Tips for sellers

Commission: what does choosing cheap really cost you?

10 February 2026 · 4 min read

Everyone looks at the commission (courtage). That makes sense: it is a percentage, you see it in black and white and it feels like money you are giving away. But let me ask you a fairer question: what would you rather have, the lowest commission or the highest achievable sale price? Because if you save on commission, you may well end up paying much more in the sale price, or worse still, in hassle afterwards.

An example that says it all

Would you rather pay 1% on a sale price of €250,000? Or 1.5% on a sale price of €325,000, bringing in well over €70,000 more? If you only look at the percentage, you miss what really matters.

You pay more for a better sale

Many people think the goal is to sell their house for an absurd sum of money. But the real goal is: to actually sell your house for the highest achievable offer, on the best terms, and in such a way that you have no hassle afterwards. No disputes about square metres, no wrangling over dissolving conditions (ontbindende voorwaarden), no surprises that still end up costing money, stress and months of time. A good sale means a file that is in order, expectations that are managed, risks that are covered and negotiations that are played out professionally.

The cowboy story is real, and that is exactly why you need to be careful

They do exist: the smooth operators who quickly put "estate agent" on their business card and work on the principle: if I charge €2,500 per home and do five a month, I'm doing fine. And that is exactly where it goes wrong. Because if the business model is volume, then the attention is volume too. You often only see the damage later: small errors in floor area or presentation with major consequences, file issues that are never looked into, and too little focus on limiting risks during the sale.

So where does your commission actually go?

Commission is not a net payslip, it is turnover that keeps an entire sales operation running. Think of VAT and taxes, professional photography, floor plans and measurement reports, property descriptions and positioning, advertising budget, office organisation and systems, legal checks, liability insurance and compliance. And above all time: viewings, follow-up calls, building the file, negotiations and coordination with the notary and buyers. And most of all experience, because mistakes in a sale often cost far more than the commission itself.

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