How commission works | Save on commission | Wisconsin housing market | Best low commission companies | Methodology
📊 The data:
We surveyed local agents and found that the average real estate commission in Wisconsin is 5.67%, which is higher than the national average of 5.37%.
To sell a house in Wisconsin worth $262,652 — the median home value in Wisconsin — you’ll pay about $14,892 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 5.67%.
Clever Real Estate could help you save thousands on commission by pre-negotiating 1.5% listing fees with full-service Wisconsin realtors from top brokerages.
On that same $262,652 home — you'd pay just $9,700, up to 35% 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 | 3.12% |
Average buyer's agent commission | 2.55% |
Total average commission | 5.67% |
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 3.12% of the final home price and 2.55% for buyer's agents, for a total of 5.67%.
» LEARN: How do real estate commissions work?
Who pays realtor fees in Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin, 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% (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 Wisconsin
Commission rates are not set in stone. In fact, we found that while 5.67% is the average in Wisconsin, rates typically fall between 4.83% and 6.51%. 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 | 2.70%– 3.54% |
Buyer's agent commission | 2.13%– 2.97% |
Total commission range | 4.83%– 6.51% |
Tips for negotiating realtor commission in Wisconsin
Whether you’re selling an investment rental in Madison, a family home in Eau Claire, or a condo in downtown Milwaukee, you can almost always negotiate a lower commission rate!
Negotiating a lower realtor percentage in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin housing market |
|
While your personal situation will obviously vary, Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin real estate market
Factor | Trends | Indication |
|---|---|---|
Months of inventory | There's 1.3 months of housing inventory on the market | Seller's market |
Sale-to-list ratio | Homes are selling for 99.24% of their listing price | Seller's market |
Home values | Home values have risen 28.56% year over year | Seller's market |
» FIND: The average commission rates in more Wisconsin cities:
Riverside | Los Angeles
Low commission real estate companies in Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin.
The top discount real estate companies in Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin
Flat fee MLS services list your home on your local MLS for a low fee, often around $299–$2,500. The trade-off is that you'll have to handle almost the entire home-selling process yourself.
Madcity Homes
Madcity HomesBest For
Sellers looking for an all-in-one listing package
Price Range
$500
Pros:
- The listing package comes with professional photographs of your property.
- You'll get a list of recent comparable sales and listings in your area to help you price your property.
Cons:
- The website isn't clear about the number of photos you can add to your listing.
- This service is currently only available in Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Gree, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, and Sauk counties.
Wisconsin Flat Fee Homes
Wisconsin Flat Fee HomesBest For
Inexperienced sellers looking for extra broker guidance
Price Range
$550
Pros:
- The broker will sit down with you to talk through comparable properties and discuss the best price for your listing.
- The package includes marketing materials like a yard sign, lock box, property brochure, and showing scheduling.
- A professional photographer will come take photos of your property that you can use for your listing.
Cons:
- This flat-fee MLS company currently only serves Sheboygan, Fond Du Lac, Manitowoc, Calumet, Outagamie, and Winnebago counties plus the Appleton metro area.
» MORE: What you need to know about flat fee MLS services.
Learn more
Wisconsin — with its vibrant political history, high quality of life, and great affordability — routinely appears toward the top of every “best states to live in” list. The state boasts a highly-educated population, thanks in part to one of the best public education systems in the nation. Its thriving economy is diverse and time-tested; Wisconsin is one of the last American bastions of heavy manufacturing, and its dairy industry alone does more than $20 billion in business annually.
Home prices in Wisconsin have risen steeply over the past decade. The state is gaining new residents at around the national average rate, but still ranks high on measures of affordability and economic growth. Coupled with the state’s low housing inventory, this all suggests that the Wisconsin housing market is a good bet for buyers and investors.
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 1.5%, or a flat fee of $3,000 if your home sells for less than $350,000, and they partner with the top agents in Wisconsin. Get in touch with Clever today to find out how they can save you thousands!
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