How commission works | How to save on commission | The current Washington housing market | The best low commission companies | Methodology
📊 The data: We surveyed local agents and found that the average real estate commission in Washington is 5.17%, which is less than the national average of 5.50%. |
That means, to sell an average Washington house worth $529,800 you’ll pay about $27,400 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 5.17%.
Selling with a discount real estate company like Clever could help you save thousands on commission. Clever negotiates 1% listing fees with full-service Washington realtors from top brokers.
On that same $529,800 home — you'd pay just $19,000, up to 31% 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 Washington real estate commission fees and share tips on how to save more when you sell.
How real estate agent commission works in Washington
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 Washington has 50.1% of the commission going to the listing agent and 49.9% going to the buyer's agent.
» LEARN: How do real estate commissions work?
Who pays realtor fees in Washington?
In Washington, 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 Washington
💰 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 Washington
Whether you’re selling a luxury condo in downtown Seattle, a commercial property in Tacoma, or a family home in Bellingham, you can almost always save thousands by negotiating a lower commission rate.
Negotiating a lower realtor percentage in Washington 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 Washington housing market |
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While your personal situation will obviously vary, Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington real estate market
Factor | Trends | Indication |
|---|---|---|
Months of inventory | There's 0.6 months of housing inventory on the market | Seller's market |
Sale-to-list ratio | Homes are selling for 105.90% of their listing price | Seller's market |
Home values | Home values have risen 20.8% year over year | Seller's market |
Find a top realtor in Washington
Ready to negotiate with an agent in your area? We looked at the data and found the top Washington agents for you.
» FIND: The best Washington realtors by city
Low commission real estate companies in Washington
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 Washington.
The top discount real estate companies in Washington
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 Washington 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
4.89/5 (1,208 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 October 7, 2021, Clever has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, based on 1,203 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
3.9/5 (395 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 3.9 out of 5 rating (395 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Yelp.
Redfin is available in 80+ U.S. markets (see all locations).
REX Real Estate
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
2.5% ($9,000 min.)
💰 Avg. Savings
-$325
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.7/5 (930 reviews)
REX’s promise of huge savings is misleading. Its advertising misrepresents the significant risks of its pricing model and marketing approach. And its high minimum fees mean that many sellers won't save anything.
- REX's approach is incredibly risky — but if the gamble pays off, you could save about 50% on realtor fees
- Like other full-service brokerages, REX agents provide in-person services and support
- REX's 2.5% listing fee doesn't save you much — many full-price agents charge similar rates
- REX doesn't list your home on the MLS, so up to 90% of buyers may not even know it's for sale
- This risky marketing strategy seems likely to fail, so you may not save anything on commission
REX has a 4.7 out of 5 rating (930 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Zillow.
REX is available in the following areas: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MD, MA, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, DC.
Trelora
Full Review💲 Listing Fee
Up to $4,000
💰 Avg. Savings
$8,500
⭐ Avg. Customer Rating
4.7/5 (1094 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 (1094 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 Washington
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.
MLS4Owners
MLS4OwnersBest For
Sellers who are fine with the basics, but might want agent support down the line.
Price Range
$75-495
Pros:
- Your listing will be launched within 24 hours of being submitted - or often on the same day.
- You can design personalized flyers and slide shows on the MLS4owners.com website to amplify your marketing presence.
- A basic market analysis with pricing guidance is available for free, regardless of package selection.
Cons:
- MLS4Owners' facilitator service with contract assistance is only available for an additional percentage fee at closing.
- Listings do not allow as many photos as many competitors at a similar price range.
Flat Fee Realty
Flat Fee RealtyBest For
Budget-conscious sellers who need a simple, affordable listing.
Price Range
$299
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 Montana-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
Washington state has it all: Stunning natural beauty, a temperate climate, and an economy that’s supercharged by companies both old (Boeing) and new (Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks). Seattle is a world-class city, and its proximity to both Silicon Valley and Asia have made it a major cultural and technological hub.
Given these factors, it’s probably not surprising that Washington has one of the hottest housing markets in the country. Statewide median home values have more than doubled over the past decade, and nearly tripled in Seattle. Inventory is very low, so demand is probably going to stay high for the foreseeable future. The bottom line is that Washington is a great market to buy into right now — though it’s definitely not an affordable one by national standards.
Commission is one of the largest individual costs of selling a home, so it’s understandable you’d want to reduce it as much as possible. Clever pre-negotiates a low commission rate of only 1%, or a flat fee of $3,000 if your home sells for less than $350,000, and they partner with the top agents in Washington. Get in touch with Clever today to find out how they can save you thousands!
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 August 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 September 2021