Hi Kath Cal... As you can see from all the postings the average commission depends on the agent/office. What I tell my clients when I'm asked this question is whatever commission we negotiate nothing is paid until I get your price and we close on the property.

GOOD LUCK!

Mark Warren

yup, ditto. rats, 25 character minimum.

Jonathan...

no harm, no foul.

I come bearing an olive branch. I understand both of your arguments. I don't like to be made a target of or be lumped in with people who post indefensible answers. Take care, Jon

Jonathan,

Thank goodness you lit the match!

I remember back to when I was taking classes before becoming a REALTOR, and our instructor gave the best advice on this issue that I have ever had:

"you are out on a golf outing with other 3 other Realtors. You are talking shop with them, when one of them brings up the topic of commissions. At that point, you (and the other 2 realtors who did not bring up the topic) should pick up your golf balls, walk off the course, and immediately report the 4th Realtor to the board!

Now, Jonathan, I am not trying to put the thumb screws on you. Statements regarding commissions between Realtors, and the public should be avoided at all costs. IMHO. You have people on this board (2 in particular) who are not fans of Realtors at all and are itching to cause trouble most of the time. I am not prepared to give these numbskulls ammunition.

Okay, I'm going to blow out that match.

I'm going to ask you to reread MY post. I did not say that by answering an "average" that you violated anything. In fact I said: You are not breaking the law by stating that there IS an average.

I did state that IF (notice the "if"?) you suggest there is a standard, or a normal, usual or regular commission... then you are potentially guilty of price fixing or collusion to price fix.

that was NOT directed at you... since you clearly didn't suggest that... it was really more directed at Edward (our first poster) who DID say there was a STANDARD!!

.... now... about that "act of self-promotion at the expense of another"??? I really don't feel I deserved that... care to retract?? You know it is possible for real estate professionals to disagree on a national public forum without resorting to lighting matches.

Ok, I usually don't flame but I am going to light a match here. I am in no way, shape or form violating any law or statute with my previous post. I don't agree with Edward that there is a "standard commission" and I agree that intimating that there is a "standard commission" could be in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act therefore opening me up for litigation under The Clayton Act. But for Elvis and Chris to tie me IN ANY WAY to a violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act is ludicrious and at the very minimum an act of self-promotion at the expense of another.

Please go ahead and reread the question. "What is the average agent commission in the Malden, MA area?" I simply answered the question without violating any laws or statutes. I did not mention "standard commissions." I am not attempting to "[. . . ] monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations [. . . ]" . Furthermore, I am not in violation of the Clayton Act of 1914 because no [. . . ] person who shall be injured in his business or property by reason of anything forbidden in the antitrust laws [. . . ]" was injured!

So, the answer to Elvis is NO. I am not and have not suggested that "there is a standard, normal usual or regular commission" and therefore not "guilty of price fixing or collusion to price fix." The answer to Chris is also NO. I do not need to "haul out that dusty copy of the Sherman anti-trust act" because I am well aware of what that Act is and does. So please, before you make another argument please vet it before putting it out on the world wide web. Thanks, Jon

Kath

Elvis Is right, right, right.......cuz he is the king! :)

Jonathan, you better haul out that dusty copy of the Sherman anti-trust act! Is there anybody charging less than 5 or more than 6 in your area? I'll bet there is, because it is completely negotiable.

Now KATH, negotiable doesn't mean that you pick a number and the Realtor agrees. You might pick a number and he/says "no thanks". That, might be the negotiation.....but as always, you get what you pay for.

The average commission is about 5%. I have seen commissions as high as 6% with an additional bonus if certain criteria are met.

P.S. I am not breaking any laws by answering this question. :)
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You are not breaking the law by stating that there IS an average... (there's always an average... if you add up all the commissions, and divide by the total sampled, you arrive at an average)... but if you suggest there is a standard, or a normal, usual or regular commission... then you are potentially guilty of price fixing or collusion to price fix.

I definitely agree with Elvis. There is no standard commission ! Under the law one real estate cannot dictate what the another real estate charges for commission. Commission is negotiable.

And is always negotiable so tell em you wont pay higher than 4% (But first consider you are in a buyers market, you have less demand for your property).
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As with my price negotiations, I always advise not to issue ultimatums ("that's my final offer" "that's as high as I'll go" "I'm not paying more than 4%") because it sets up an adversarial situation and gives you nowhere to go.

Thank you for an honest answer Elvis ...

The average agent commission for malden is the same as many parts of massachussetts. Malden has no special agent commision rates. The 5% -6% rate average is the same throughout MA. And is always negotiable so tell em you wont pay higher than 4% (But first consider you are in a buyers market, you have less demand for your property).

The average commission is about 5%. I have seen commissions as high as 6% with an additional bonus if certain criteria are met.

P.S. I am not breaking any laws by answering this question. :)

I beg to differ... contrary to Edward's "anti-trust" breaking answer, there IS no standard, normal, usual, regular commission... Realtors and their agencies are allowed to charge whatever they deem the market will bear, and all of those rates are negotiable.

To suggest otherwise is breaking the law.

The standard commission rate is 5%....2.5% goes to the Listing Broker, 2.5 goes to the selling Broker