Guide, updated November 2026
Selling with a lower commission without losing buyers
Most sellers who try to save on commission cut the wrong thing. They reduce what the buyer's agent receives, and showings drop. A better approach keeps the buyer agent's share at market and cuts the listing side.
How the commission is split
In BC, a common listing is 7% on the first $100,000 and 2.5% on the rest. The buyer's brokerage gets about 3.22% and 1.15% of that; the listing brokerage keeps about 3.78% and 1.35%. In the US, listing and buyer agent pay are now agreed separately, but the same logic applies.
What a full-service discount should include
- Pricing based on actual comparable sales
- Professional photos and floor plan
- MLS listing and syndication to the major portals
- Showings and open houses
- Offer negotiation and handling of subjects or contingencies
- Paperwork through completion
The listing agreement
The discount should be written as a lower commission rate, not a promise to refund something later. Check the term, the cancellation clause, and whether the rate changes if the agent also finds the buyer.
When it pays to sell and buy with the same agent
If you sell and buy with a partner agent, you get the listing discount on the sale and the buyer rebate on the purchase. On a Lower Mainland move up from a $900,000 townhouse to a $1,400,000 house, the combined saving at the standard BC split is about $16,000.