...Given the market, can I pay my agent a lower commission? It is the seller who pays the commission to his or her agent as well as to the buyer's-traditionally 3 percent of the sales price to each. As a home owner, you can stipulate up front that you want to pay a lower commission, but you're not likely to inspire vigor if you offer too little. Moreover, says Richard K. Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, the volume of home sales (not home prices) has been on the upswing, which means that agents may feel less inclined to reduce their fees...
