Commission Transparency

How buyer agent commissions work in Singapore, and what you can ask

By Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Published 8 September 2026

Quick answer: Buyers in a typical resale transaction pay no direct commission because the buyer's agent is commonly co broked, receiving a share of the commission the seller already agreed to pay. For new launches, the developer pays the agent. Commission is never a hidden number. Under Singapore's property agent conduct standards, you are free to ask your agent exactly how they are paid, and to negotiate directly with them wherever you are the one paying.

Rates and thresholds change. The current figures are kept in one place: the Singapore property rules reference.

Facts verified: September 2026 · Sources linked below

Key takeaways

The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) does not fix or prescribe commission rates. Every commission is a private, negotiated agreement between you and your agent.
Most resale buyers pay nothing directly. Their agent is paid through a co broke split of the seller's commission, agreed between the two agents and disclosed to both parties.
New launch buyers also pay nothing. The developer pays the agent directly, typically cited in the market as around 2% to 3%, from the project's own marketing budget.
Where you do pay your own buying agent directly, such as for landed property or an exclusive search, the rate is fully open to negotiation and should be documented before work starts.
Every engagement must run through a CEA prescribed Estate Agency Agreement, signed before any search or viewing begins.

Commission is one of the most misunderstood parts of a property purchase in Singapore. Some buyers assume they are quietly paying their agent out of pocket. Others never ask, because it feels like an off limits question. Neither is accurate. This guide sets out how buyer side commission works, who funds it in each scenario, and why asking your agent about it directly is entirely within the rules that govern the profession.

Who actually pays the agent when you buy?

In the large majority of resale transactions in Singapore, HDB and private alike, the buyer pays no commission at all. The mechanism is called co broke. The seller has already agreed to pay their own agent a commission, and that agent shares part of it with the agent representing the buyer once the deal completes. Your agent still does full work on your behalf, but the fee is funded from the seller's side, not yours.

For new launch purchases, the developer pays the agent directly out of its own marketing budget, commonly cited in the market at around 2% to 3% of the unit price. You are not paying the agent in either case, though this cost is embedded somewhere in the developer's overall pricing rather than shown as a separate line item.

The scenario where a buyer pays directly is the exception, not the norm, and it should always be a conscious, written arrangement rather than something that happens by default.

The transparency rule: you can ask, and you can negotiate

Singapore's property agent conduct standards exist specifically so that commission is never a mystery. The CEA is explicit that it does not set, recommend, or enforce any fixed commission figure. In its own consumer guidance on engaging a property agent, CEA states plainly that commissions are not fixed, and you are free to negotiate the amount or rate. That single sentence is the foundation of this entire article: there is no rule anywhere that says commission cannot be discussed, and no agent is permitted to treat the topic as off limits.

This sits alongside the Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care (CEPCC), the conduct code prescribed under the Estate Agents (Estate Agency Work) Regulations 2010, made under the Estate Agents Act. The CEPCC sets out an agent's duty to avoid conflicts of interest and their obligations regarding any agreement with a client, which is precisely why commission, co broke splits, and any related payment must be put in writing rather than left as an informal understanding.

Before any agent searches for you: every engagement, whether you pay nothing because your agent is co broked or you are paying directly, must be documented in a CEA prescribed Estate Agency Agreement (EAA). Ask to see it, read the commission clause, and confirm whether GST applies, before any viewing takes place. Verify your agent's registration at cea.gov.sg/aceas/public-register.

Commission scenarios for buyers, by property type

The table below sets out common practice across the main purchase types. These are market norms, not rates set by CEA, HDB, or any other authority, and every figure is a starting point for a conversation with your own agent rather than a fixed cost.

Property type	Co broke scenario (most common)	If you engage and pay your own agent directly	Who actually funds it
HDB resale flat	Buyer pays 0%. Buyer's agent receives a co broke share of the seller's commission.	Occasionally negotiated separately if there is no co broke arrangement in place.	Seller's commission (co broke) or the buyer directly (solo)
Private resale condo or apartment	Buyer pays 0%. Same co broke mechanic as HDB resale.	Negotiated case by case, particularly for off market or hard to source units.	Seller's commission (co broke) or the buyer directly (solo)
New launch (developer project)	Buyer pays 0%. Developer pays the agent, commonly cited around 2% to 3%.	Not typical. Buyers are rarely asked to pay on top of what the developer already pays.	Developer's marketing budget
Landed property (bungalow, terrace, semi detached)	Co broke exists but is less universal given the smaller pool of listings and agents.	More common here than other segments, fully open to negotiation, no standard figure.	Buyer directly, or a negotiated split with the seller's agent

Figures reflect common industry practice, not rates mandated by any regulator. Your actual arrangement is whatever is agreed and documented in your Estate Agency Agreement.

When would a buyer actually pay commission directly?

A few situations exist where paying your own agent directly is normal, not an exception to be suspicious of:

Landed property searches. With fewer listings and agents active in this segment, co broke offers are less consistent, so buyers sometimes retain and pay their own agent.
Off market or highly specific searches. A dedicated hunt for an unlisted unit is sometimes structured as a paid retainer, agreed upfront.
Exclusive buyer representation. Some buyers sign an exclusive agreement with one agent for a search, in exchange for dedicated attention, and agree a fee for that commitment.
When the seller's agent declines to co broke. If you still want your own representation here, you and your agent agree separately how they are paid.

None of these should surprise you mid transaction. A properly run engagement puts the payment structure in writing before you view a single unit.

How to negotiate your buying agent's commission

Step 1: Ask directly, early. At your first conversation with any agent, ask how they are paid on this specific transaction, whether through co broke or directly by you. This is a completely normal question under Singapore's property agent conduct standards.

Step 2: Get it in the Estate Agency Agreement. Whatever is agreed, whether it is zero cost to you through co broke or a direct fee, must appear in the signed EAA before work begins.

Step 3: Confirm GST treatment. If you are paying directly and the agency is GST registered, ask whether the quoted figure includes GST or sits on top of it.

Step 4: Clarify scope. Understand exactly what the fee covers, search effort, viewings, negotiation, and paperwork support through to completion, so you know what you are getting for what you pay.

Step 5: Confirm any co broke disclosure. If your agent is being paid by the seller's side, ask them to confirm this openly. Disclosure is a requirement, not a favour.

Winfred's Take

Buyers often ask me whether it is rude to question an agent about how they get paid. It is not. It is one of the most reasonable questions in the transaction, and any agent worth working with should answer without hesitation. I tell every buyer upfront, before we look at a single listing, exactly how I am paid on their situation. That conversation takes two minutes and removes any doubt for the rest of the search. If an agent dodges the question, that tells you something.

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Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Crestbrick Pte Ltd (L31010886H)

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask my property agent how much commission they are charging?

Yes. Under Singapore's property agent conduct standards, commission is a matter you are entitled to discuss and negotiate openly with your agent before any work begins. There is no rule that keeps commission private between agents. If an agent avoids the question, treat that as a warning sign rather than normal practice.

Do I have to pay commission as a buyer in Singapore?

In most resale transactions, buyers pay nothing directly. The buyer's agent is commonly paid through a co broke arrangement, receiving a share of the seller's commission. For new launches, the developer pays the agent. You may pay directly only if you specifically engage and agree to pay your own agent, which should always be set out in writing before the search begins.

What is a co broke arrangement and how does it affect what I pay?

Co broke means the seller's agent shares part of their commission with your agent once a deal completes. It does not increase the total commission the seller pays, and in most resale cases it means you, as the buyer, pay nothing extra. Co broke splits are a matter of agreement between the two agents and should be disclosed to you.

Can I negotiate a lower commission with my buying agent?

Yes, if you are the one paying your agent directly, such as for a landed property search or an exclusive buyer representation agreement, the rate is fully negotiable. There is no fixed or standard rate set by any regulator. Agree the number in writing before work starts.

What should be in my Estate Agency Agreement before an agent searches for me?

A CEA prescribed Estate Agency Agreement should state the agent's name and registration number, the scope of the search, the agreed commission or confirmation that you pay nothing because the agent is co broked, whether GST applies, and the duration of any exclusive arrangement, which is capped at three months per agreement.

Sources & References

Winfred Quek is an Associate Marketing Consultant at Crestbrick Pte Ltd (CEA Licence No. L31010886H), CEA Registration No. R073319H. This page is general information as at September 2026 and does not constitute financial, legal, or regulatory advice, and is not a substitute for advice from CEA, your conveyancing lawyer, or a licensed financial adviser. Commission is negotiable and varies by agent, agency, and transaction; always confirm the exact figure and structure that applies to you in your own signed Estate Agency Agreement.

Talk through what commission would look like on your purchase

Every buying situation is different, whether it is a straightforward resale co broke or an exclusive search for something specific. A short call gives you a plain answer before you commit to anything in writing.

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