COMMISSION · SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE
How I am paid.
Most agent sites hide this page. I do not. Here is the range, what it buys, what changed after August 2024, and how it lines up against an Opendoor offer on the same home.
TL;DR · THE 30-SECOND ANSWER
How much does Karyn Emerson charge in real estate commission in Southern NH?
I charge 2 to 3 percent listing side and 2.5 to 3 percent buyer side, fully negotiable under NAR rules effective August 17, 2024. On a $500,000 Southern NH home that works out to roughly $10,000 to $15,000 listing side and $12,500 to $15,000 buyer side. The listing fee covers professional photography, a staging consult, a 30-day listing agreement with mutual release, inspection prep and response, negotiation, and closing coordination. Scroll for the full breakdown.
THE RANGES
Two ranges, in writing, every time.
LISTING-SIDE (SELLERS)
2% to 3%
The range I work inside on Southern NH listings. Where inside that range we land depends on the home, the market window, and what you want the marketing to do.
BUYER-SIDE (BUYERS)
2.5% to 3%
The range I work inside as a buyer's agent, now negotiated directly with you in a written buyer-broker agreement before the first tour.
“Commissions are fully negotiable and are not set by law.”
Per NAR disclosure rules, effective August 17, 2024.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What you actually get inside that range.
Every listing includes all of the following. No upsell for photography, no line item for staging, no surprise fee at closing. [DEMO COPY - Karyn to confirm her exact services list].
Professional listing photography
Wide-angle, natural-light photography of every main room, plus neighborhood and exterior shots. Not phone snaps, not stock.
Home-valuation CMA
A real comparative market analysis, prepared from live and recent solds on your cul-de-sac, not a Zillow zestimate print-out.
Staging consultation
A walkthrough with staging notes room by room. Keep what works, move what does not, no forced redesign.
30-day listing agreement, mutual release
A short term, cancelable for any reason. You are never locked in to me longer than we are working.
Inspection prep and response
A pre-listing inspection checklist and, after offers, help reading the buyer's inspection and writing a calm response.
Negotiation representation
I write the counter language, I read the contract terms, I manage contingencies. You sign, I do the work in between.
Closing coordination
Title, lender, attorney, buyer agent, movers. I thread the schedule so you close on the date we agreed, not the date everyone else agreed.
POST-NAR, AUGUST 2024
What changed, in plain English.
On August 17, 2024, the NAR settlement went into effect and changed two things every NH buyer and seller should understand. First, offers of buyer-agent compensation can no longer be advertised on the MLS. Second, a written buyer-broker agreement is required before I can tour a home with a buyer. Both changes push the conversation about compensation out into the open, before the house visit, in writing.
A lot of headlines predicted buyer commissions would fall off a cliff. Year-one data says otherwise. Redfin reporting published in August 2025 shows the buyer-side commission actually ticked up on average, from 2.38% to 2.43% nationally, and under $500,000 the average landed near 2.49% to 2.52%. What changed is not the underlying math so much as the transparency.
For a seller, the practical effect is that you and I decide together what, if anything, you are willing to offer toward a buyer's agent. That decision lives on your listing paperwork, not on the MLS. For a buyer, the practical effect is that the rate you pay is visible on paper before the first showing.
The new rules favor the informed seller and the informed buyer. If you have a question about what this looks like on your specific transaction, ask me. Fifteen minutes on a call usually covers it.
IBUYER VS. LISTING WITH ME
Opendoor cash offer, or a 30-day listing.
A side-by-side on a $500,000 Southern NH home. Figures are representative; Real Estate Witch has tracked Opendoor offers averaging roughly $45,000 below fair market value on a home that size, before fees. [DEMO COPY - estimates, confirm current figures].
| Line item | Opendoor (cash offer) | Listing with Karyn |
|---|---|---|
| Offer / sale price (on a $500K home) | $455,000 | $500,000 |
| Service fees and repair credits | $22,000 (~5%) + repair deductions | Listing-side commission inside the 2% to 3% range |
| Estimated net proceeds (rough) | $410,000 | $455,000 to $475,000 |
| Time to close | 14 to 30 days | 30 to 45 days (30-day listing, then close) |
| Certainty | Locked cash offer, low contingency risk | Market exposure with multi-offer potential |
| Control over the sale | Take the offer or leave it | Price, terms, timing are yours to shape |
If your timeline absolutely demands cash in 14 days, I will tell you. There are real situations where an iBuyer is the right answer. For most sellers, a 30-day listing at market price nets more than any iBuyer offer, even after commission. On a $500,000 home that delta is typically $40,000 to $50,000.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
The six questions I hear most.
Is 2% to 3% really negotiable?
Yes. Commission is fully negotiable and is not set by law. The number you see quoted anywhere is a common range, not a rate card. We agree on the number together at the listing appointment, in writing, and you always have the full picture of what it buys.
What about buyer agency after August 2024?
The NAR settlement, effective August 17, 2024, made two changes that matter. Offers of buyer-agent compensation can no longer be advertised on the MLS, and a written buyer-broker agreement is required before I tour a home with you. We sign a short, plain-English agreement that lays out the rate and the term, and either of us can end it. It protects both of us.
Do I pay for photography or staging upfront?
No. Listing photography and the staging consultation come out of the commission at closing, not out of your pocket at the front end. If we agree to a listing and it does not sell, you do not owe me for the photos.
What is the difference between listing-side and buyer-side?
Listing-side is what the seller pays their agent, typically 2% to 3% in Southern NH. Buyer-side is what a buyer pays their agent, typically 2.5% to 3% under the new rules, and it is now negotiated directly with the buyer in that written agreement. On a sale, both sides are compensated; after August 2024, they are compensated separately, not bundled on the MLS.
Will I net less if buyers have to bring their own commission?
Year-one data says no, not in practice. Redfin reporting from August 2025 shows buyer-side commissions actually ticked up, from 2.38% to 2.43% nationally, and under $500K the average sat near 2.49% to 2.52%. What the new rules changed is transparency, not the underlying math. A well-priced, well-marketed listing still sells at market.
Why not just list with Redfin for 1% or use a flat-fee MLS?
If your only goal is the lowest possible listing fee, those are legitimate options and I will tell you honestly. What you give up is the negotiation, the representation, and in most cases the marketing that drives multi-offer situations. On a $500K home, a difference of one to two percent of the sale price often gets absorbed by a weaker outcome. That is a judgment call, and I am happy to talk through it with no hard sell.
START HERE
Ask me your hardest question on a 15-minute call.
If I can answer your commission question in fifteen minutes, I will. If it takes longer, we will book a second call. Either way you leave with the real numbers.