Sell Without an Agent · Homeowners
Canadian law prohibits fixed commission rates. But typical structures exist in every province. Here is how they work and what they actually cost you.
How do real estate commissions work in Canada?
Canadian competition law prohibits fixed commission rates. Provinces have typical structures that most agents follow, ranging from 5% in Ontario to 7% on the first $100,000 plus 2.5 to 3% on the balance in Alberta and BC. The total commission is usually split between the listing agent and the buyer agent. Sellers set the buyer-side commission when listing. On a $650,000 home in Alberta, typical total commissions run to $23,500.
01 The Law
Canadian competition law prohibits real estate boards and brokerages from setting fixed commission rates. Every commission is negotiable. What exists in each province is a typical structure that the majority of agents follow, not a legal requirement.
The total commission on a traditional sale is usually split between the listing agent (representing the seller) and the buyer agent (representing the buyer). Sellers pay both sides out of the proceeds of their sale. Understanding this split is the starting point for understanding where your money goes.
02 Provincial Rates
Bōde operates in Alberta, BC, and Ontario. The table below shows the typical commission structure in each province and how the total is usually split between listing and buying agents.
Province
Total commission
Listing agent
Buyer agent
Alberta
7% on first $100K + 3% on balance
3.5% on first $100K + 1.5% on balance
3.5% on first $100K + 1.5% on balance
British Columbia
7% on first $100K + 2.5% on balance
3.5% on first $100K + 1.25% on balance
3.5% on first $100K + 1.25% on balance
Ontario
5% of sale price
2.5% of sale price
2.5% of sale price
Using Alberta as an example: on a $650,000 home, the total typical commission is $23,500. That is $7,000 on the first $100,000 (7%) plus $16,500 on the remaining $550,000 (3%). The listing agent and buyer agent each receive half.
03 The Bōde Fee
Bōde’s listing fee is 1% of the sale price, capped at $10,000 plus GST, paid only when your property sells. The flat option is $949 plus GST at listing. Both include MLS distribution to REALTOR.ca, Zillow, and 1,000+ partner sites, professional photography, RMS measurements, and access to the full offer and closing process on the platform.
On that same $650,000 Alberta home, a Bōde seller pays $6,500 to list versus $11,750 with a traditional listing agent. Bōde sellers save an average of $8,000 on transactions where the buyer has agent representation. When the buyer is self-represented, the savings are larger. Bōde sellers are 13 times more likely to sell to a self-represented buyer than sellers using traditional agents.
Cost on a $650,000 Alberta home
Amount
Traditional listing agent fee
$11,750
Traditional buyer agent fee
$11,750
Total traditional commission
$23,500
Bōde listing fee (1%)
$6,500 (you set the buyer agent fee separately)
04 The Buyer Side
When you create your listing on Bōde, you choose how much commission to offer to agents representing buyers. You are not required to offer a commission, but most sellers do because it gives them access to the full market, including buyers working with agents and those working without. Bōde gives you three options.
Typical provincial commission
Match the standard buyer-agent rate for your province. This is the default most sellers choose to attract the broadest pool of buyers.
Flat rate
Set a fixed dollar amount to offer buyer agents, such as $2,000 or $5,000. Useful when you want predictability over a percentage.
Custom rate
Set your own percentage structure, for example a different rate on the first $100,000 and on the balance. Full control over the final number.
05 Agents and Listings
Bōde listings received almost 3,000 showing requests from agents in the past year. Agents show listings when a reasonable commission is on offer. If you offer a commission consistent with the local market, agents have no reason to avoid your property.
Offering zero commission is an option, but it carries a risk: some agents will steer buyers away from listings that offer nothing. This practice is not ethical, but it occurs. If you choose zero commission and a buyer agent contacts you to negotiate, Bōde’s platform supports that conversation directly. The goal is to attract the largest possible pool of buyers, including both agent-represented and self-represented buyers.
Common Questions
No. Canadian competition law prohibits fixed commission rates. Every commission is negotiable. What exists are typical structures that most agents follow in each province, not legally required rates.
The seller pays both commissions from the sale proceeds. The total commission is typically split between the listing agent and the buyer agent. When you list on Bōde, you set the buyer-agent commission yourself during the listing process.
The typical commission in Alberta is 7% on the first $100,000 and 3% on the balance of the sale price. This is usually split 50/50 between the listing agent and buyer agent: 3.5% on the first $100,000 and 1.5% on the balance for each side. On a $650,000 home, that totals $23,500.
Bōde charges 1% of the sale price, capped at $10,000 plus GST, paid only when your home sells. The flat option is $949 plus GST at listing. Both include MLS distribution, professional photography, and the full offer management platform. You set the buyer-agent commission separately.
No. You can offer the provincial typical rate, a flat amount, a custom rate, or zero commission. Most sellers offer some commission to reach the full market of buyers, including those working with agents. If you offer zero, some agents may avoid showing your listing. Bōde’s platform supports buyer-agent negotiations if needed.
Bōde sellers save an average of $8,000 on transactions where the buyer has agent representation. When the buyer is self-represented, savings are larger. Bōde sellers are 13 times more likely to sell to a self-represented buyer than sellers using traditional agents.
Welcome to Bōde
Bōde is a licensed real estate platform operating in Alberta, BC, and Ontario. The platform handles every stage of the sale: listing on MLS and 1,000+ additional sites, marketing, offers, and closing. Pricing is $949 flat plus GST, or 1% capped at $10,000 plus GST, only when the property sells. The Homeowner Dashboard is free. Bōdie, the AI interface into Bōde AI, tracks ten categories of homeownership value continuously.
Get started at Bōde.ca →1.3%
Homes listed on Bōde sell for 1.3% more than market average
50%
The average Bōde seller saves almost half of total commissions
3,000+
Transactions completed on Bōde worth more than $2.25B
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