{"id":63835,"date":"2025-10-21T15:15:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T22:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=63835"},"modified":"2026-03-30T14:20:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T21:20:03","slug":"who-pays-realtor-fees-in-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/who-pays-realtor-fees-in-virginia\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Pays Realtor Fees in Virginia?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re getting ready to sell your house in Old Dominion, it\u2019s likely you\u2019re looking at <\/span>what other nearby homes sold for<\/span><\/a>, comparing list prices, and calculating your net proceeds. If this is your first time selling or it\u2019s been a few years, you might be wondering, Who pays Realtor fees in Virginia?<\/span><\/p>\n

This question has become more common in Virginia and across the country since new real estate commission rules took effect after a landmark National Association of Realtors (NAR) <\/span>court settlement<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under the new rules that started <\/span>August 17, 2024<\/span><\/a>, home sellers are no longer automatically expected to pay the buyer\u2019s agent fees \u2014 an industry practice that had been standard for nearly a century. But has the <\/span>NAR settlement changed<\/span><\/a> the way Realtor fees are handled in Virginia?<\/span><\/p>\n

In this post, you\u2019ll learn who pays Realtor fees in Virginia, how agent commissions work today, and when it might make sense to <\/span>cover your buyer\u2019s agent fee<\/span><\/a>. We\u2019ll also provide a Virginia agent commission calculator to help you decide what Realtor costs you\u2019re willing to pay.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Who pays Realtor fees in Virginia?<\/h2>\n

Some news outlets and market analysts predicted that the NAR settlement would shift cost responsibility, pressuring buyers to pay their own agent fees. But that U-turn hasn\u2019t happened \u2014 in Virginia or anywhere in the U.S. According to a recent nationwide <\/span>HomeLight survey<\/span><\/a>, 92% of top agents say sellers are still paying the buyer\u2019s Realtor fees.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are home sellers still covering this now-optional expense? Agents say it\u2019s a simple matter of common-sense marketing.\u00a0<\/span>Higher mortgage rates and affordability hurdles have impacted Virginia\u2019s housing landscape. In a slow market, offering to pay the buyer\u2019s Realtor fees and giving up other <\/span>concessions<\/span><\/a> is an effective strategy to attract offers and close a home sale.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, despite the NAR rule changes, most Virginia sellers continue to offer to cover the buyer\u2019s agent commission. This is especially true in housing markets where:<\/span><\/p>\n