Commission and splits on the real estate exam

Commission = sale price x rate, then split between brokerages, then between broker and agent. Most misses come from splitting in the wrong order.

Updated 2026-09-23 · 1 source · By the RealEstateExamKit team
Formula card

Commission = sale price x commission rate. Then apply each split in order: brokerage-to-brokerage, then broker-to-agent.

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Worked example

A home sells for $385,000 at a 6% total commission, split 50/50 between listing and selling brokerages. The listing agent gets 70% of her broker’s share.

  1. Total commission: $385,000 x 0.06 = $23,100
  2. Listing brokerage share: $23,100 x 0.50 = $11,550
  3. Listing agent: $11,550 x 0.70 = $8,085

Here is the trap

  • Skipping the co-op split. The agent’s 70% applies to her broker’s half, not the whole commission.
  • Reverse problems. “Agent received $X, what was the price?” Divide back through every split and the rate.
  • Net listings. Illegal or discouraged in many states; the exam may test that rather than the math.

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Sources

  1. Pearson VUE - Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook (national salesperson outline, effective March 1, 2025) (accessed 2026-09-23)
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