Commission split is really important for a real estate agent. The higher the commission split percentage is, the higher is your income value. In the real estate business, the agents greatly depend on the commission split. Berkshire Hathaway is one of the biggest brokerage businesses in the US. With over 52000 agents at the time of this writing, it’s one of the fastest-growing in the nation.
Now, if you are here, you must be wondering “What is Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commission split for agents?”. Well, in this article I will discuss the commission split and other benefits of Berkshire Hathaway. But to save your precious time, I’m giving the answer briefly below.
Unlike most real estate brokerage, Berkshire Hathaway doesn’t have a fixed commission split nor do they advertise the typical split. But from research, it has been found that the commission split depends on your experience and years on the field. It rises as your sales gets better. However, from anecdotal sources, it has been found that the split begins as 60/40.
But do not be disheartened as this commission structure has so many other benefits too. Besides your commission split, there is also a 6 months deferment on them and many more. Keep reading to find out about more benefits as well as the commission split in Berkshire Hathaway for agents. Let’s start with what the brokerage actually is.
What is Berkshire Hathaway HomeService?
Berkshire Hathaway HomeService is an independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC.
The Berkshire Hathaway brand is well known as the holding company of Warren Buffett and is known for it holding in a number of other industries, with a real estate company being one of the newer additions to the portfolio. It can be argued how much benefit this branding adds to the agents interactions with a specific buyer and seller.
In 2018, it was recognized as the “Most Trusted Real Estate Brand” in the Harris Poll EquiTrend Study. It also was recognized as “Real Estate Agency Brand of Year” the same year.
This branding becomes a little murky when you try to determine if other real estate brands that you are competing with are also owned under the HomeServices umbrella. This same thing can occur when dealing with Realogy owned brokerages. You realize that the same company can have different policies for different brand names, and it can not only be confusing, but it can also show you that other brands offer more favorable terms, even though they share common ownership.
What is Commission Split and How does it work?
Commission split is basically the deal between an agent and the broker about how many percentages of money after selling the house each of them gets to keep. To put it in a simple way, the first number of the commission split is the percentage the agent that is you are going to get and the latter one is what the broker or brand is going to keep.
Well, at least this is the usual case. For example, you are on a 60/40 commission split and you get $20,000 by selling the house. Now you will get $12000 that is 60% and the other $8000 or the 40% percent goes to the broker. This is the most basic concept of the commission split. Now that you know what a commission split is, let’s talk about what the commission split is at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
What is Commission Split at Berkshire Hathaway?
As mentioned earlier, the brand does not really advertise the commission split for their agents. The split is not the same for everyone. The commission split is not fixed but from online reviews from the agents, it has been assumed that the split is 60/40 at the beginning for most of the case. Meaning you get 60% whereas the brand takes 40%. So, it favors the company.
However, the split rises as you continue to work and sell more homes. So, there’ is room for getting even a higher commission split. The company gives you the chance to negotiate the split.
I point out how this can impact an agent in this video when I talk about a brokerages policy of fairness and inclusion:
So, the agents get to improve their commission split as their sales volume increases. But since the split can be very low at the beginning, many new agents struggle here. At first glance, this may seem like an unfair deal. But the idea behind this structure is that the agents will be paid according to what they deserve. This will motivate them to work harder and lead them to improve themselves.
Moreover, from anecdotal sources, I got an example of how the commission split can go up. Say you are on a 70/30 commission split at the beginning. And then you make $50,000 and your commission goes to 80%. Again, if you make $90,000 in a year, your contract starts from 80% instead of 70% the next year. However, there will be a 6% transaction fee. In this way, you can get a much higher commission split. Also, I have not seen any evidence of there being a CAP on commission splits, like there is at a company like Keller Williams.
Things might be a little hard at first if you are a new agent focusing on money more. Since they usually give the experienced agents a higher commission split but the beginning split may eventually change since it can be improved based on your work and performance.
But a bright side is that the split is never reduced than the starting one. This means that even if you don’t do well, your commission split will remain the same as the one you started with.
Training and other Finances
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices promises training and monitoring for the newly joined agents. You get to have a 6 months deferment on them. This means that you don’t have to pay them until you start earning after generally 6 months. Make sure you understand what you are signing up for. Some agents have reported that these charges, while deferred, are in addition to the commission split. Reviews of the training has shown it to be varied based upon locations.
Besides training, you get a number of tools, some potential leads, and in company referrals. If you are fortunate, you might even get free leads. Here if you don’t know what leads means, it’s basically potential customers. They will hand you the contact information of a person that is looking for houses or the type of property you are selling, usually from an online inquiry. Referrals from other agents in other parts of the country for relocating buyers and sellers are usually reserved for the more experienced agents.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices provides hand-on training driven by the managing broker.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by reading this article you got the answer to your question, “What is Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commission Split for Agents?” in an easy way. In a nutshell, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices do not advertise their usual commission split nor is the split fixed. Although it may seem hard to swallow at first, this is part of you doing your own research when selecting a brokerage.
Unlike most real estate brokerages, Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices provides you the opportunity to negotiate and raise your split as you gradually improve. Not only that, but there are also some other benefits like potential referrals, and brand generated leads, etc. So, in my opinion, you need to do your homework. Is the brand name really worth the commission split.
Check out this real estate brokerage fees comparison