How commission works | How to save on commission | The current South Carolina housing market | The best low commission companies | Methodology
📊 The data: We surveyed local agents and found that the average real estate commission in South Carolina is 5.83%, which is higher than the national average of 5.50%. |
That means, to sell an average South Carolina house worth $230,900 you’ll pay about $13,500 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 5.83%.
Selling with a discount real estate company like Clever could help you save thousands on commission. Clever negotiates 1% listing fees with full-service South Carolina realtors from top brokers.
On that same $230,900 home — you'd pay just $9,800, up to 28% 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 South Carolina real estate commission fees and share tips on how to save more when you sell.
How real estate agent commission works in South Carolina
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 South Carolina has 49.9% of the commission going to the listing agent and 50.1% going to the buyer's agent.
» LEARN: How do real estate commissions work?
Who pays realtor fees in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, 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 South Carolina
💰 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 South Carolina
Whether you’re selling a historic mansion in Charleston, a vacation home in Myrtle Beach, or an investment rental in Spartanburg, you can almost always save yourself thousands by negotiating a lower commission rate.
Negotiating a lower realtor percentage in South Carolina 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 South Carolina housing market |
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While your personal situation will obviously vary, South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina real estate market
Factor | Trends | Indication |
|---|---|---|
Months of inventory | There's 0.7 months of housing inventory on the market | Seller's market |
Sale-to-list ratio | Homes are selling for 99.50% of their listing price | Seller's market |
Home values | Home values have risen 14.1% year over year | Seller's market |
Find a top realtor in South Carolina
Ready to negotiate with an agent in your area? We looked at the data and found the top South Carolina agents for you.
» FIND: The best South Carolina realtors by city
Low commission real estate companies in South Carolina
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 South Carolina.
The top discount real estate companies in South Carolina
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 South Carolina 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 (1,143 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).
Redefy
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
$3,500 (1% above $1M)
💰 Avg. Savings
$8,500
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.6/5 (345 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 (345 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.
Trelora
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
Up to $4,000
💰 Avg. Savings
$8,500
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.7/5 (943 reviews)
Trelora's flat fee offers big savings at higher price points — but the company may provide less personalized service and local support than a traditional agent.
- Trelora's flat listing fee offers huge savings on expensive homes
- Unlike some flat-fee brokers, Trelora provides complete in-person support (including open houses)
- Trelora agents juggle up to 20x as many customers as the average realtor
- Since agents handle so many customers at once, you'll be competing with a LOT of other people for your agent's time and attention
- This high-volume approach greatly increases the risk of mistakes, oversights, and delays that could impact your experience
Trelora has a 4.7 out of 5 rating (943 reviews) across popular review sites like Google, Yelp, and Zillow.
Trelora is available in the following areas: AZ, CO, NC, SC, WA.
» LEARN: How do discount real estate brokers offer lower fees?
The top flat-fee MLS listing services in South Carolina
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.
Carolina Realty Solutions
Carolina Realty SolutionsBest For
Sellers willing to pay for the convenience of an all-in package
Price Range
$375-475
Pros:
- Includes access to Showingtime, an app Realtors use to schedule showings. Many flat-fee MLS companies either don't offer or charge extra for this service.
- You can extend your listing for up to two years without paying an extra listing fee.
- You'll get both a yard sign and a key lockbox — even with the cheapest package.
Cons:
- Carolina Realty Solutions doesn't currently offer flat fee MLS services to Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, and Cleveland counties.
iSave Realty
iSave RealtyBest For
Sellers looking for a no-frills flat fee MLS listing
Price Range
$299-399
Pros:
- The base package comes with a 12-month listing term. This could be helpful if you think your home could take some time to sell.
- The gold package includes a lot of input from the broker like contract reviews, advertising assistance, and help with sales contracts.
Cons:
- It's unclear if iSave Realty charges you to make changes to your MLS listing.
» MORE: What you need to know about flat-fee MLS services.
Learn more
South Carolina has it all: Gorgeous weather, genteel Southern hospitality, and some of the best beaches on the East Coast. The state also has a booming tourist industry — not only for its sandy shores but also for some of the best golfing to be found anywhere. According to some experts, South Carolina is the fourth-best state in the U.S. for golfers, and Hilton Head is a world-class golfing destination.
In a state that offers this kind of quality of life, it’s probably no surprise that the housing market is booming. Median home values have risen substantially over the past decade, driven in part by higher-than-average job growth and a huge population boom. Best of all, home values here are still lower than the national average, so it’s a rare opportunity to buy into a hot market at an affordable price point.
Commission can take a big bite out of your profits when it comes to a South Carolina home sale, but Clever can help you keep that money in your pocket by reducing your commission rate. Clever pre-negotiates low 1% commission for you, or a flat fee of $3,000 if your home sells for less than $350,000, and they partner you with pre-vetted elite agents from South Carolina. Contact Clever today to find out how to save thousands on commission!
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 July 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 August 2021