★ MONEY · REAL ESTATE · HOME SALE
$27,500.00 in commission, $472,500.00 net to seller. A $500,000 home sale at 5.5% pays $13,750.00 to each side, and the listing broker takes $4,125.00 of the listing side before the agent is paid. Enter your price and rate to see your split and your net.
The commission on a home sale is one number split three ways: the listing side, the buyer side, and the broker’s cut of the listing side. This calculator works out the total, the split, the broker cut and what the seller actually keeps — and the sale price that hits any commission target.
The total commission is the sale price times the rate. The total is split between the listing side and the buyer side by the listing share, and the listing broker takes a cut of the listing side before the listing agent is paid. The seller keeps the price minus the total commission. Every dollar in the chain is a percentage of a percentage, so the order matters: the broker cut is a cut of the listing side, not of the whole sale.
At the defaults — sale price $500,000, rate 5.5%, listing share 50%, broker cut 30% — the total commission is $500,000 × 5.5% = $27,500.00. The listing side gets 50% of it, $13,750.00, and the buyer side gets the other $13,750.00. The broker takes 30% of the listing side, $4,125.00, so the listing agent keeps $9,625.00. The seller nets $500,000 − $27,500.00 = $472,500.00, which is 94.50% of the price, or $55.00 of commission per $1,000 of price.
| Case | Total commission | Net to seller | Listing / buyer side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default ($500,000 at 5.5%, 50/50, 30% broker) | $27,500.00 | $472,500.00 | $13,750.00 / $13,750.00 |
| Sale price $300,000 | $16,500.00 | $283,500.00 | $8,250.00 / $8,250.00 |
| Sale price $750,000 | $41,250.00 | $708,750.00 | $20,625.00 / $20,625.00 |
| Sale price $1,000,000 | $55,000.00 | $945,000.00 | $27,500.00 / $27,500.00 |
| Rate 4% | $20,000.00 | $480,000.00 | $10,000.00 / $10,000.00 |
| Rate 6% | $30,000.00 | $470,000.00 | $15,000.00 / $15,000.00 |
| Rate 3% | $15,000.00 | $485,000.00 | $7,500.00 / $7,500.00 |
| Split 60/40 | $27,500.00 | $472,500.00 | $16,500.00 / $11,000.00 |
| Split 70/30 | $27,500.00 | $472,500.00 | $19,250.00 / $8,250.00 |
| Broker cut 20% | $27,500.00 | $472,500.00 | $13,750.00 / $13,750.00 |
Setup: sale price $500,000, rate 5.5%, listing share 50%, broker cut 30%.
Line 1 — the total commission. $500,000 × 5.5% = $27,500.00.
Line 2 — the listing side. $27,500.00 × 50% = $13,750.00.
Line 3 — the buyer side. $27,500.00 × 50% = $13,750.00.
Line 4 — the broker cut. $13,750.00 × 30% = $4,125.00.
Line 5 — the listing agent keeps. $13,750.00 − $4,125.00 = $9,625.00.
Line 6 — the net to seller. $500,000 − $27,500.00 = $472,500.00, which is 94.50% of the price.
Reverse: a $20,000.00 commission at 5.5% needs a $363,636.36 sale; a $25,000.00 commission needs a $454,545.45 sale; $15,000.00 on $500,000 is a 3.00% rate; netting $450,000.00 at 5.5% needs a $476,190.48 sale; the most the rate can be while the total stays at or under $22,000.00 on $500,000 is 4.40%.
Sale price $300,000: the total is $300,000 × 5.5% = $16,500.00, so the seller nets $283,500.00 and each side gets $8,250.00. The broker takes $2,475.00 and the agent keeps $5,775.00.
Sale price $750,000: the total is $41,250.00, so the seller nets $708,750.00 and each side gets $20,625.00. The broker takes $6,187.50 and the agent keeps $14,437.50.
Sale price $1,000,000: the total is $55,000.00, so the seller nets $945,000.00 and each side gets $27,500.00. The broker takes $8,250.00 and the agent keeps $19,250.00.
Rate 4%: the total is $20,000.00 and the seller nets $480,000.00. A point and a half off the rate is worth $7,500.00 to the seller.
Rate 6%: the total is $30,000.00 and the seller nets $470,000.00. A half-point above the default costs the seller $2,500.00.
Rate 3%: the total is $15,000.00 and the seller nets $485,000.00. Two and a half points under the default is worth $12,500.00.
Split 60/40: the listing side gets $16,500.00 and the buyer side gets $11,000.00. The total and the net do not change — the split only moves money between the two sides.
Split 70/30: the listing side gets $19,250.00 and the buyer side gets $8,250.00. The broker takes $5,775.00 of the bigger listing side and the agent keeps $13,475.00.
Broker cut 20%: the broker takes $2,750.00 and the listing agent keeps $11,000.00. Ten points off the broker cut is worth $1,375.00 to the listing agent on this sale.
Reverse — the other way round: a $20,000.00 commission at 5.5% needs a $363,636.36 sale; a $25,000.00 commission needs a $454,545.45 sale; $15,000.00 on $500,000 is a 3.00% rate; netting $450,000.00 at 5.5% needs a $476,190.48 sale; keeping the total at or under $22,000.00 on $500,000 caps the rate at 4.40%.
The model assumes the sale price, the total rate, the listing share and the broker cut you enter, and it splits the total exactly as entered. It assumes the broker cut is a cut of the listing side only, and it leaves out closing costs, transfer taxes, mortgage payoff, repairs and any buyer concessions — the net to seller here is the price minus the commission, not the cash at closing. Rounding convention: money is rounded to cents, percentages are shown to two decimals, and all figures are computed from unrounded values, rounded only for display.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Total commission | sale price × rate | $27,500.00. |
| Listing side | total × listing share | $13,750.00. |
| Buyer side | total × (100 − listing share) | $13,750.00. |
| Broker cut | listing side × broker cut | $4,125.00. |
| Listing agent keeps | listing side − broker cut | $9,625.00. |
| Net to seller | sale price − total commission | $472,500.00. |
| Seller keeps | (1 − rate) × 100 | 94.50% of the price. |
| Commission per $1,000 | total ÷ (price ÷ $1,000) | $55.00 per $1,000 of price. |
| Sale price for a $20,000 commission | $20,000 ÷ rate | $363,636.36 at 5.5%. |
| Sale price for a $25,000 commission | $25,000 ÷ rate | $454,545.45 at 5.5%. |
| Rate for $15,000 on $500,000 | $15,000 ÷ price | 3.00%. |
| Sale price to net $450,000 | $450,000 ÷ (1 − rate) | $476,190.48 at 5.5%. |
| Max rate under $22,000 | $22,000 ÷ price | 4.40% on $500,000. |
| Sale price $300,000 | same model, $300,000 | Total $16,500.00, net $283,500.00, listing $8,250.00, buyer $8,250.00, broker $2,475.00, agent keeps $5,775.00. |
| Sale price $750,000 | same model, $750,000 | Total $41,250.00, net $708,750.00, listing $20,625.00, buyer $20,625.00, broker $6,187.50, agent keeps $14,437.50. |
| Sale price $1,000,000 | same model, $1,000,000 | Total $55,000.00, net $945,000.00, listing $27,500.00, buyer $27,500.00, broker $8,250.00, agent keeps $19,250.00. |
| Rate 4% | same model, 4% | Total $20,000.00, net $480,000.00, listing $10,000.00, buyer $10,000.00, broker $3,000.00, agent keeps $7,000.00. |
| Rate 6% | same model, 6% | Total $30,000.00, net $470,000.00, listing $15,000.00, buyer $15,000.00, broker $4,500.00, agent keeps $10,500.00. |
| Rate 3% | same model, 3% | Total $15,000.00, net $485,000.00, listing $7,500.00, buyer $7,500.00, broker $2,250.00, agent keeps $5,250.00. |
| Split 60/40 | same model, 60% listing | Total $27,500.00, net $472,500.00, listing $16,500.00, buyer $11,000.00, broker $4,950.00, agent keeps $11,550.00. |
| Split 70/30 | same model, 70% listing | Total $27,500.00, net $472,500.00, listing $19,250.00, buyer $8,250.00, broker $5,775.00, agent keeps $13,475.00. |
| Broker cut 20% | same model, 20% broker | Total $27,500.00, net $472,500.00, listing $13,750.00, buyer $13,750.00, broker $2,750.00, agent keeps $11,000.00. |
The math is exact for the numbers you enter: the total is the price times the rate, the sides split the total by the listing share, the broker cut is a cut of the listing side, and the net is the price minus the total. What the model cannot do is read your listing agreement for you: check the rate and the split, because a 3% rate and a 6% rate give totals $15,000.00 apart. It leaves out closing costs, transfer taxes, mortgage payoff, repairs and buyer concessions — the net here is price minus commission only. For the mortgage behind the sale, see mortgage calculator; for whether to sell or keep renting, see rent vs buy calculator.
Bright Side Kit. "Real Estate Commission Calculator: Split & Net 2026." https://brightoolbox.com/real-estate-commission-calculator/ Accessed October 25, 2026.$27,500.00 at 5.5%. The total commission is $500,000 × 5.5% = $27,500.00. At a 50/50 split the listing side gets $13,750.00 and the buyer side gets $13,750.00, and the seller nets $500,000 − $27,500.00 = $472,500.00.
By the split in the listing agreement. At the defaults the $27,500.00 total is split 50/50, so the listing side gets $13,750.00 and the buyer side gets $13,750.00. At 60/40 the listing side gets $16,500.00 and the buyer side gets $11,000.00; at 70/30 the listing side gets $19,250.00 and the buyer side gets $8,250.00.
$4,125.00 at the defaults. The broker takes 30% of the listing side, so 30% × $13,750.00 = $4,125.00, and the listing agent keeps $13,750.00 − $4,125.00 = $9,625.00. At a 20% broker cut the broker takes $2,750.00 and the agent keeps $11,000.00.
$472,500.00 on a $500,000 sale at 5.5%. Net to seller = sale price − total commission, so $500,000 − $27,500.00 = $472,500.00, which is 94.50% of the price. At 4% the seller nets $480,000.00; at 6% the seller nets $470,000.00.
$363,636.36 at 5.5%. Sale price = commission ÷ rate, so $20,000 ÷ 5.5% = $363,636.36. A $25,000.00 commission at the same rate needs a $454,545.45 sale.
3.00%. Rate = commission ÷ price, so $15,000 ÷ $500,000 = 3.00%. And a rate of 4.40% is the most that keeps the total at or under $22,000.00 on a $500,000 sale.
Yes — the rate is whatever the seller and the listing agent agree. The 5.5% default is a common figure, not a rule. At 3% the total on $500,000 is $15,000.00 and the seller nets $485,000.00; at 6% the total is $30,000.00 and the seller nets $470,000.00. A one-point change in the rate is worth $5,000.00 on a $500,000 sale.