How commission works | Save on commission | Minnesota housing market | Best low commission companies | Methodology
📊 The data:
We surveyed local agents and found that the average real estate commission in Minnesota is 5.41%, which is higher than the national average of 5.37%.
To sell a house in Minnesota worth $334,482 — the median home value in Minnesota — you’ll pay about $18,095 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 5.41%.
Clever Real Estate could help you save thousands on commission by pre-negotiating 1% listing fees with full-service Minnesota realtors from top brokerages.
On that same $334,482 home — you'd pay just $12,000, up to 34% less than paying average rates.
» SAVE: Sell with Clever for 1% listing fees and save thousands in commission!
How real estate agent commission works
Average listing commission | 2.73% |
Average buyer's agent commission | 2.68% |
Total average commission | 5.41% |
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 2.68% for buyer's agents, for a total of 5.41%.
» LEARN: How do real estate commissions work?
Who pays realtor fees in Minnesota?
In Minnesota, 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% (or $3,000 if your home sells for less than $350,000), keeping more money in your pocket at the end of your sale.
How to save on realtor fees in Minnesota
Commission rates are not set in stone. In fact, we found that while 5.41% is the average in Minnesota, rates typically fall between 4.23% and 6.59%. 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 | 2.14%– 3.32% |
Buyer's agent commission | 2.09%– 3.27% |
Total commission range | 4.23%– 6.59% |
Tips for negotiating realtor commission in Minnesota
Whether you’re selling a duplex in Minneapolis, a vacation cabin in Bemidji, or a family home in Mankato, you should always try to negotiate a lower commission rate — it could save you thousands!
Negotiating a lower realtor percentage in Minnesota 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 Minnesota housing market |
|
While your personal situation will obviously vary, Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota real estate market
Factor | Trends | Indication |
|---|---|---|
Months of inventory | There's 1.4 months of housing inventory on the market | Seller's market |
Sale-to-list ratio | Homes are selling for 103.68% of their listing price | Seller's market |
Home values | Home values have risen 24.54% year over year | Seller's market |
» FIND: The average commission rates in more Minnesota cities:
Low commission real estate companies in Minnesota
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 Minnesota.
The top discount real estate companies in Minnesota
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 Minnesota
Flat fee MLS services list your home on your local MLS for a low fee, often around $200–$1,000. The trade-off is that you'll have to handle almost the entire home-selling process yourself.
123 Flat Fee Minnesota
123 Flat Fee MinnesotaBest For
Sellers who expect a lot of in-person showings
Price Range
$299-599
Pros:
- You'll have access to ShowingTime, an app that agents use to coordinate showings.
- The Premium package comes with a lot of materials to help you with open houses and showings like yard signs, directional signs, and property flyers.
Cons:
- The basic package only allows six photos. You'll usually want to include more photos to give people a better look at your property online.
- The company doesn't cover all of Minnesota. You can check out its website for specific regions.
Minnesota Flat Fee MLS
Minnesota Flat Fee MLSBest For
Sellers on a tight budget
Price Range
$99-149
Pros:
- The $149 listing option lets you post as many photos as the MLS allows.
- This service participates in four MLSs that cover nearly all of the state.
Cons:
- You don't have many options for add ons or additional services
- Both packages only include a six-month listing. There's no options for longer listing periods.
» MORE: What you need to know about flat fee MLS services.
Learn more
Minnesota consistently ranks among the most livable states in the U.S., thanks to its all-around excellence in everything from its economy to public education to crime rates to cost of living. It’s got natural beauty, too. The name Minnesota derives from a Native American word meaning “sky blue water,” and the state's known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
In a state this appealing, it’s no surprise that the housing market is booming. Median home values in Minnesota have doubled over the past decade. That said, home values aren’t that higher than the national average, so there’s a ton of potential growth to be found for buyers and investors alike.
Commission is the single largest cost of selling your home in Minnesota, but Clever can help you save on that front. Clever pre-negotiates low commission rates of 1%, or a flat fee of $3,000 if your home sells for less than $350,000, and it only works with vetted top agents in Minnesota. Contact Clever today to find out how it can help you!
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 August 2022
- Sale prices and sale-to-list ratios: Based on Redfin data as of May 2022 (unless specified otherwise)
- Months of inventory: Based on Realtor.com data as of October 2022