Commission Transparency
How seller agent commissions work in Singapore, and what they cost you
By Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Published 8 September 2026
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
- CEA does not fix, prescribe, or publish a standard commission rate for sellers. Every figure is a private, negotiated agreement recorded in your Estate Agency Agreement.
- Common practice for both HDB and private sellers typically ranges from around 1% to 2% of the transaction price, plus GST if the agency is GST registered, varying by value and complexity.
- Commission is deducted from your proceeds at legal completion, not paid upfront out of your own cash.
- If a buyer's agent is co broked, your agent shares part of the agreed commission with them. Your total cost as the seller does not increase because of this split.
- Commission is only one deduction among several, alongside your outstanding mortgage, CPF refund, and legal fees, that determine your actual net cash proceeds.
If you are selling a property in Singapore, the agent's commission is the cost most sellers understand the least, even though they are the ones paying it. This guide sets out what common practice looks like today, how the co broke mechanic works when a buyer's agent is involved, what it does to your net proceeds, and why you are fully entitled to negotiate the number rather than accept whatever is first quoted.
Who pays, and why you can discuss it openly
As the seller, you are the one who pays the agent's commission. This is the standard structure across HDB and private resale transactions in Singapore. What surprises many sellers is how open the number is meant to be. Singapore's property agent conduct standards are built around the idea that commission is never a hidden or fixed cost. In its own consumer guidance, CEA states directly that commissions are not fixed, and you are free to negotiate the amount or rate.
This transparency requirement runs alongside the Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care (CEPCC), prescribed under the Estate Agents (Estate Agency Work) Regulations 2010, made under the Estate Agents Act. The CEPCC sets standards for how agents handle client agreements and conflicts of interest, which is why your commission, and any co broke split, must be documented rather than left as a verbal understanding.
Every seller engagement runs through a CEA prescribed Estate Agency Agreement (EAA), required since January 2011. It records the agreed commission or rate, whether GST applies, the scope of service, and the length of any exclusive appointment, capped at three months. Nothing about this process is designed to be discussed quietly. You are meant to ask, and your agent is meant to answer.
What is common practice for seller commission today?
There is no rate set by CEA, HDB, or any other authority. What exists instead is common market practice, which typically sits in a range of around 1% to 2% of the transaction price, plus GST at the prevailing rate if the agency is GST registered. Where a property sits within that range, or outside it, depends on factors such as the property's value, how straightforward or complex the sale is expected to be, the length of the marketing period, and what services are included.
Higher value properties sometimes attract a lower percentage given the larger dollar amount involved, while smaller or more complex sales, such as those with tenants in place, may involve a different conversation. None of this is fixed. It is a starting point for a negotiation you are entitled to have.
How the co broke split works
Most resale transactions in Singapore involve two agents, one representing you as the seller and one representing the buyer. When this happens, your agent commonly shares part of the commission you agreed to pay with the buyer's agent, a practice known as co broke. This does not add to your cost. The total commission remains whatever figure you agreed and signed in your EAA. The split simply determines how that same total is divided between the two agents once the sale completes.
If your agent tells you that a co broke arrangement means an additional fee on top of what you agreed, ask for a clear written explanation. Under CEPCC, any arrangement affecting how your agent is paid, including co broke splits, should be disclosed to you.
Commission cost at various price points
The table below illustrates commission cost across common sale prices, using a 1% to 2% range, and the simple effect on the amount remaining after commission alone. This is only one line item. Your full net cash proceeds also depend on your outstanding mortgage, CPF refund, and legal fees, covered in detail in the dedicated net proceeds guide linked below.
| Sale price | Commission at 1% | Commission at 2% | Price after commission at 1.5% midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| $600,000 | $6,000 | $12,000 | $591,000 |
| $800,000 | $8,000 | $16,000 | $788,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 | $985,000 |
| $1,500,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 | $1,477,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 | $1,970,000 |
Illustrative arithmetic based on common practice ranges, not official rates. GST, if the agency is GST registered, applies on top of these figures. This table shows commission only; it does not include mortgage redemption, CPF refund, or legal fees.
Commission and your real net proceeds
Commission is rarely the biggest deduction sellers face, but it is the one most within your control to negotiate. Your outstanding mortgage and CPF refund, principal plus accrued interest, are usually far larger figures, and neither is negotiable in the way commission is. For a full worked example that stacks commission alongside mortgage redemption, CPF refund, and legal fees to arrive at your actual cash in hand, see the dedicated net proceeds guide linked at the end of this article. What matters here is that commission is the one line item where an honest, upfront conversation with your agent can directly change the number.
Negotiating your seller commission
Winfred's Take
Every seller I sit down with gets the same offer from me: ask me anything about how I am paid, before we sign anything. I would rather spend ten minutes on the commission conversation upfront than have a seller feel unsure about it at completion, when the deduction actually hits their proceeds. The rate is not the only thing that matters either. What you get for it, marketing quality, negotiation on your behalf, and how the transaction is managed to completion, is just as much a part of the conversation as the percentage itself.
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Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Crestbrick Pte Ltd (L31010886H)
Frequently asked questions
Can I negotiate my selling agent's commission?
Yes. CEA does not fix or prescribe commission rates for sellers. The figure is a private, negotiated agreement between you and your agent, and you are entitled to discuss it openly before you sign anything. Whatever you agree must be recorded in your Estate Agency Agreement.
How much does agent commission typically cost when selling in Singapore?
Common market practice for sellers, both HDB and private, typically ranges from around 1% to 2% of the transaction price, plus GST if the agency is GST registered. This is a market norm, not a rate set by any regulator, and it varies by property value, complexity, and what you negotiate.
Does the agent's commission come out of my sale proceeds or do I pay separately?
Commission is deducted from your sale proceeds at legal completion. You do not pay it upfront out of pocket. It is one of several deductions, alongside your outstanding mortgage, CPF refund, and legal fees, that reduce the gross sale price down to your actual net cash proceeds.
What happens to commission in a co broke sale?
If a buyer's agent is involved, your agent commonly shares part of the commission you already agreed to pay with that buyer's agent. This co broke split does not increase your total cost as the seller. The total commission stays the figure you agreed in your Estate Agency Agreement.
Is GST charged on top of my agent's commission?
Only if the estate agency is GST registered. Ask at the point of engagement whether the quoted commission figure is inclusive or exclusive of GST, so there is no surprise when the final invoice is deducted from your proceeds at completion.
What should I check before signing my Estate Agency Agreement to sell?
Confirm the agreed commission rate or amount, whether it includes GST, the scope of marketing and services covered, and the duration of any exclusive appointment, which is capped at three months per agreement under the CEA prescribed form. Do not let marketing begin before this is signed.
Sources & References
- CEA: What to Take Note of When Engaging a Property Agent
- CEA: Codes of Conduct (Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care)
- CEA: Estate Agents Act and Subsidiary Legislation
- CEA Public Register: Verify an Agent's Registration
- HDB: Overview of Flat Selling Process
- IRAS: Goods and Services Tax (GST)
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.
Related reading
- Property agent commission Singapore: what you actually pay
- How to calculate your net proceeds when selling Singapore property
- How to sell your HDB resale flat in Singapore: step by step
- How to sell your condo in Singapore: net proceeds, commission, SSD
- Exclusive vs open listing: which gets your property sold faster
- Is GST charged on property agent commission?
Know your real cost before you list
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