A homebuyer recently caused a stir on Reddit after sharing a post in the r/RealEstate community.
The post, titled “Agent is greedy,” quickly gained traction as hundreds of real estate professionals and buyers chimed in.
“If I buy this house, my agent gets $20k,” the original poster wrote.
“Yet she sent an additional paper for me to sign. It says I have to pay $500 for her administrative work. Sh*t, what’s the $20k for?”
Backlash Against the Fee
Many people in the comments agreed with the buyer, especially agents who said they would never ask for an extra fee like that.
“I pay my administrative fee out of my commission. Your agent sucks,” one top-voted reply said.
Another agent added, “I pay my TC and admin fees out of my commission too.”
One person even called it a “jack wagon fee” and said they would never work for a brokerage that requires such charges.
Advice From the Community
Users encouraged the buyer to reject the fee and even terminate the agreement.
“Don’t sign it,” one wrote, while another suggested: “Tell them you don’t want it that bad.”
One popular response read: “And poof, just like that the fee disappears.”
Another user offered a firm script: “I am not paying this additional charge in order to go forward in the home buying process with you and X Realty. If this isn’t negotiable, I am requesting to be released from the buyer broker agreement.”
Agents Point to Brokers
While many laid blame squarely on the agent, others said the issue might stem from the brokerage.
“It’s a broker fee that they pass on to the client,” one person explained. “My agent eats hers out of her commission.”
They also added, “The commission might also be split with other people or the broker. Either way, ask them to eat it. I would.”
Still, users emphasized that the agent is choosing to pass the fee on.
“The agent still chooses to pass it on or not,” one person stated.
Fee Often Disappears When Challenged
Many users reported that these fees vanish with a little pushback.
“Used to pay extra to my brokerage so they wouldn’t charge this to my clients,” one real estate professional wrote.
“I eventually left that brokerage because of the nickel and diming.”
One buyer recalled spotting a surprise fee the day before closing.
“I called the realtor and said what is this fee? She said well it’s not in the contract… I told her take it out cause I’m not paying it… and they took it out.”
Others Share Their Frustrations
The post struck a chord with others who had similar experiences.
“I had the buyer’s agent who was getting paid $35k try and hold up closing over $275,” one person commented.
Another wrote, “Yeah just tell them you won’t pay it and see how quick they say never mind!”
Some questioned the structure of real estate commissions in general.
“Buying an $800k house, at 2.5%, and the total commission is $20,000… That $500 fee you mentioned? Most clients would rather have that money than a candle or box of cookies.”
Divided Opinions on Agent Value
Not all commenters were ready to condemn the entire profession. One user detailed how their agent paid for extras out of pocket and helped close a complex deal.
Others defended agents by breaking down where the commission goes, to brokers, insurance, marketing, licensing, and taxes.
Still, even some insiders acknowledged that the practice of tacking on fees damages public trust.
“The ‘broker fee’ is the bane of my existence,” one agent admitted. “I’ve argued and left brokers over it.”
As the original poster put it: “If you think affordability is the issue here, then you don’t understand the issue at all.”
The core frustration? A sense that after a $20,000 commission, asking for another $500 feels more like opportunism than professionalism.
It also shows how little trust many buyers have in the system. Some feel agents should be more transparent about fees from the start and stop making buyers feel nickel-and-dimed.