Historically the seller's side covered the full commission and split it with the buyer's agent, and that arrangement is still common, but a growing number of buyer representation agreements now spell out what happens if the seller's offered amount does not fully cover the agreed fee.
Total seller closing costs run 4 to 6 percent, commission included alongside legal fees and adjustments, but that figure is the whole closing, not the commission rate alone, and the actual split is negotiated case by case.
Joel Dyck explains exactly how compensation works before a buyer signs anything. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.