Selling a home gets expensive fast. If you’re staring at agent commissions and thinking, “There has to be a cheaper way,” Redfin may come to mind. The company promotes lower listing fees than traditional agents — 1.5% vs. the typical 2.5-3% — which can sound appealing when you’re doing the math on a six-figure sale.
But that headline number doesn’t tell the whole story. Some sellers are happy with the savings and the more hands-off, tech-driven approach. Others are surprised by minimum fees, limited agent availability, or realizing they’re doing more of the work themselves than they expected.
This article walks through how Redfin’s listing fees actually work, what you get for the price, where sellers sometimes run into issues, and how Redfin compares to other ways of selling a home. These insights should help you decide whether the tradeoffs make sense for your situation.
Redfin listing fees: What you'll pay
| Category | Commission rate | Cost ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | 1.5%* | $7,500 |
| Buyer’s agent fee | 2.5–3% | $12,500–15,000 |
| Total commission | 4–4.5% | $20,000–22,500 |
Redfin is a low commission realtor, charging fees well below industry averages. It advertises lower listing fees than traditional agents, but the amount sellers actually pay depends on several factors, including home price, location, and minimum-fee requirements.
In many markets, Redfin’s listing fee ranges from around 1.5-2%. However, Redfin also sets a minimum listing fee in most areas. For sellers with lower-priced homes, that minimum can reduce the difference between Redfin and a traditional agent.
For example, selling a $700,000 home at a 1.5% listing fee would cost about $10,500. On a $350,000 home, that same percentage would be $5,250, but if the local minimum fee is higher, the minimum applies instead.
Redfin offers more savings when you sell and buy with a Redfin agent. If you buy another home within a year of selling, Redfin reduces the listing fee to 1%.[1] With the suggested 3% buyer's agent fee, the total commission you'd pay drops to 4%.
Why Redfin may cost more than expected
Sellers are most likely to be surprised when:
- Minimum fees apply: On lower-priced homes, Redfin’s minimum listing fee can outweigh the advertised percentage savings.
- You still pay a buyer’s agent: Unless negotiated otherwise, sellers are typically responsible for the buyer’s agent commission (which is separate from Redfin’s listing fee.)
- Pricing strategy misses the mark: Some sellers may need to drop their listing price, which can erase upfront fee savings.
- Support is lighter than expected: Redfin agents often manage more clients at once, which may mean less hands-on guidance during negotiations or prep; this could lead to a lower sales price.
For sellers who value maximum support or are selling in a slower market, these factors can narrow or eliminate the cost advantage.
Redfin listing fee alternatives
Several discount and agent-matching services offer listing fees below the traditional 3% benchmark, but they differ in how agents are assigned, how much choice sellers have, and how hands-on the experience feels.
Redfin offers a 1.5% listing fee, which is comparable to discount brokerages like Clever Real Estate, but it uses salaried agents who handle a higher volume of clients.
Clever Real Estate takes a different approach. Instead of assigning an in-house agent, Clever matches sellers with experienced local agents from major brokerages. Fees are pre-negotiated, often around 1.5% with a minimum, while allowing sellers to compare agents and choose who they work with. This appeals to sellers who want discounted pricing without giving up agent choice.
Ideal Agent is similar to Clever, matching sellers with local agents and pre-negotiating a 2% commission. While the rate is higher than Redfin’s advertised minimum, some sellers prefer the more traditional agent experience, especially in slower or more complex markets.
Buyer's agent fees: NAR lawsuit update
For years, it was normal for home sellers to pay both their own agent and the buyer’s agent. That changed after the 2024 NAR lawsuit settlement.[4]
Under the new rules, buyers must sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes. That agreement spells out how the buyer’s agent will get paid. Buyer agent fees are no longer listed or offered through the MLS, and all commissions are negotiable.[5]
What hasn’t changed is that sellers can still help cover those costs if they want to. There’s no rule that says sellers have to pay a buyer’s agent, but they can offer concessions outside the MLS that buyers may use toward closing costs, including their agent’s fee, if the deal allows it.
How this plays out in the real world
Even though sellers aren’t required to cover buyer agent fees, many choose to anyway. The reason is simple: most buyers don’t have extra cash to pay their agent on top of a down payment and closing costs.
Danielle Dolan, a real estate agent in Denver, CO, says this can affect demand:
"If the seller doesn't offer a commission, it may reduce showings because many agents, myself included, represent buyers who are reluctant to view homes where they might be responsible for the commission," she says. "These buyers often can’t afford additional costs yet require the services of a buyer’s agent, thus relying on the seller to pay the fee."
This doesn’t mean every seller needs to offer concessions. In competitive markets, sellers may get plenty of interest without them. In slower markets, offering help with buyer costs can make a listing more appealing.
Redfin listing fees by service tier
| Service | Listing fee | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 1.5% |
|
| Redfin Premier | 1.5% + additional costs at closing |
|
Redfin offers two main service tiers for sellers. The standard listing package costs 1.5% of the home’s sale price and includes professional photography, a 3D walkthrough, open houses, pricing strategy support, offer review, buyer negotiations, and coordination through closing.
Redfin Premier charges a 1.5% listing fee for higher-value homes. It generally comes with the same base listing fee as Redfin’s standard service (for example, ~1.5%, or 1% if you also buy with Redfin) but includes access to a design concierge and enhanced marketing support in some markets.
Depending on where you sell and which optional services you elect (such as staging or home prep coordinated through Redfin Concierge), sellers may pay additional costs tied to those services beyond the base fee.[1]
Additional savings when you sell and buy with Redfin
Redfin offers an extra incentive if you both sell and buy with one of its agents. It’s worth 0.5% of your home’s sale price if you purchase another home with Redfin within 12 months of selling.[6]
This is sometimes described as a “1% listing fee,” but that shorthand can be misleading. When you sell your home, you still pay Redfin’s standard listing fee, typically around 1.5%, along with any buyer’s agent compensation you agree to. The refund doesn’t reduce your upfront selling costs.
Instead, the 0.5% comes back to you later, after you close on your next home purchase with Redfin. If you don’t buy within the required time frame, the refund doesn’t apply.
For sellers who already plan to buy another home soon and want to use the same brokerage for both transactions, this can add up to meaningful savings.
Rocket Preferred Pricing
As part of the Rocket-Redfin takeover, the companies introduced Rocket Preferred Pricing, a buyer incentive program designed to make homeownership more affordable.
Eligible buyers who use both Rocket Mortgage and a Redfin agent can choose one of two savings options:
- A 1 percentage point reduction in their interest rate for the first year of their mortgage, or
- A lender credit at closing worth up to $6,000
The program is available to qualified buyers using conventional, FHA, or VA loans. While Rocket Preferred Pricing could help reduce upfront costs, we recommend you compare mortgage offers from multiple lenders to get the best deal.
🚨 Redfin acquired by Rocket Companies
As of July 1, 2025, Redfin has officially joined Rocket Companies, the parent company of Rocket Mortgage. The acquisition comes with a new buyer incentive: Rocket Preferred Pricing. Buyers using Rocket Mortgage and a Redfin agent may qualify for a temporary rate discount or lender credit of up to $6,000 at closing.[7]
This change could benefit some home buyers, but it also signals a possible shift in Redfin’s focus toward Rocket’s mortgage-driven model. Sellers and buyers should closely monitor how Redfin's service evolves under the new ownership.
Redfin’s hidden minimum fees
Most low-commission real estate brands have minimum fees, which can result in you paying higher than the advertised effective listing fee rate (1.5%, in Redfin’s case). Most brands have a simple flat minimum — Ideal Agent and Clever both have $3,000 minimum fees — but Redfin’s hidden fees vary by market and are somewhat hard to track down on its website. We’ve compiled them here for your convenience, pulled from Redfin's Commission Savings Disclaimers page.
| Market | Redfin listing fee | Minimum commission |
|---|---|---|
| All Other | 1.5% | $2,000 |
| Anchorage | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Atlanta | 2.0% | $4,500 |
| Austin | 1.5% | $5,500 |
| Birmingham | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Boise | 1.5% | $5,000 |
| Boston | 2.0% | $6,000 |
| Buffalo | 1.5% | $3,000 |
| Central California | 1.5% | $5,500 |
| Charlotte | 1.5% | $5,000 |
| Chattanooga | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Chicago | 2.0% | $4,000 |
| Cincinnati | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Cleveland | 2.0% | $2,500 |
| Coastal North Carolina | 1.5% | $2,000 |
| Colorado Rockies | 1.5% | $2,000 |
| Columbus | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Connecticut | 1.5% | $4,000 |
| Dallas | 1.5% | $4,500 |
| DC | 1.5% | $6,500 |
| Denver | 1.5% | $5,500 |
| Des Moines | 2.0% | $2,500 |
| Detroit | 2.0% | $3,500 |
| El Paso | 1.5% | $2,500 |
| Fayetteville | 1.5% | $2,000 |
| Flagstaff | 2.0% | $6,000 |
| Florida Panhandle | 2.0% | $4,500 |
| Fort Myers | 1.5% | $4,500 |
| Grand Rapids | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Greater British Columbia | 1.5% | $4,000 |
| Greater Ontario | 1.5% | $4,000 |
| Hampton Roads | 1.5% | $3,500 |
| Hawaii | 1.5% | $6,500 |
| Houston | 1.5% | $3,500 |
| Indianapolis | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Inland Empire | 1.5% | $6,000 |
| Jackson | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Jacksonville | 1.5% | $4,000 |
| Kansas City | 2.0% | $3,500 |
| Knoxville | 2.0% | $4,500 |
| Lake Tahoe | 1.5% | $5,500 |
| Las Vegas | 1.5% | $4,500 |
| Little Rock | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Los Angeles | 1.5% | $8,000 |
| Louisiana | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Louisville | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Maryland | 1.5% | $4,000 |
| Memphis | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| Miami | 1.5% | $5,500 |
| Minneapolis | 2.0% | $4,000 |
| Nashville | 2.0% | $4,500 |
| Nebraska | 2.0% | $3,000 |
| New Jersey - North | 1.5% | $5,000 |
| New Jersey - South | 1.5% | $4,500 |
| New Mexico | 2.0% | $3,500 |
| New York | 1.5% | $6,000 |
| Northern New England | 2.0% | $4,000 |
| Oklahoma | 2.0% | $2,500 |
| Orange County | 1.5% | $8,500 |
| Orlando | 1.5% | $3,500 |
| Ottawa | 1.0% | $6,500 |
| Palm Beach | 1.5% | $5,000 |
| Palm Springs | 1.5% | $5,000 |
| Philadelphia | 1.5% | $3,500 |
| Phoenix | 1.5% | $4,500 |
| Pittsburgh | 2.0% | $2,500 |
| Portland | 2.0% | $5,500 |
| Raleigh | 1.5% | $4,000 |
| Rhode Island | 1.5% | $4,000 |
| Richmond | 1.5% | $3,500 |
| Sacramento | 1.5% | $5,500 |
| Salt Lake City | 2.0% | $5,000 |
| San Antonio | 1.5% | $3,500 |
| San Diego | 1.5% | $8,500 |
| San Francisco | 1.5% | $9,000 |
| Savannah | 1.5% | $3,000 |
| Seattle | 1.5% | $6,500 |
| South Carolina | 1.5% | $3,500 |
| South Texas | 1.5% | $2,500 |
| Spokane | 1.5% | $4,500 |
| St. Louis | 2.0% | $3,500 |
| Tampa | 1.5% | $4,500 |
| Toronto | 1.0% | $7,500 |
| Tucson | 2.0% | $3,500 |
| Vancouver | 1.0% | $4,500 |
| Virginia | 1.5% | $5,500 |
| Wisconsin | 2.0% | $3,500 |
What services do you get for Redfin’s 1.5% listing fee?
Redfin is a full-service brokerage, so the basics are covered. Redfin agents help price your home, list it on the MLS, coordinate showings, negotiate offers, and guide the deal to closing.
Where things feel different is how that service is delivered.
Instead of working with a single dedicated agent from start to finish, Redfin takes a team approach. You may interact with different people along the way. One person might handle questions, another might manage showings, and someone else could step in during negotiations. You’ll also get access to an online dashboard where you can track showings, offers, and next steps.
Some sellers like this setup because it feels efficient and organized. But others may miss having a single point of contact who knows every detail of the sale and checks in frequently.
Suzanne Seini, CEO and owner of Innovate Realty in Irvine, California, says, “A discounted listing agent will often do the minimum needed to sell the home. They will be working with limited funds from the house so they may not market it as well as an agent that will have the financial incentive to invest more dollars into selling the home.”
That doesn’t mean Redfin agents won’t do a good job - it just means the experience can feel more streamlined and standardized. If you want frequent hands-on guidance or highly customized marketing, it’s worth weighing whether that model fits your needs.
» MORE: Learn how Redfin compares to conventional realtors
FAQ about Redfin listing fees
Is Redfin really 1%?
No, Redfin’s listing fee isn't really 1%. Redfin’s listing fee is 1.5%, but you can earn a 0.5% rebate by buying and selling your home with Redfin within a 12-month timeframe. But you’ll still pay the 1.5% listing fee upfront. You’ll get the Redfin Refund after you close on your next home with Redfin.
What's Redfin's minimum commission?
Redfin’s minimum commission rates vary by market. Currently, Redfin has set its lowest minimum commission at $2,000 in several areas. But other regions command higher minimum rates, such as $9,000 in San Francisco. Find the minimum commission fee for your area before signing with a Redfin agent.
Does Redfin charge for pictures?
Redfin doesn't charge a separate fee for pictures. Instead, it includes professional photography in its 1.5% listing fee. Redfin's listing services also include a 3D virtual walkthrough. However, specialized photography and video services, such as floor plans, drone footage, and virtual staging, aren't standard and may incur extra fees.
What percentage do most realtors charge?
Most realtors charge about 2.5–3% of the home sale, for a combined total of 5–6% in commission charges for both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. Realtors who work with low-commission real estate brands charge less. Low-commission real estate brands like Clever Real Estate work with agents to charge lower rates in exchange for more leads.
