Just looked into what real estate agents actually charge and wow, the average commission for real estate agent work is way higher than I thought. So it's typically 5-6% of the sale price, and get this - the seller usually ends up paying for both the buyer's and seller's agent. Like if you're selling a $500k house, that's $30k just gone right there.

What's interesting is how much room there is to negotiate. Apparently the average commission for real estate agent services isn't set in stone at all. If you're in a seller's market where homes are flying off the shelf, agents are more willing to take less because they know it'll sell fast anyway. But if the market's slow and tough, good luck getting them to budge on their cut.

I was reading about how experienced agents with solid track records basically won't negotiate because they're already booked solid. Meanwhile newer agents might be more flexible since they're trying to build their client list. Also if you're doing multiple deals or your property is in really good condition, you've got more leverage to push for a lower average commission for real estate agent representation.

The whole thing depends on the contract though. Most of the time the seller pays at closing, but some buyer's agents have deals where the buyer covers it. Honestly feels like something everyone should negotiate harder on instead of just accepting the standard rate. Anyone else surprised by how much the average commission for real estate agent work actually is?