Only 1 in 3 sellers are negotiating agent commissions 

In the wake of the landmark commissions lawsuits and rule changes that have reshaped the real estate industry over the past few years, there has been much discussion about the negotiation of agent commissions. Even so, it appears homesellers are still largely unaware that they can ask for a lower commission — though those who do have a high likelihood of success.

Wanting to pay less, but lacking knowledge: Disinformation about agent commissions continues to swirl in the wake of the lawsuit settlements, according to a July survey conducted by Clever Real Estate, which polled 500 Americans who sold a home within the past two years.

Only 8% of sellers said they believe a combined 6% commission — split between the buyer's agent and seller's agent — is a fair price for their services, while a significant 59% said they didn't know they could opt out of paying the buyer's agent commission.

One-third of sellers said a commission rate of 4% to 5% is fair, while 30% said they would consider 3% a fair rate.

Ask and you shall receive: Even though most sellers do not believe the standard rate is fair, only 33% of respondents who used an agent asked to pay a lower commission, and more than one-third were unaware that negotiating was an option.

Of those who did ask, 93% ultimately paid a lower commission, with 90% of those reporting a rate cut of at least 0.5 percentage points and 45% reporting a rate reduction of 1 percentage point or more.

The survey also found that men were more likely than women to ask for a lower commission (41% compared to 26%), though gender made little difference when it came to whether the agent agreed to lower their rate.

Negotiation factors that work: Half of the survey respondents said making a direct request of their agent was the most effective way to get a discount. Another 39% said their home was expected to sell easily, and they were able to negotiate a lower rate based on that assumption. Just over 1 in 4 sellers (27%) said the high value of their home provided an effective negotiating angle for seeking a lower commission rate.

In addition to the share of sellers who were unaware that requesting a lower commission was possible (35% of those who did not negotiate), other top reasons sellers didn't ask included believing the rate was already fair (37% of respondents), prioritizing selling the home (25%) and simply never thinking about negotiating (18%).

How the agent selection process impacts commissions: Most sellers don't have a benchmark to gauge how much they should be paying — and approaching conversations about money with friends or acquaintances can be difficult.

When it comes to choosing an agent, most sellers don't shop around. Of those surveyed, 65% said they interviewed just one agent, 27% interviewed two and only 8% interviewed three or more. Nearly half of respondents (45%) said they chose their agent either by using someone they already knew (20%) or by relying on a referral (25%).

While 41% of respondents didn't know low-commission brokerages existed, those who did — and who used one — were largely satisfied with their service. A majority of sellers who used a discount broker (82%) reported that their service was as good as or better than a traditional agent, and 69% believed their home didn't sell for any less.