Realtor Commissions

Traditional Realtor vs Low Commission Realtor

HomeMine Editorial Team

HomeMine Editorial Team

June 8, 2026 · 1 min read

Traditional Realtor vs Low Commission Realtor

If you're selling a home in California cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, or Irvine, you'll usually face two options: traditional commission or low commission listing models.

The difference mostly comes down to how much you pay at closing.

Traditional vs. low commission model

TraditionalLow Commission
Total commission5%–6%1.5%–2%
Brokerage structureStandardStreamlined
Service levelFull-service listingFull agent support
MLS exposureYesYes
Seller costHigherLower

Many sellers start comparing these options before deciding how to list.

Cost Example

Home in Irvine at $900,000

Traditional
~$45,000
Low commission
~$13,500–$18,000

That gap can easily change your entire financial outcome.

What Sellers Should Focus On

At the end of the day, it's not about the label of the agent. It's about:

“How much do I actually walk away with?”

Before listing, many homeowners check Sell Your Home to run real numbers.

If You're Thinking of Selling

If you're planning to list, don't wait until you're already committed to an agent to compare costs.

Compare your commission options

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