Real estate commissions in Los Angeles average about 5.03% of the sale price, according to Clever Real Estate’s October 2026 survey, and escrow pays them at closing. Since August 2024, the listing side and the buyer side are negotiated separately. You agree on your agent’s fee in writing before you tour, and you can ask the seller to cover it in your offer.
Average total commission in Los Angeles
5.03%
of the final sale price, or $51,935 on the $1,032,508 median sale.
Listing agent
2.59%About $26,742 on a median-priced home
Buyer's agent
2.44%About $25,193 on a median-priced home
Rates: Clever Real Estate agent survey, October 2026. Median sale price: Redfin, September 2026. Clever's city figures come from its semi-annual survey of partner agents and other local agents.
How Much Is the Real Estate Commission in Los Angeles?
Clever Real Estate’s agent survey, updated October 1, 2026, puts the average total commission in Los Angeles at 5.03%. That breaks down to 2.59% for the listing agent and 2.44% for the buyer’s agent. Clever reports that the Los Angeles total sits below its national average of 5.46%.
Other sources put Los Angeles a little lower. Each one measures something slightly different, so read the label on each row:
Redfin’s MLS analysis is worth a closer look. In the four weeks ending July 14, 2024, the average buyer’s agent commission offered in the Los Angeles metro was 2.25%, down from 2.31% in January 2024, compared with 2.55% nationally (Redfin). Los Angeles buyer-side rates were already below the national figure before the settlement rules took effect.
No single number is official. The California Department of Real Estate warns consumers that any agent who claims there is a “standard” commission rate is misrepresenting the law, because commissions are fully negotiable in California (DRE consumer alert).
What Commission Costs at Los Angeles Prices
Redfin reported a $1,032,508 median sale price in Los Angeles in September 2026, down 1.7% from a year earlier. At Clever’s 5.03% average, total commission on that home comes to about $51,935. The buyer-agent side alone, at 2.5%, is about $25,813.
Redfin rates Los Angeles as “somewhat competitive,” with a Compete Score of 54 out of 100. It measured these conditions for September 2026 (Redfin):
Median days on market of 56, down from 59 a year earlier
An average sale-to-list ratio of 99.2%
33.4% of homes sold above list price
29.1% of homes had a price drop
With homes selling close to asking, the commission on a typical Los Angeles purchase tracks the list price. A home listed at $1,000,000 that sells at the 99.2% average closes at $992,000, and a 2.5% buyer-agent fee on that sale is $24,800.
Prices also vary widely by neighborhood. Redfin’s September 2026 data puts the Van Nuys median at $799,776 with 61 median days on market, and the Silver Lake median at $1,562,562 with 46 median days on market. Here is what commission looks like at those two price points and at the citywide median:
Swipe to see all columns
Commission in dollars at Los Angeles price points
Home price
Buyer side at 2.5%
TurboHome flat fee
TurboHome rebate
$799,776Van Nuys median (Redfin), September 2026Total commission at 5.03%: $40,229
$19,994
$10,000
$9,994
$1,032,508Citywide median (Redfin), September 2026Total commission at 5.03%: $51,935
$25,813
$15,000
$10,813
$1,562,562Silver Lake median (Redfin), September 2026Total commission at 5.03%: $78,597
$39,064
$15,000
$24,064
Buyer side uses a 2.5% planning assumption. Actual compensation is set in your buyer agreement and offer. The rebate is the buyer-agent compensation received minus TurboHome's flat fee, credited at closing with lender approval.
Commission vs. Transfer Taxes in Los Angeles
Los Angeles buyers often hear about the “mansion tax” in the same conversation as commission. They are separate costs. Commission pays the agents. Transfer taxes go to the county and the city when the deed is recorded.
Here is what applies to a sale inside the City of Los Angeles:
County documentary transfer tax. Los Angeles County charges $1.10 per $1,000 of value for sales in the City of Los Angeles (LA County Registrar-Recorder).
City base transfer tax. The City of Los Angeles adds $2.25 per $500, a rate of 0.45% (LA Office of Finance).
Measure ULA. For transactions closing after June 30, 2026, the city adds 4% on sales above $5,400,000 and under $10,900,000, and 5.5% on sales of $10,900,000 or more. The thresholds adjust each year with the Chained Consumer Price Index (LA Office of Finance).
Measure ULA covers property inside the City of Los Angeles only. Separate cities such as Beverly Hills and Santa Monica fall outside it (Hanson Bridgett), and Culver City and Santa Monica set their own transfer tax rates (LA County Registrar-Recorder).
At the $1,032,508 citywide median, the county and city transfer taxes add up to about $5,785. Commission at 5.03% on the same home is about $51,935, close to nine times larger. On a $6,000,000 home in the city, Measure ULA alone is $240,000, and total commission at 5.03% is about $301,800.
Who pays the transfer tax is a term in the purchase contract. The California DRE’s escrow guide says that in Southern California, sellers usually pay the county documentary transfer tax, and that the parties decide the final split by agreement (DRE escrow guide).
Who Pays the Commission in Los Angeles?
The seller pays the listing agent under the listing agreement, out of the sale proceeds at closing. The DRE’s homebuyer guide notes that commissions are usually paid by the seller at closing, and that the cost is generally built into the price of the home (DRE).
The buyer’s agent is paid under your own written agreement. You can ask the seller to cover some or all of that fee as part of your offer. In California, agents usually make that request in the purchase agreement and with the C.A.R. Seller Payment to Buyer’s Broker form (C.A.R. guidance).
Local conditions shape that request. When a home has sat for weeks or had a price cut, a seller may be more open to covering your agent’s fee to close the deal. With a median of 56 days on market and 29.1% of homes taking a price drop in September 2026, many Los Angeles listings fit that description.
What Changed for Los Angeles Buyers in 2024 and 2025
Two sets of rules now govern how you pay a buyer’s agent in Los Angeles.
The NAR settlement, August 17, 2024
For agents who use the MLS, the national rules require the following (NAR):
A written buyer agreement before you tour a home in person or by live virtual tour
A specific, objective fee in that agreement, such as a flat amount, a percentage, or an hourly rate
A cap, so your agent cannot receive more than the agreed amount from any source
No offers of buyer-agent compensation on the MLS, though sellers can still offer it elsewhere
California AB 2992, January 1, 2025
California’s law reaches further than the settlement. The DRE explains that every buyer’s agent in the state must sign a representation agreement with the buyer as soon as practicable, and no later than when the buyer signs an offer (DRE licensee advisory). Under Civil Code 1670.50, that agreement cannot last longer than three months and cannot renew automatically. Agreements for one to four residential units must also state that commission is not fixed by law (AB 2992).
Where the Commission Goes After Closing
In Southern California, an independent escrow company licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation usually handles the closing, according to the DRE (DRE). The escrow officer pays each commission to the brokerage, and each brokerage then pays its agent under their own contract.
That split can be large. HomeLight reports that a California listing agent commonly gives the brokerage anywhere from 30% to 50% of their commission, depending on experience, market size, and the brokerage agreement (HomeLight).
How to Negotiate Commission in Los Angeles
Your buyer agreement is where you set your agent’s pay, so negotiate it before your first tour:
Compare fees in writing. Ask each agent for a flat amount or a percentage, and a list of what the fee covers.
Run the numbers at your price. On a $1,032,508 home, each 0.25% of the price is about $2,581.
Use the market’s pace. For a listing with a long time on market or a recent price cut, ask the seller to cover more of your agent’s fee.
Check the term. California caps buyer agreements at three months, so confirm the end date and which homes the agreement covers.
Ask about a rebate. The DRE’s homebuyer guide says a homebuyer’s rebate is allowed in California. Your lender must approve how any credit is applied at closing.
Sellers can negotiate the listing fee the same way. Ask agents to quote the listing fee and any buyer-agent offer as two separate numbers.
How TurboHome Handles Commission in Los Angeles
TurboHome is a flat-fee buyer’s brokerage. You pay a set fee based on the purchase price, and eligible buyer-agent compensation above that fee comes back to you as a TurboHome rebate at closing, subject to lender approval. The fee is $10,000 for homes from $500,001 to $1,000,000, $15,000 from $1,000,001 to $2,000,000, and $20,000 from $2,000,001 to $3,000,000.
The Los Angeles citywide median of $1,032,508 sits just above the $1,000,000 line, so a median-priced home falls in the $15,000 tier. A Van Nuys home near its $799,776 median falls in the $10,000 tier.
Your agent is an employed, licensed local Realtor. The service includes unlimited private tours (with seller or listing-agent permission), offer strategy, negotiation, and escrow and closing support.
TurboHome’s public closed-deal records include two recent Los Angeles purchases:
8031 Floral Ave, 90046, listed at $1,750,000, with $42,500 in reported TurboHome savings
What is the average real estate commission in Los Angeles?
Clever Real Estate's survey, updated October 1, 2026, puts the average total at 5.03% of the sale price, with 2.59% to the listing agent and 2.44% to the buyer's agent. HomeLight reports 4.58% for Los Angeles. Every rate is negotiable under California law.
How much is commission on a median-priced Los Angeles home?
Redfin reported a $1,032,508 median sale price in Los Angeles in September 2026. At Clever's 5.03% average, total commission on that home comes to about $51,935.
Is commission the same thing as the Los Angeles mansion tax?
No. Commission pays the agents. Measure ULA is a City of Los Angeles transfer tax of 4% on sales above $5,400,000 and 5.5% on sales of $10,900,000 or more, for transactions closing after June 30, 2026. It applies on top of the city's 0.45% base transfer tax and the county's $1.10 per $1,000.
Who pays the buyer's agent in Los Angeles?
Your written buyer agreement sets what you owe your agent. You can ask the seller to pay some or all of it as a term in your offer, and the seller can accept, counter, or decline.
When do I have to sign a buyer agreement in California?
For agents who use the MLS, before your first in-person or live virtual tour, under rules in effect since August 17, 2024. California law since January 1, 2025 also requires an agreement no later than when you sign an offer, and it cannot last longer than three months.
Can I get a commission rebate in Los Angeles?
Yes. The California Department of Real Estate's homebuyer guide says a homebuyer's rebate is allowed in California. Your lender must approve how a rebate is applied at closing.
Keep more of the commission on your Los Angeles home
TurboHome charges a flat fee and credits eligible buyer-agent compensation above it back to you at closing. Talk with a licensed local agent about your price range.
Vinura Abeysundara is a real estate and growth professional with experience scaling homebuying platforms across Canada and the United States. Formerly Head of Growth at Zown, he now works with TurboHome and writes about homebuyer savings, flat-fee real estate, commissions, and technology in real estate.
