Who Pays Realtor Fees in Illinois?

Published on October 8th, 2025
6 min read

Richard Haddad Executive Editor
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Richard Haddad Executive Editor

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Richard Haddad is the executive editor of HomeLight.com. He works with an experienced content team that oversees the company’s blog featuring in-depth articles about the home buying and selling process, homeownership news, home care and design tips, and related real estate trends. Previously, he served as an editor and content producer for World Company, Gannett, and Western News & Info, where he also served as news director and director of internet operations.

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If you’re making plans to sell your home in the Prairie State, you’re probably looking at what other homes sold for, comparing list prices, and calculating your proceeds. If this is your first time selling or it’s been a while, you might be wondering, Who pays Realtor fees in Illinois?

This has been a common question since new agent commission rules went into effect following a court settlement by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Under the new rules that started in August 2024, home sellers are no longer automatically expected to pay the buyer’s agent fees — an industry tradition that dates back more than a century. But has the NAR settlement changed the way Realtor fees work in Illinois?

In this guide, you’ll learn who pays Realtor fees in Illinois, how agent commissions work today, and when it might make sense for you to cover the buyer’s agent fees. We’ll also provide an Illinois agent commission calculator to help you decide what Realtor costs you’re willing to pay.

Who pays Realtor fees in Illinois?

Some media outlets and industry analysts predicted the NAR settlement would redirect cost responsibility, pressuring homebuyers to pay their own agent fees. But that shift hasn’t happened — in Illinois or anywhere in the U.S. According to a nationwide HomeLight survey, 92% of agents say sellers are still paying the buyer’s Realtor fees.

Why are sellers still covering this cost? It’s a matter of common-sense marketing.

Higher mortgage rates and affordability obstacles have impacted Illinois’ housing landscape. In a slow market, offering to pay the buyer’s agent fees and giving up other seller concessions is a proven strategy to attract more offers and close a home sale.

So, despite the NAR commission rule changes, in practice, most Illinois sellers continue to offer to cover the buyer’s agent commission. This is especially true in regions where:

High mortgage rates have reduced overall buyer demand
Potential buyers are struggling to pay closing costs and down payments
Refusing to cover this cost will shrink the buyer pool

Based on survey responses from top-rated Illinois agents, the takeaway is clear: If you want to sell your home in an uncertain market, offer to pay your buyer’s Realtor fees.

Illinois real estate agent commission calculator

So, what will the two combined Realtor fees cost you in the Land of Lincoln? Or what might just the listing agent fee look like if you choose not to offer a buyer’s agent commission?

To see ballpark estimates, use our Illinois Real Estate Commission Calculator below. You can compare scenarios based on your home’s sale price and the state’s average agent commission rates. You can also adjust the commission percentages up or down to see what rate you might want to negotiate.

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Are Illinois sellers required to pay the buyer’s agent?

Illinois home sellers are not required to pay the buyer’s agent compensation. However, as our nationwide agent survey revealed, most sellers still offer to cover this expense for their buyers. Here’s a closer look at why you might want to do the same:

More offers: Most buyers in Illinois work with agents. If you don’t offer to pay their agent fees, buyers may skip over your listing, or factor the Realtor fees into their offer price.
More negotiating power: Covering the buyer’s Realtor fee will help your property stand out and make your listing more appealing, leading to more serious offers and possibly even multiple bids or a bidding war.
More certainty: In HomeLight’s Q2 2025 survey, agents agreed that offering to cover the buyer’s agent commissions and other incentives is typically necessary to close a sale in today’s high-interest-rate market.

While declining to pay this buyer cost may initially appear to be a money-saving strategy, you’ll want to carefully consider how it might impact your home’s visibility, days on market, and your bottom-line proceeds.

Illinois Seller Closing Cost Calculator Learn more

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Here’s How Much Money You’ll Keep After Selling a House Learn more

Can you negotiate Realtor fees in Illinois?

Yes. In Illinois, agent commissions have always been negotiable — even before the NAR court settlement. Whether you’re negotiating with your listing agent or weighing how much to offer the buyer’s agent, there are several ways you can customize this cost:

Negotiate a lower fee percentage: Some Illinois agents may accept a reduced rate, especially for upper-end properties or in more competitive housing markets like Rockford and Springfield.
Adjust the commission split: You can propose a different Realtor fee percentage split or decide to only cover your listing agent’s commission and offer a different concession to buyers. (More on this below.)
Connect the fee to performance: In this situation, you might agree to pay a higher commission rate if your home sells above a selected target price, and a lower fee rate if it sells below that target.
Use a flat-fee service: Some Illinois brokerages offer à la carte listing services at a flat rate (or per service), which might save you money but can come with risks or lower proceeds. This option might be a better fit for more experienced sellers.

As you consider these negotiating tactics, keep in mind that the right real estate agent partner can often net you higher sale proceeds at closing, even if their fees cost more than a discount broker or flat-fee service. What matters is how much you walk away with after the sale.

With expert marketing, pricing, and negotiating skills, a top Illinois agent can typically more than cover their Realtor fees, all while giving you a smoother selling experience.

Additional free tools to help you plan your Illinois home sale:

What other concessions can help an Illinois home sell?

If you ultimately decide not to pay the buyer’s agent commissions — or you just want to make your listing stand out — offering seller concessions can sweeten the pot for buyers. Some common incentives in Illinois include:

Closing cost credits: Covering part of the buyer’s closing costs, such as loan or escrow fees, title fees, and attorney fees, can help ease affordability concerns.
Repair credits: Instead of paying to fix everything the buyer requested, offer them a repair credit. The buyer can handle repairs after closing on their own schedule.
Home warranty: Offering a one-year home warranty can provide the buyer with additional peace of mind, especially if you are selling an older house.
Rate buydowns: This concession lowers the buyer’s mortgage interest rate and monthly payment for the first 12 months, which is an attractive incentive in a high-interest-rate market.

According to our top agent survey, the three most common seller concessions in the current market are:

Repair credits (52%)
Closing cost help (50%)
Interest rate buydowns (21%)

In Illinois’ cost-sensitive market, these incentives and credits, combined with an offer to pay the buyer’s Realtor fees, can help your home sell faster.

In Illinois and the Midwest region, 67% of surveyed agents reported price cuts in their markets, indicating that Illinois sellers need to be prepared to offer buyer incentives and negotiate to close a home sale.

Why a top Illinois agent can net you more proceeds

While it’s tempting to focus on lowering commission costs, your bottom line ultimately depends on both your selling expenses and your final sale price.

HomeLight data shows that the top 5% of agents sell homes for up to 10% more than average agents. On a $300,000 home, that could mean an additional $30,000. In Illinois, a top-rated local agent can help you:

Understand what’s customary for the area’s buyer’s agent fees
Gauge what fee amounts will work best for your situation
Evaluate offers and concessions based on market demand
Guide you through Illinois market trends and disclosure regulations

The right Illinois agent will help you understand your home’s market value and what proceeds you can expect, even if you’re offering to pay both sides of the agent commission costs.

Commission rules change, but strategy always matters

The commission rules may have changed, but Illinois’ home sale fundamentals remain the same: Buyers want professional representation, and sellers want attractive purchase offers.

Building an effective commission strategy starts with working with a top-rated agent who can position your home to sell for the highest possible price and with the terms that fit your next move.

HomeLight’s free Agent Match tool analyzes nearly 30 million transactions and thousands of reviews to connect you with top-rated Illinois agents based on your needs. Whether you decide to pay the buyer’s Realtor fees or offer other concessions, your goal is the same — a successful home sale.

HomeLight is here to help. See our Illinois Seller Resource Center for more expert tips and resources.

Header Image Source: (iriana88w/ Depositphotos)

At HomeLight, our vision is a world where every real estate transaction is simple, certain, and satisfying. Therefore, we promote strict editorial integrity in each of our posts.

Richard Haddad

Executive Editor

Richard Haddad is the executive editor of HomeLight.com. He works with an experienced content team that oversees the company’s blog featuring in-depth articles about the home buying and selling process, homeownership news, home care and design tips, and related real estate trends. Previously, he served as an editor and content producer for World Company, Gannett, and Western News & Info, where he also served as news director and director of internet operations.