $100-300. The trade-off is that you'll have to handle almost the entire home-selling process yourself. If you're a real estate novice, or simply don't have the time to sell your home without a realtor, this might not be a good option.
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% commission rate, or a flat fee of $3,000, if your home sells for less than $350,000, and the company only works with top agents in Maine. Contact Clever today to get started on your commission savings!
Methodology
Our data on commission rates is based on a survey of 915 of our partner agents, in which we asked for typical rates for both buyer's and seller's agents in their area.
Additionally, we utilized the following data from Zillow and Realtor.com:
- Home values, list prices, and sale prices: Based on Zillow data as of May 2021
- Sale prices and sale-to-list ratios: Based on Redfin data as of April 2021 (unless specified otherwise)
- Months of inventory: Based on Realtor.com data as of June 2021