Listing agent vs selling agent

by Carolyn Kay 03/16/2025

couple speaking with realtor

The world of real estate can be challenging and a bit confusing at times. Hiring a real estate agent is a great way to navigate the real estate market in your area.

Before hiring an agent, you need to assess your needs. First answer, do you need to acquire a selling or listing agent? What will the commission fees be? What kind of personality and experience do you need to make the process as coherent as possible?

Listing agent vs selling agent

If you want to sell your home, consider hiring a listing agent. Listing agents represent the party selling a property. They will promote your home and find the right ways to make your property more competitive within your target market.

A selling agent, also known as the buyer’s agent - which may sound counterintuitive, acts on behalf of the potential buyer to buy a property. A seller’s agent will do research on local properties that best suit the buyer’s budget and search criteria.

Until the contract is signed, this agent is referred to as a buyer’s agent and post-contract signing, they are referred to as the selling agent.

Commission fees

The selling agent commission price may seem daunting. However, paying this fee ensures you have a proficient real estate professional on your side to help navigate the legality of real estate transactions.

Once a property is sold, the home seller pays the brokerage of the listing agent. The brokerage will then give the listing agent a portion of the commission fee. The national standard commission rate hovers around 6% total for buyer and seller agents.

Finding your perfect real estate agent

Whether you are searching for a listing or seller agent, it is important to assess their credentials and make sure their expertise fits your criteria. Do they understand your local market? Are they a good negotiator? Can they market your home for the best price to get it sold quickly, so you can continue with your journey?

Overall, the cost of hiring a listing or seller's agent is worth the expense. Both of these real estate agents will mediate between the buyer and seller and keep the situation calm when emotions run high.

Buyers Agent

Sellers Agent

About the Author

Carolyn Kay

As a Real Estate professional, I specialize in helping my clients buy, rent or sell properties in Westchester County. I am passionate, dedicated and committed to my clients and my first priority is to provide them with first class service and guidance throughout the entire process. It has been said that I go above and beyond for my clients to get the deal closed! I have experience working with clients who have financed their purchases with either a conventional, VA or FHA loan and have a good understanding of how they work; no sale is too big or too small for me to take on. My family and I relocated to England for 2 ½ years, this was a wonderful experience but at the same time, it was overwhelming. I have first hand knowledge of the challenges as well as the positives in discovering a new community. I was born and raised in Scarsdale and once married, my husband and I decided to raise our two daughters here. Both of our daughters successfully graduated from the Scarsdale schools and are both married, living and working in Manhattan. After living in the same house for 30 years my husband and I took the leap, sold our home and bought and renovated a condo townhouse in another town. Once again we are discovering a new community and fully understand the highs and lows of selling a home we loved and buying and making a new home. I feel that my personal real estate experiences have made me more in tune with my client’s needs and therefore better able to help them navigate through the complex process. Please call me so that I can put my knowledge and experience to work for you.