There is no single right number. Compensation is negotiable, though our read is that top-tier representation and marketing still generally lands around 4 to 5 percent total (illustrative and negotiable). That total covers the listing side plus whatever you choose to offer toward buyer-agent compensation. One approach worth considering is offering the buyer's agent as much as or more than the listing side. The buyer's agent controls access to the pool of buyers, so making your home attractive to show and sell can widen demand and support a higher final price. Treat that as a lever to weigh, and reasonable sellers weigh it differently. Two honest caveats: - Everything is in writing now. Buyer-agent compensation is negotiated and disclosed, so whatever you offer should be a deliberate decision, not an assumption. - Your market matters. The full impact of the commission-structure changes is still playing out, and it looks different by market. In a hot area with scarce inventory you may have room to offer less; in a slower one, competitive compensation can help draw activity. Talk it through with a strong local listing agent and set the number to your market and your goals, not to an old default.