Seattle seller guidance · Adriano Tori
Seattle Real Estate Commission: What Sellers Pay
I’m Adriano Tori. Your Seattle listing proposal should make the services and negotiated compensation clear. Compare the written scope and estimated proceeds before signing.
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RexMont Real Estate
Washington license #27660
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Selling in Seattle — the numbers
Updated
What a Seattle sale costs in Washington
The median asking price in Seattle is $773K (Stats updated October 2026) and Washington excise tax on a sale at that price is $12,850. Asking prices of homes currently listed, not closed sales.
Washington REET tiers for a Seattle sale
| Portion of sale price | State REET |
|---|---|
| Up to $525,000 | 1.10% |
| $525,001 to $1,525,000 | 1.28% |
| $1,525,001 to $3,025,000 | 2.75% |
| Above $3,025,000 | 3.00% |
| King County local REET — on the full price | 0.50% |
Each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside its tier; the seller pays at closing. Breakpoints move to $551,000, $1,551,000 and $3,051,000 for closings on or after January 1, 2027; rates unchanged.
State schedule (2023–2026 schedule) per the Washington Department of Revenue, verified October 2026. Local rate per DOR’s local REET rate table, rates effective May 2026.
Worked example at the Seattle median
- Sale price (city median, rounded)
- $775,000
- Commission (5% total)
- −$38,750
- Washington REET (state + local)$8,975 state (2023–2026 schedule) + $3,875 local
- −$12,850
- Title and escrow
- −$2,400
- Pre-listing prep
- −$15,000
- Mortgage payoff (example: 35% of price)
- −$270,000
- Estimated net proceeds
- $436,000
Selling costs of $69,000 (8.9% of price), computed with the same function as the calculator below, on the 2023–2026 schedule. An estimate for planning, not a quote; your payoff, prep and title fees replace the example values.
Open the Seattle net-proceeds calculatorFigures reviewed by Adriano Tori, Designated Broker and Owner, RexMont Real Estate · WA Lic. #27660 · market figures updated , REET schedule per the Washington Department of Revenue.
Seattle real estate commission runs 4.5% to 6% of the sale price as of Oct 2026: $40,500 to $54,000 on a $900K home, and Washington sets no standard rate. Commission is the largest single line item on a Seattle seller's closing statement, and it is also the most negotiable. Since the August 2024 NAR settlement, the old assumption that the seller automatically pays both sides is gone. What replaced it is a real negotiation: the listing fee you agree to, and a separate, strategic decision about whether to offer the buyer's side a concession.
I am Adriano Tori, Founder & Designated Broker of RexMont Real Estate, WA Lic. #27660. RexMont has 1,243 5-star reviews and $1B+ closed across 1,200+ transactions across Seattle and the Eastside. I would rather show you exactly what each point of commission buys — and where it does not pay for itself — than defend a number. That is how this page is written.
Most Seattle sellers land between 4.5% and 6% total, but the spread matters enormously at Seattle prices: on a $950K Ballard craftsman, the difference between 5% and 6% is $9,500; on a $2M Queen Anne view home it is $20,000. The question is never just the percentage. It is what the fee funds — preparation, media, exposure, negotiation — and what your realistic net looks like under each model, including the flat-fee and discount alternatives.
How Seattle commission works after the NAR settlement
Post-settlement, the mechanics work like this: your listing agreement sets the listing-side fee. Separately, every serious buyer now signs a buyer-agency agreement obligating them to their agent's compensation. Buyers then either pay it directly or — far more often in Seattle — ask the seller for a concession in the offer. You decide whether to advertise a willingness to contribute, respond offer-by-offer, or hold firm. Each posture has consequences for buyer traffic, and the right choice depends on your price point and competition.
At entry and mid-market price points — much of Beacon Hill, Greenwood, Delridge, and Columbia City — buyers are usually stretching for down payment and closing costs, so a seller concession toward buyer-agent compensation keeps the widest pool engaged. At $1.5M+ in Madison Park, Magnolia, or Laurelhurst, buyers have more flexibility and sellers have more leverage to hold the line. RexMont models both paths on your actual numbers before you commit to either.
Washington's agency law is worth knowing too: licensees owe statutory duties to the parties they represent, and the Washington Department of Licensing regulates how brokers operate and disclose agency. A written listing agreement should spell out the fee, the term, the marketing commitment, and the cancellation terms. If any of those four are vague, that is a negotiation you are losing before the sign goes up.
What the fee should actually buy
What should the fee buy? Concretely: a pricing strategy built from live comparables rather than an automated estimate; preparation triage that separates the $2,000 fixes that return $20,000 from the projects that return nothing; professional photography, floor plans, and video; full NWMLS exposure with syndication; proactive buyer-agent outreach; disciplined offer review; and management of the inspection, appraisal, and closing sequence where Seattle deals actually fall apart.
The honest test of any commission conversation is net proceeds. A broker who charges less but prices wrong, under-prepares the launch, or negotiates soft can cost you multiples of the fee difference — a single 5% price reduction on a $950K home is $47,500. Run the numbers on RexMont's cost-to-sell page, which itemizes commission alongside excise tax, title, and escrow, then compare brokers on the number that hits your wire, not the percentage in the agreement.
If you are interviewing brokers now, ask each one the same three questions: What will you spend, specifically, marketing my home? What is your list-to-sale-price record on homes like mine? And what happens to your fee if I need to cancel? The answers separate brokers with a system from brokers with a script — RexMont's guide to choosing a listing agent covers the full interview.
What the commission buys — and what a lower fee leaves out
Compare the work included, not just the advertised fee. Listing-side fees and buyer-agent concessions are separate, negotiable terms. Under the post–August 2024 NAR settlement structure, the seller decides whether to offer a buyer-agent concession and negotiates the amount; none of these listing models requires one.
| Fee or service | Full-service listingRexMont's Listing Program | Discount / 1% listingCategory | Flat-fee MLS entryCategory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical listing-side fee | Negotiated percentage; quoted in writing | Advertised 1%; minimums may apply | Fixed fee; add-ons vary |
| Buyer-agent concession | Seller decides; negotiated separately | Seller decides; negotiated separately | Seller decides; negotiated separately |
| Pricing from live comparables | Included | Varies — confirm scope | Typically not included |
| Preparation triage and staging plan | Included | Often an add-on | You handle it |
| Professional photography, floor plan and video | Included | Media package varies | Often an add-on |
| NWMLS entry and syndication | Included | Typically included | Included |
| Buyer-agent outreach and showings | Included | Varies — confirm scope | You handle it |
| Offer review and negotiation | Included | Varies — confirm scope | Typically not included |
| Inspection, appraisal and closing management | Included | Varies — confirm scope | You handle it |
| Cancellation terms | Varies — read the agreement | Varies — read the agreement | Varies — read the agreement |
Terms vary by brokerage, and the signed listing agreement controls. Category descriptions are not guarantees of any particular package. Confirm deliverables, minimum fees, add-ons, and cancellation charges before signing. A staging plan does not mean staging furnishings or preparation work are paid for.
Seattleworked example at the feed's median asking price
These percentages are assumptions, not quotes, required rates, or measured local averages. Each fee row is an alternative scenario, not an additional charge. Total commission combines the listing fee and the buyer-agent concession shown; it excludes REET and other closing costs.
| Illustrative item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Assumed sale price (feed median asking price) | $773,000 |
| Listing-side fee at 2.5% | $19,325 |
| Listing-side fee at 3% | $23,190 |
| Buyer-agent concession if the seller offers 2% | $15,460 |
| Buyer-agent concession if the seller offers 2.5% | $19,325 |
| Total commission at 4.5% (2.5% listing + 2% buyer-side) | $34,785 |
| Total commission at 5% (2.5% listing + 2.5% buyer-side) | $38,650 |
| Total commission at 6% (3% listing + 3% buyer-side) | $46,380 |
| Dollar difference between 5% and 6% | $7,730 |
| Washington REET (graduated state tiers + King County 0.50% local) | $12,814 |
Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar and calculated from the feed's rounded asking-price figure. REET is separate from commission and uses the 2023–2026 schedule, plus King County's 0.50% local rate. Confirm the schedule for your closing date and the local rate for property outside King County.
FAQ
Seattle commission questions
What is the average real estate commission in Seattle?
There is no fixed or legal rate — commission is negotiated on every listing. Most Seattle sellers pay 4.5%–6% total, covering the listing side and any concession the seller chooses to make toward the buyer's agent. The right number depends on price point, condition, marketing scope, and how competitive your micro-market is.
Did the NAR settlement lower Seattle commissions?
It changed the structure. Since August 2024, buyer-agent compensation cannot be advertised on the MLS and is negotiated in a written buyer-agency agreement. Sellers now decide explicitly whether to offer a buyer-side concession. In practice many Seattle sellers still contribute because it widens the buyer pool, but the amount is a strategic decision, not a default.
Who pays the buyer's agent in Seattle now?
The buyer is responsible for their agent's fee under their buyer-agency agreement, but buyers routinely ask sellers for a concession to cover it — especially at price points where buyers are cash-constrained after down payment and closing costs. Whether to offer one, and how much, is a negotiation lever RexMont models against your net proceeds.
Is a discount or flat-fee broker cheaper in the end?
Sometimes on fees, not always on net. A lower fee with weaker preparation, pricing, or negotiation can cost more than it saves — Seattle homes that launch wrong routinely take price reductions larger than the commission difference. Compare expected net proceeds under each model, not the fee alone. RexMont's flat-fee MLS page covers the trade-offs honestly.
What should Seattle sellers get for the commission?
Pricing strategy from current comparables, preparation and staging guidance, professional photography and media, NWMLS exposure and syndication, buyer-agent outreach, offer review and negotiation, inspection and appraisal management, and closing coordination. If a broker cannot articulate what each point of commission buys, keep interviewing.
What does a 1% listing fee usually exclude?
A 1% listing fee usually refers only to the listing side, not any buyer-agent concession the seller chooses to offer. Depending on the agreement, professional photography, floor plans, video, staging guidance, hosted showings, and transaction coordination may be limited or priced separately. Minimum fees, upfront charges, and cancellation costs can also change the total. Ask for a written list of included services and add-ons, then compare the full cost and who handles pricing, negotiations, inspection issues, and closing.
Seattle listing representation
Get a straight commission quote for your home.
Send the address and your timeline. RexMont will quote the fee, itemize exactly what it funds, and show your projected net proceeds next to the discount alternatives — in writing, before you sign anything.