A typical real estate agent's commission is 6 percent of a sale, according to industry experts. That 6 percent isn't always a windfall for the agent, who splits the money with perhaps a brokerage firm or another agent (since often there are two agents involved, the seller's and the buyer's). But it is a substantial chunk of change for a home seller. At 6 percent, if you sell a house for, say, $300,000, the seller will potentially end up handing over $18,000 to the real estate agents involved in both sides of the sale.

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