Century 21 doesn't set company-wide realtor fees — each agent sets their own rate. Listing fees average 2.76% nationally, and buyer's agent fees average 2.70% — about 5.46% total, or roughly $20,299 on a typical home sale.[1]
Century 21 is one of the most recognizable real estate brokerages. Founded in 1971, it has more than 124,000 independent sales professionals in approximately 11,000 offices across 80 countries and territories.[2]
When you work with a Century 21 agent, you pay them a commission at closing. Rates vary by market, office, and individual agent — most traditional brokerages charge 2.5–3% of the final sale price per agent.
But you could pay less. Clever Real Estate connects you with local agents from major brokerages, including Century 21, who offer full service for a 1.5% listing fee.
» SAVE: Find top local agents at a 1.5% listing fee
Century 21 realtor fees for sellers
Century 21 listing fees usually run about 3% of your home's final sale price — but there's no company-wide rate.
“We do not have a standard rate set,” says Brad Fowler, a Century 21 broker in Tennessee. “The number has to start somewhere, but it is always negotiable, and we make it clear in the listing/buyers presentation.”
Rates vary office to office, too. C21 Benefit Realty in Wisconsin, for example, advertises a minimum listing-side commission of 1.9% or $2,850, whichever is greater, capped at $19,000 on residential sales — while agents at most offices start near 3%.[3] Other franchise brands work the same way — Coldwell Banker's commission rate is also set office by office.
For that fee, a Century 21 listing agent handles the full sale: pricing, professional photography, marketing, showings and open houses, negotiations, and paperwork through closing.
Based on Clever's survey of 434 agents (updated August 2026), the national average listing fee is 2.76% — see how average real estate commission rates compare, or look up your state below.
| State | Avg. listing fee |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 2.81% |
| Alaska | 2.67% |
| Arizona | 2.88% |
| Arkansas | 2.81% |
| California | 2.57% |
| Colorado | 2.78% |
| Connecticut | 2.59% |
| Delaware | 2.81% |
| Florida | 2.64% |
| Georgia | 2.89% |
| Hawaii | 2.67% |
| Idaho | 2.78% |
| Illinois | 2.41% |
| Indiana | 2.85% |
| Iowa | 2.87% |
| Kansas | 2.87% |
| Kentucky | 2.81% |
| Louisiana | 2.81% |
| Maine | 2.59% |
| Maryland | 2.94% |
| Massachusetts | 2.59% |
| Michigan | 2.82% |
| Minnesota | 3.03% |
| Mississippi | 2.81% |
| Missouri | 2.87% |
| Montana | 2.78% |
| Nebraska | 2.87% |
| Nevada | 2.78% |
| New Hampshire | 2.59% |
| New Jersey | 2.61% |
| New Mexico | 2.77% |
| New York | 2.41% |
| North Carolina | 2.79% |
| North Dakota | 2.87% |
| Ohio | 3.00% |
| Oklahoma | 2.77% |
| Oregon | 2.67% |
| Pennsylvania | 2.88% |
| Rhode Island | 2.59% |
| South Carolina | 2.81% |
| South Dakota | 2.87% |
| Tennessee | 2.81% |
| Texas | 2.75% |
| Utah | 2.78% |
| Vermont | 2.59% |
| Virginia | 3.08% |
| Washington | 2.67% |
| Washington, D.C. | 2.72% |
| West Virginia | 2.81% |
| Wisconsin | 2.87% |
| Wyoming | 2.78% |
| National average | 2.76% |
Century 21 realtor fees for buyers
Century 21 buyer's agent fees are in line with other national brokerages: typically 2.5–3%, with a national average of 2.70%, per Clever's survey (updated August 2026). State-by-state buyer's agent averages are in the lookup above.
Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyers negotiate their agent's fee directly and agree to it in writing before touring a home.[4] But you likely won't pay it out of pocket: sellers still typically cover the buyer's agent commission, negotiated in the offer. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to treat seller-paid buyer's-agent compensation as customary, and outside their limits on seller concessions.[5] Buyer's-agent rates have also returned to pre-settlement levels — 2.42% nationally in the third quarter of 2025, per Redfin.[6]
If you're buying, get the compensation terms in your buyer agreement anyway — when a seller offers less than your agreed rate, you're responsible for the difference. For that fee, your agent finds and shows homes, evaluates value, writes and negotiates offers, and coordinates everything through closing.
State
Avg. buyer's agent fee
Alabama
2.78%
Alaska
2.55%
Arizona
2.83%
Arkansas
2.78%
California
2.51%
Colorado
2.69%
Connecticut
2.44%
Delaware
2.78%
Florida
2.64%
Georgia
2.85%
Hawaii
2.55%
Idaho
2.69%
Illinois
2.49%
Indiana
2.72%
Iowa
2.74%
Kansas
2.74%
Kentucky
2.78%
Louisiana
2.78%
Maine
2.44%
Maryland
2.75%
Massachusetts
2.44%
Michigan
3.09%
Minnesota
2.70%
Mississippi
2.78%
Missouri
2.74%
Montana
2.69%
Nebraska
2.74%
Nevada
2.69%
New Hampshire
2.44%
New Jersey
2.46%
New Mexico
2.85%
New York
2.21%
North Carolina
2.81%
North Dakota
2.74%
Ohio
2.65%
Oklahoma
2.85%
Oregon
2.55%
Pennsylvania
2.83%
Rhode Island
2.44%
South Carolina
2.78%
South Dakota
2.74%
Tennessee
2.78%
Texas
2.87%
Utah
2.69%
Vermont
2.44%
Virginia
2.92%
Washington
2.55%
Washington, D.C.
2.63%
West Virginia
2.78%
Wisconsin
2.74%
Wyoming
2.69%
National average
2.70%
How much does Century 21 charge to sell a house?
Century 21 typically charges about 3% of the final sale price to list your house. If you also cover the buyer's agent fee, expect 5–6% total. Here's the math on a $500,000 home:
| Fee | Rate | Cost on a $500,000 sale |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | 3% | $15,000 |
| Buyer's agent fee | 3% | $15,000 |
| Total commission | 6% | $30,000 |
| With a 1.5% listing fee instead | 4.5% | $22,500 |
Actual averages run a bit lower — 5.46% nationally, or about $20,299 on a typical home, per Clever's survey. The listing side is where you control the cost: a 1.5% listing fee instead of 3% keeps $7,500 of that $500,000 sale in your pocket.
Average commission calculator
Realtor fees are usually the biggest single cost of selling a home, so run your own numbers before you sign anything. Our real estate commission calculator estimates your total fee based on your sale price, state, listing rate, and any buyer's agent fee you agree to cover.
Total realtor fees
When you find your agent through Clever, your listing commission is just 1.5% instead of the average 2.76%.
» COMPARE: See how much you'd save with a 1.5% listing fee
Are there fees besides the commission?
In most cases, commission is the only fee your Century 21 agent's brokerage charges. But every Century 21 office is independently owned, and some add their own charges — a transaction or admin fee of a few hundred dollars is the one that most often surprises sellers at closing. Century 21 publishes no company-wide schedule for these, so the only way to know is to ask.
Before you sign a listing agreement, get every brokerage fee in writing: the commission rate, any transaction or document fees, and what happens to those fees if the sale falls through.
These brokerage charges are separate from standard seller closing costs — title fees, transfer taxes, and recording charges — which you owe no matter who lists your home.
How to get lower Century 21 fees
You have two reliable ways to pay less: negotiate your agent's rate, or start with an agent who already charges less.
Negotiate directly with an agent
Century 21 realtor fees are negotiable — often by design. “We have the starting point, and agents do have some flexibility in setting their rate,” Fowler says. Even a 0.5% reduction saves $2,500 on a $500,000 sale.
A few things strengthen your position:
- Local rate knowledge. Walk in with your state's average and a realistic target — our guide to how to negotiate realtor commission covers the scripts.
- A higher-priced home. Agents can flex more when the dollar amount behind each percentage point is bigger.
- Competing quotes. Interview two or three agents and let each know you're comparing.
- A slower market. Homes spend a median of 66 days on the market nationally, so agents competing for listings have more reason to deal.[7]
- Dual transactions. Buying and selling with the same agent is common grounds for a discount.
Find a low-commission agent
Some Century 21 agents have already agreed to a lower rate. Through Clever Real Estate, agents from major brands — including Century 21 — offer the same full service for a pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee, no haggling required. On a $500,000 home, that cuts your listing fee from $15,000 to $7,500.
If you'd rather shop around, compare the best low commission real estate companies to see how the discount models differ.
How Century 21 pays its agents
Your agent doesn't keep the whole commission — they split it with their Century 21 office. Fowler's Tennessee brokerage starts agents at 70/30, which matches the starting split at the Century 21 franchises that publish their plans. “Our brokerage has three separate offices, so the split covers individual offices for agents, as well as common things that come with an office,” he says.
Franchise costs — a 6% royalty on gross revenue plus a 0.50% Brand Marketing Fund contribution, per Century 21's 2026 franchise disclosure document — also come out of the brokerage's side, not yours. None of it changes your bill.
[8] For plan-by-plan splits, caps, and fee math, see Century 21's commission split for agents.
Find the best agent and rate near you
Clever matches you with two or three top local agents — from Century 21 and other major brands — who compete for your listing at a 1.5% fee. Answer a few questions about your sale, compare your matches, and choose the best fit. You can also find a top real estate agent in your area first. It's free, with no obligation to move forward.
» MATCH: Get matched with top agents and save on listing fees
FAQ about Century 21 fees
Century 21 agents earn a commission — usually around 3% of the final sale price — which they split with their office. At the franchises that publish their plans, new agents start at 70/30 and the split improves as they close more deals. For plans, caps, and agent-side fees, see Century 21's commission split for agents.
No — there's no standard realtor fee, and 3% is just a common starting point. Nationally, listing fees average 2.76% and buyer's agent fees average 2.70%, per Clever's survey of 434 agents (updated August 2026). Rates vary by state and market, and every agent's fee is negotiable.
Flat-fee MLS services and low-commission brokers charge the least. A flat-fee service lists your home for a few hundred dollars but leaves pricing, showings, and negotiations to you. Low-commission services like Clever match you with full-service agents — including Century 21 agents — at a pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee, so the lower rate doesn't cost you support.
Not to home sellers or buyers — you pay only the commission you agree to at closing, plus any office fees disclosed in your listing agreement. Agents are a different story: many Century 21 offices charge their agents monthly technology or office fees, which vary by franchise.
Sellers never pay desk fees — they're an agent expense. Some independently owned Century 21 offices charge agents desk or office fees, while others fold those costs into the commission split. Either way, desk fees don't appear on your closing statement.
Generally, no — Century 21 agents work on commission, though some offices advertise discounted rates or caps. If you want a true flat fee, flat fee MLS companies list your home for a set price without an agent's help. For a middle path, Clever's 1.5% listing fee gets you a full-service agent at a discounted rate.