When a seller hires a real estate agent to market and sells their property, the agent receives an agreed-upon commission once the property sells. A commission in real estate is generally a percentage of the total sale. The amount of commission that an exclusive agent receives depends on state laws. However, in most states, the commission is around 5-6%. So, for example, if a real estate agent sells a home for $300,000 at a 5% commission rate, they will earn $15,000.