2% commission realtors - couple reviewing listing agreement at kitchen table

2% Commission Realtors: Are They Actually Worth It in 2026?

Dave Speers April 10, 2026

2% commission realtors charge about a third less than the average listing agent — and on a $400,000 home, that gap puts roughly $3,500 back in your pocket at closing. After years in prop-tech watching sellers overpay for basic listing services, I think 2% is a step in the right direction. But it’s not the best deal available. The average listing agent commission in 2026 sits at 2.88%, according to industry data. A 2% listing fee saves you nearly a full percentage point. On a $500,000 sale, you keep an extra $4,400. On a $700,000 home, it’s $6,160. But here’s what most “best 2% commission realtors” articles won’t mention: you can get full-service listing support at 1% commission — half the cost of a 2% agent and a third of what traditional agents charge. I’ll break down how 2% agents work, where they fall short, and why 1% full-service listing might be the smarter move in 2026. What Does a 2% Commission Realtor Actually Mean? Let’s clear up the math because it trips people up. When someone says “2% commission realtor,” they’re almost always talking about the listing agent’s side only. That’s the agent representing you, the seller. You may still be on the hook for a buyer’s agent commission, which averages 2.82% nationally in 2026. So your total commission could land around 4.82% even with a discount listing agent. On a $500K home, that’s still $24,100 out of your equity. Before the 2024 NAR settlement, sellers were essentially required to offer buyer agent compensation through the MLS. That’s no longer the case. Buyers can negotiate their own agent’s fee now, and some are. But old habits die hard — most sellers still offer 2.5% to 3% on the buyer’s side because they worry about scaring off showings. So a 2% commission realtor cuts your listing fee. That’s a win. Just don’t assume it cuts your total closing costs in half. How 2% Commission Realtors Keep Their Lights On A question I get constantly: if the average agent charges 2.88%, how does someone survive at 2%? A few ways. Volume. Some brokerages run a high-volume model — more listings, less time per client, and the margin works on turnover. Think Costco for real estate. Lower margin, higher volume. Agent matching platforms. Companies like Clever or Ideal Agent connect sellers with agents who’ve agreed to discounted rates in exchange for steady lead flow. The agent takes a pay cut, but they skip the cost of finding you through advertising. Newer agents building their book. A first- or second-year agent might accept 2% to get deals under their belt. This isn’t automatically bad. Some newer agents are hungry, responsive, and have more bandwidth for your sale than a top producer juggling 15 listings. Tech-enabled brokerages. Some companies have stripped out the overhead — no fancy office, no print advertising, no in-house staging crew — and pass those savings to sellers. The service is leaner, but the core job still gets done: pricing, listing, negotiating, closing. The Real Savings: 2% Commission Realtors by Home Price Numbers talk. Here’s what you save with a 2% listing commission versus the 2.88% national average: $300,000 home: Save $2,640 ($6,000 vs. $8,640) $400,000 home: Save $3,520 ($8,000 vs. $11,520) $500,000 home: Save $4,400 ($10,000 vs. $14,400) $700,000 home: Save $6,160 ($14,000 vs. $20,160) $1,000,000 home: Save $8,800 ($20,000 vs. $28,800) Those numbers add up fast at higher price points. On a $700K sale, $6,160 is a month’s mortgage payment. On a million-dollar property, you’re keeping almost $9,000 more of your equity. But notice something? Even at 2%, the listing fee on a million-dollar home is $20,000. For what is essentially the same amount of work as listing a $300K home. That’s the part of the percentage model that’s always bugged me. What You Might Give Up With a 2% Commission Realtor The knock on low commission realtors is that you get less service. Sometimes that’s true. Sometimes it’s not. Here’s what you can typically expect from a 2% listing agent: Professional photography — usually still included MLS listing — always included (that’s the whole point) Showing coordination — varies; some use apps like ShowingTime instead of handling calls personally Open houses — less common; many discount agents skip these Staging consultation — rare at 2% Print marketing and direct mail — very rare at 2% Honest take? Open houses and direct mail aren’t what sell homes in 2026. Your MLS listing syndicated to Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin is what gets your property in front of buyers. If a 2% agent handles pricing, photography, MLS syndication, and contract negotiation well, you’re getting the 80% that actually matters. Where it can go sideways: some discount agents are stretched thin. If they’re juggling 25 active listings to make the volume model work, your listing might not get enough attention when a lowball offer lands or an inspection report gets complicated. Ask how many active clients they carry before you sign anything. 2% Commission Realtors vs. 1% Full-Service Agents: The Real Comparison This is the comparison nobody in the “best 2% commission realtors” rankings wants you to see. A 2% commission agent charges a percentage that scales with your home price. A $400K sale costs $8,000 in listing fees. A $700K sale costs $14,000. Same agent, same work, very different price tag. A 1% full-service listing agent — like what HomeRise offers — gives you a licensed expert handling your entire sale at half the cost. No upfront fees. You only pay when you close. The math difference is hard to ignore: $400K home: 2% costs $8,000. At 1%, you pay $4,000. You save $4,000. $500K home: 2% costs $10,000. At 1%, you pay $5,000. You save $5,000. $700K home: 2% costs $14,000. At 1%, you pay $7,000. You save $7,000. $1M home: 2% costs $20,000. At 1%, you pay $10,000. You save $10,000. And this isn’t a stripped-down service. With HomeRise’s full-service option, you still get a licensed listing

How Much Does a Realtor Make on a $500,000 Sale? (2026 Breakdown)

Dave Speers April 9, 2026

The Short Answer: Less Than You Think So how much does a realtor make on a $500,000 sale? The quick math looks generous — at the current national average commission of 5.70%, that sale generates $28,500 in total commissions. But the agent who listed your home doesn’t pocket $28,500. They don’t even pocket half of it. After the buyer’s agent takes their cut, the broker takes their split, taxes hit, and business expenses pile up, a listing agent might walk away with $5,000 to $7,000 from your $500K sale. That’s the reality most commission breakdowns skip over. But here’s what matters to you as a seller: you’re still writing a check for $28,500 regardless of what the agents actually take home. I’ve spent years analyzing real estate commission structures across markets — first at Houwzer, then at Trelora, and now at HomeRise. The gap between what agents earn and what sellers pay has always been the part of this industry that frustrated me most. Let me walk you through exactly where your money goes. How Much Does a Realtor Make on a $500,000 Sale After the Split Let’s break this down layer by layer, because the commission on a $500K house passes through a lot of hands before anyone deposits a check. Layer 1: The total commission. On a $500,000 sale at 5.70%, that’s $28,500. This gets split between the listing side and the buying side. Layer 2: The listing/buying split. In 2026, listing agents average about 2.88% and buyer’s agents about 2.82%. On your $500K sale, the listing side gets roughly $14,400 and the buyer’s side gets $14,100. On the buying side, some agents offer a home buyer rebate — returning a portion of that buyer’s agent commission back to you at closing. It’s one of the most overlooked ways to save on a home purchase. Layer 3: The broker split. Your listing agent doesn’t work independently — they hang their license at a brokerage. That brokerage takes a cut. A typical split is 70/30 (agent keeps 70%), though it ranges from 50/50 for newer agents to 90/10 for top producers. At 70/30, your listing agent keeps $10,080 from that $14,400. Layer 4: Fees and expenses. Agents pay for their own MLS access ($300–$900/year), E&O insurance, marketing costs, desk fees, lockbox fees, photography, and continuing education. A reasonable estimate is $1,500 to $3,000 in per-transaction costs. So now that $10,080 is more like $7,500. Layer 5: Taxes. Real estate agents are self-employed. They owe 15.3% in self-employment tax on top of federal and state income tax. Depending on their tax bracket, they could lose 30–40% of that $7,500 to the IRS. Final take-home? Somewhere around $4,500 to $5,500. So the agent who sold your $500,000 home probably netted about five grand. Meanwhile, you paid $28,500. Why You’re Paying $28,500 When the Agent Makes $5,000 This is the part that gets people angry — and honestly, it should. The traditional commission model was designed in an era when agents had to physically drive buyers to every showing, hand-deliver paper contracts, and advertise listings in newspaper classifieds. The infrastructure was expensive. The information was controlled. A 6% commission made more sense when the agent was the only gateway to the market. That world doesn’t exist anymore. Buyers find homes on Zillow and Redfin before they ever talk to an agent. Contracts are signed electronically. MLS data syndicates to hundreds of websites automatically. The work hasn’t disappeared, but it has fundamentally changed — and the cost structure should have changed with it. Yet here we are in 2026, and the average total commission is still 5.70%. It dipped briefly after the NAR settlement took effect in August 2024, but bounced right back. The settlement made buyer agent commissions negotiable and stopped sellers from being required to offer them upfront on the MLS. Good changes, in theory. In practice, most sellers still offer buyer agent compensation because they’re afraid their home won’t show well otherwise. That fear is valid but overblown. And it’s costing sellers tens of thousands of dollars. What the NAR Settlement Actually Changed (and Didn’t) Before August 2024, every home listed on the MLS had to include a blanket offer of compensation to buyer’s agents. Sellers didn’t have a choice. After the settlement, that rule went away. Here’s what changed: Sellers no longer must offer buyer agent compensation through the MLS Buyers must sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes, spelling out how much the buyer’s agent will be paid Buyer agent compensation can now be negotiated as part of the purchase offer — similar to asking for closing cost credits And here’s what didn’t change: Most sellers still offer 2.5–3% to buyer’s agents out of fear (industry data from early 2026 shows buyer’s agent commissions actually increased to 2.82%) Listing agents still charge 2.5–3% at traditional brokerages The total commission for sellers hasn’t meaningfully dropped The settlement gave sellers the right to negotiate, but it didn’t give most sellers the tools or confidence to actually do it. That’s where the real savings opportunity sits. How Sellers Can Actually Save on a $500,000 Sale I’m biased here — I’ll own that upfront. I run marketing for HomeRise, a flat-fee real estate company. But I’m biased because I’ve seen the numbers, and they’re hard to argue with. On a $500,000 sale, here’s what different approaches look like: Traditional agent at 5.70%: $28,500 in total commissions Discount brokerage at 4.5%: $22,500 in total commissions Flat-fee listing + negotiated buyer agent fee: $5,000–$15,000 depending on the structure The savings gap is massive. On a half-million dollar home, you could keep an extra $13,000 to $23,000 by stepping outside the traditional model. That’s real money — a kitchen renovation, a year of property taxes, or a solid chunk of your next down payment. A few concrete ways to reduce what you pay: Use a flat-fee MLS listing service to get your home on the MLS without paying a percentage-based listing

Couple reviewing how much does it cost to sell a house with closing documents and calculator

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in 2026? The Real Breakdown

Dave Speers April 9, 2026

The Short Answer: 8% to 10% of Your Sale Price How much does it cost to sell a house in 2026? Most sellers budget for agent commissions and call it a day. But the real cost of selling a house — once you add up commissions, closing costs, repairs, and the dozen other line items nobody warns you about — runs between 8% and 10% of your sale price. On a $400,000 home, that’s $32,000 to $40,000 walking out the door before you see a dime. I’ve watched hundreds of home sales come through our platform at HomeRise, and the number one thing that catches sellers off guard isn’t any single fee. It’s the pile-up. Each cost feels manageable on its own — $3,000 here, $1,500 there — until you’re staring at a settlement statement wondering where $35,000 went. Here’s every cost you’ll face, what’s actually negotiable, and where most sellers leave money on the table. Real Estate Agent Commissions: The Biggest Line Item Agent commissions have been the single largest cost of selling a house for decades. Before the 2024 NAR settlement, the standard was 5% to 6% split between the listing agent and buyer’s agent. That meant $20,000 to $24,000 on a $400,000 sale — just in commissions. It’s the single biggest factor when calculating how much does it cost to sell a house. Things have shifted. Since August 2024, sellers are no longer required to offer compensation to the buyer’s agent through the MLS. The buyer’s agent commission is now negotiated separately, between the buyer and their agent. In practice, though? Most sellers — aware of how much does it cost to sell a house — still offer 2% to 3% to buyer’s agents because homes that don’t can sit longer on the market. On the flip side, buyers working with rebate-friendly agents can recoup part of that commission. A home buyer rebate puts a portion of the agent’s fee back in your pocket at closing — worth exploring if you’re also buying your next home. So the listing agent side is where you actually have control. Traditional agents still charge 2.5% to 3% — that’s $10,000 to $12,000 on a $400,000 home. Flat-fee brokerages like HomeRise charge a flat $5,000 listing fee instead. On that same $400,000 sale, you just saved $5,000 to $7,000 without giving up MLS exposure, professional photography, or contract support. Want to cut costs even further? You can list your home on the MLS without an agent for as little as $95 through a flat-fee MLS service — though you’ll handle showings and negotiations yourself. Realtor fees for sellers in 2026 typically look like this: Traditional listing agent: 2.5%–3% ($10,000–$12,000 on $400K) Flat-fee listing with HomeRise: $5,000 flat Buyer’s agent offer (optional but recommended): 2%–2.5% ($8,000–$10,000 on $400K) That commission line alone accounts for roughly half of your total selling costs. It’s also the most negotiable — if you know where to look. Seller Closing Costs: The Fees You Can’t Avoid Beyond commissions — a major part of how much does it cost to sell a house — seller closing costs typically run 1% to 3% of the sale price. These are the transactional fees that make the sale legally happen, and most aren’t optional. Title insurance and settlement fees are the big ones. In most states, the seller pays for the owner’s title insurance policy — that’s $1,000 to $2,500 depending on your home’s value and your state. Settlement or escrow fees add another $500 to $1,500. These protect the buyer from title defects, and they’re non-negotiable in how much does it cost to sell a house. Transfer taxes and recording fees vary wildly by location. Pennsylvania charges 2% (split between buyer and seller, so 1% each). Some counties add their own on top. In states like Texas, there’s no transfer tax at all. You need to check your specific county — this one cost alone can swing your total by thousands. Prorated property taxes catch people off guard. If you close mid-year, you owe property taxes through the date of sale. On a home with $6,000 in annual taxes, closing in June means you’re covering roughly $3,000 at the table. It’s not a new cost — you’d owe it anyway — but it comes out of your proceeds, and sellers forget to account for it. Attorney fees, if your state requires one (and many do), run $500 to $1,500. Worth every penny for the peace of mind, honestly. Home Repairs and Prep Costs This is the wildcard in how much does it cost to sell a house, because it depends entirely on your home’s condition and your local market. The basics: most sellers spend $2,000 to $5,000 on pre-listing repairs and cosmetic updates. Fresh paint in the main rooms ($1,500–$3,000 for a professional job), fixing that leaky faucet you’ve been ignoring, replacing cracked outlet covers, power washing the exterior. None of this is glamorous, but it directly affects how much does it cost to sell a house — and how fast it sells. If a buyer’s inspection turns up bigger issues — a failing HVAC system, roof damage, foundation cracks — you’re either negotiating a credit or making repairs before closing. An HVAC replacement runs $5,000 to $10,000. A new roof can hit $8,000 to $15,000. These aren’t guaranteed costs, but they’re real possibilities that sellers need to budget for. Home staging is optional but effective. Professional staging costs $1,500 to $3,000 for a 30-day period. The National Association of Realtors reports that staged homes sell for 1% to 5% more than non-staged homes. On a $400K house, even a 1% bump pays for the staging three times over. The Costs Most Sellers Forget There’s a second tier of expenses that don’t show up in most “cost to sell” calculators. They’re real, and they add up. Mortgage payoff costs. If you have a remaining mortgage balance, your lender charges a payoff statement fee ($25–$50) and may have a recording

Home seller and real estate agent reviewing closing documents with seller concessions at kitchen table

What Are Seller Concessions? A Seller’s Complete Guide (2026)

Dave Speers April 8, 2026

Someone made an offer on your house last week. Good price, clean financing — but they want $12,000 in seller concessions. Your agent says “it’s normal.” Your gut says “that’s a lot of money.” Who’s right? Both of you, kind of. Seller concessions are one of the most misunderstood negotiating tools in real estate, and most sellers either refuse them on principle or agree to them without understanding what they’re actually giving up. After working through hundreds of transactions, I can tell you: the answer to whether you should offer concessions almost never fits on a bumper sticker. Here’s what seller concessions actually are, when they make sense, and how to calculate whether saying yes is actually in your interest. What Are Seller Concessions? Seller concessions are closing costs or prepaid expenses that the seller agrees to cover on the buyer’s behalf. Instead of the buyer bringing more cash to the table, you — the seller — pay a portion of their transaction costs out of your proceeds at closing. They show up on the settlement statement as a credit to the buyer. You never write a check directly. It just comes off what you walk away with. What’s the appeal for buyers? Simple: they can keep more cash in hand after closing. Closing costs typically run 2–5% of the loan amount. On a $400,000 purchase, that’s anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000. For a buyer who’s already stretched to make a down payment, that’s a serious burden. And the appeal for you? If concessions are the thing standing between you and a signed contract, they can be worth it — if you structure the deal right. What Can Seller Concessions Actually Cover? The specific items vary by loan type, but here’s what typically qualifies: Loan origination fees Discount points (prepaid interest to buy down the buyer’s rate) Appraisal fees Title insurance and title search fees Property taxes (prepaid at closing) Homeowner’s insurance premiums HOA fees due at closing Home warranty for the buyer Attorney fees (in states where required) Recording fees Notice what’s NOT on that list: the purchase price. Concessions are distinct from a price reduction. This distinction matters more than most sellers realize — I’ll come back to it. How Much Can You Offer? The Loan-Type Limits This is where sellers often get into trouble. There are hard caps on seller concessions based on the buyer’s loan type, and going over them isn’t just a negotiating misstep — it can actually kill the deal at underwriting. Conventional loans (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac): The limit depends on the buyer’s down payment. Less than 10% down: max 3% of the purchase price 10–25% down: max 6% More than 25% down: max 9% FHA loans: Capped at 6% of the purchase price, regardless of down payment. HUD’s handbook governs this, and lenders enforce it strictly. VA loans: The VA limits “concessions” to 4% of the loan amount for things like the funding fee, payoff of debts, and prepaid expenses. But discount points don’t count toward that cap — sellers can pay those on top. In practice, VA sellers often have more flexibility than the 4% number suggests. USDA loans: Capped at 6% of the purchase price. Jumbo loans: These are set by individual lenders, not government guidelines, and they vary widely. Some allow up to 6%; others cap at 2-3%. The CFPB’s closing cost explainer gives buyers a solid breakdown of what they’re facing — worth understanding from the seller’s perspective, because when you know what a buyer needs, you negotiate better. Seller Concessions vs. a Price Reduction: Which Is Better for You? Here’s the thing most agents gloss over: concessions and price cuts are not the same. And depending on your situation, one can be significantly better than the other. Let’s say you’re listed at $450,000. A buyer asks for either a $10,000 price reduction or $10,000 in seller concessions. On the surface, both cost you $10,000. But they don’t work identically: A price reduction lowers the appraised value baseline going forward. It also affects your agent’s commission if it’s a percentage-based arrangement. And it signals to any future buyer (if this deal falls through) that you settled. Concessions, on the other hand, keep the purchase price intact. That matters for the appraisal. A $450,000 sale with $10,000 in concessions still records as a $450,000 sale — which supports comps in your neighborhood. A $440,000 sale does the opposite. That said: concessions can backfire if the purchase price is already above appraised value. Lenders calculate concessions as a percentage of the appraised value or the purchase price, whichever is lower. If the appraisal comes in short, the concession limit shrinks too — and suddenly you have a renegotiation on your hands. My general take: if you’re in a market with solid comps and the house has appraised well, concessions are usually the smarter move. If comps are shaky or you’re already priced at the top of what the market will support, a price reduction may close more cleanly. When Does Offering Seller Concessions Actually Make Sense? Not always. Here’s how I think about it. Concessions make sense when: The buyer is qualified but cash-constrained after the down payment You’re in a buyer’s market and competing with other listings for attention The deal is otherwise solid and you don’t want to lose it over closing costs You can structure the concession as a rate buydown — which actually helps the buyer more than a price cut of the same amount Concessions are a bad idea when: You’re getting multiple offers — why give money away in a bidding war? The buyer is using it as a fishing tactic after inspection The requested amount would push you below your net proceeds target The loan type caps mean the concession won’t even fully apply (anything over the cap goes back to you, not the buyer) The last point is one I’ve seen trip up sellers more than once. You agree to $15,000 in

are realtor fees included in closing costs - couple reviewing settlement documents with real estate agent at closing table

Are Realtor Fees Included in Closing Costs? Here’s the Real Answer

Dave Speers April 8, 2026

Are realtor fees included in closing costs? I get this question constantly — and the confusion is understandable. Most sellers see one giant number at closing and assume it’s all the same bucket. The short answer is no, realtor fees and closing costs are completely separate — but here’s why this matters to your wallet. The Difference: Realtor Fees vs. Closing Costs (And Why It Matters) Let’s break down a $400,000 home sale to make this concrete. Realtor fees are the commission paid to agents. In most of the country, that’s 5-6% of the sale price. On a $400,000 home, that’s $20,000-$24,000. The seller pays this from proceeds at closing, and it gets split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent (typically 2.5-3% each side). Closing costs are everything else that happens at the title company or escrow office. Title insurance, appraisal fee, loan origination fee, property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA transfer fees, wire transfer fees, recording fees. These are the operational costs of actually transferring ownership. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a solid breakdown of what to expect. On that same $400,000 home, closing costs might run $8,000-$20,000 depending on your state, your lender, and what’s in the contract. So you’ve got two separate bills. And here’s the frustrating part: most closing cost disclosure forms list them together under “settlement costs,” which creates confusion. The thing is, they’re paid differently, negotiated differently, and there’s actually a lot you can control with closing costs. Realtor fees? Not so much — unless you change how you sell. Who Actually Pays What: Are Realtor Fees Included in Closing Costs at Settlement? This varies by market, but here’s the dominant pattern: On the seller side: You pay the realtor commission (the full 5-6%). Your agent takes their cut, then pays the buyer’s agent their cut from the total. You pay some closing costs — typically title insurance (the seller’s policy), transfer taxes in some states, and sometimes escrow fees. On the buyer side: You typically pay your own closing costs: appraisal, loan origination fees, homeowners insurance, property taxes, HOA inspection fees. But here’s the negotiation angle: buyers can ask sellers to cover some of their closing costs, either as a credit or by rolling them into the sale price. Sellers sometimes do this to make a deal happen. One misconception I see constantly: “The buyer pays the realtor fees.” Wrong. The seller pays both sides of the commission. Full stop. The buyer’s agent is still paid from the seller’s proceeds — that’s just how the commission split works. But closing costs? Those usually land on whoever triggered them. The buyer needs the appraisal (lender requirement), so the buyer pays. The buyer needs the survey? Buyer pays. Seller needs the title insurance? Seller pays. The Real Numbers: What You’re Actually Looking At So are realtor fees included in closing costs on the settlement sheet? Technically they show up on the same document — but they’re separate line items. Let me give you actual line items from a recent HomeRise transaction: Seller’s side ($450,000 sale): Realtor commission: $22,500 Title insurance (seller’s policy): $675 Transfer tax: $900 Escrow fees: $400 Total: $24,475 Buyer’s side: Appraisal: $600 Loan origination: $1,200 Title insurance (buyer’s policy): $700 Property tax at closing (prorated): $1,800 Homeowners insurance (first year): $1,400 HOA transfer: $150 Total: $5,850 Notice the asymmetry. The seller’s “costs” are dominated by that commission. Remove the commission, and the seller’s actual closing costs drop dramatically. This is why the flat-fee model matters. If you sell with HomeRise instead of paying that 5-6% commission, you’re looking at a flat fee structure that could save $10,000-$30,000 on a $400,000+ home. That money stays in your pocket. What’s Actually Negotiable Now that we’ve answered whether are realtor fees included in closing costs (they’re not), let’s talk about what you can actually control. Here’s what you can negotiate: Closing costs: Ask the seller to cover some of yours (most common for buyers) Shop your appraisal — some lenders have preferred appraisers with lower fees Shop your lender — origination fees vary by 0.5-1.5% between lenders Negotiate the homeowners insurance before you’re stuck with a rate In some states, you can negotiate property tax prorations Realtor commissions: Offer a lower commission if you’re in a strong market (rare, but possible) Sell with a discount broker or flat-fee service and skip the traditional 5-6% entirely Most agents will tell you commissions are “non-negotiable” and “set by the MLS.” That’s not true — and the Department of Justice has pushed back on exactly this kind of industry practice. Commissions are always negotiable — agents just prefer you don’t know that. The real constraint is supply and demand. In a strong seller’s market, you might have leverage. In a buyer’s market, you’ll likely pay closer to 5-6%. How HomeRise Changes the Math Here’s our take: the traditional commission model is broken for sellers. When you list with us, you skip the 5-6% commission and go with a flat fee instead. That’s roughly $5,000-$10,000 depending on your home price, versus $20,000-$30,000+ with a traditional agent. You still get the buyer-side exposure — we put your home on the MLS, it shows up on Zillow and Redfin, and buyer’s agents can show it and earn their cut. But you’re not paying that massive seller-side commission. The closing costs themselves don’t change. You still have title insurance, transfer taxes, escrow fees. But you’re saving a massive chunk of the transaction costs. On a $450,000 home: Traditional agent: $22,500 commission + $2,000 in other closing costs = $24,500 HomeRise flat fee: $7,500 + $2,000 in other closing costs = $9,500 You keep an extra $15,000 That’s not a small number. That’s a down payment on your next house, or debt payoff, or renovations. For buyers, closing costs stay roughly the same regardless of how the home is listed — but if a seller is using a flat-fee model and saves money, there’s sometimes room to negotiate. FAQ: Are

The 2026 Housing Market Has Shifted: Here’s How to Make It Work for You

Dave Speers March 25, 2026

After years of a market that felt rigged against buyers and effortless for sellers, the 2026 housing market has brought something neither side has seen in a while: balance. The frenzy of waived inspections, escalation clauses, and blink-and-it’s-gone listings has given way to a market where preparation and strategy matter again. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home or sell the one you’re in, understanding what’s actually driving the market right now will put you in a much better position than most. Inventory Is Up, and That Changes Everything One of the most meaningful shifts in the current market is how much more supply buyers have to work with. National housing inventory is running about 20% higher than it was a year ago, with months of supply now landing between 3.8 and 4.6 months nationally. During the peak of the pandemic market, that number was as low as 1.5 months: a level so tight that buyers were routinely outbid on homes almost immediately. At 4.6 months of supply, economists consider the market essentially balanced, meaning neither buyers nor sellers hold a significant structural advantage. For buyers, that means more options and more time to make a thoughtful decision. For sellers, it means the days of relying on low inventory chaos over pricing or presentation are behind us. Buyers Have Reclaimed Their Due Diligence At the height of the seller’s market, roughly 30% of buyers waived their home inspection entirely, and nearly as many gave up their appraisal contingency just to stay in contention. By early 2026, fewer than 18% of buyers are waiving inspections, and that number continues to drop as market conditions normalize. This matters for sellers as much as buyers. Today’s buyers are thorough, and they’re using inspection findings not just as a go/no-go checkpoint but as a negotiating tool to request repair credits, price adjustments, or seller-paid closing costs. If you’re selling, knowing what an inspector is likely to find before your buyer does gives you a real advantage in controlling how those conversations go. Seller Concessions Are Common Now, Not a Sign of Desperation About 44% of home sales in early 2026 included some form of seller concession, which means offering incentives is no longer the exception; it’s simply part of how deals get structured. One of the more impactful options sellers are using is the 2/1 buydown, where the seller funds a temporary reduction in the buyer’s mortgage rate—2% lower in year one and 1% lower in year two—before settling at the full market rate from year three forward. On a $400,000 loan, this can save a buyer $400 to $500 per month during the years when the financial demands of new homeownership tend to be the steepest. For context, a $10,000 reduction in purchase price only saves a buyer about $60 per month on a 30-year mortgage. Sellers who understand this dynamic can use concessions strategically to make their home more attractive without necessarily slashing their asking price, which matters a great deal when you’re trying to maximize what you walk away with at closing. The Spring Window Is Real, and It Has a Shelf Life Mid-April tends to be the sweet spot for both buyers and sellers. Buyers get access to the season’s freshest inventory before competition peaks in late spring, while sellers benefit from high buyer activity before the summer slowdown sets in. That said, sellers should understand that timing isn’t just about when you list; it’s about what happens in the first two weeks after you do. Homes that don’t go under contract within roughly 14 days risk buyers starting to wonder if something is wrong, even if nothing is. Pricing accurately from the start is the single most effective way to avoid that stigma, and in today’s data-rich environment, buyers and their agents can spot an overpriced listing quickly. What It Takes to Sell Well in 2026 With the national median days on market now sitting at 66 to 70 days, sellers no longer have the luxury of assuming demand will compensate for a home that isn’t showing or priced well. The buyers in this market are patient and have alternatives, so your home needs to compete. Professional photography and video have become non-negotiable at this point. Most buyers are filtering listings online before they ever schedule a showing, and homes without strong visual presentation, including drone shots and virtual walkthroughs where possible, are frequently dismissed before a buyer even reads the description. A pre-listing inspection is also worth considering seriously, because identifying issues before your buyer’s inspector does gives you time to decide whether to repair, price around, or simply disclose them upfront, all approaches that tend to build buyer confidence and reduce the risk of a deal falling apart later. For sellers thinking about whether to list with a traditional agent at a full 5% to 6% commission, now is a good moment to ask whether that cost structure still makes sense. With more support tools available than ever, including MLS access, professional marketing resources, and on-demand guidance, sellers who want to take a more active role in their transaction can do so without sacrificing the exposure or infrastructure that a good listing needs. First-Time Buyers: This Market Is Speaking Your Language The median age of a first-time homebuyer has reached 40 in 2026, a number that tells the story of a generation squeezed out by student debt, high rents, and a market that felt permanently out of reach. Builders are clearly paying attention: townhomes now make up nearly 18% of single-family housing starts, double their share from a decade ago. Many developers are also sweetening deals with closing cost assistance and design incentives aimed at buyers who are financially stable but cash-light. Co-buying, or purchasing with a family member or partner to pool qualifying income and down payment funds, is also gaining traction as a practical entry strategy for buyers who have been on the sidelines. The path to homeownership in 2026 looks different than

Author: Dave Speers