The Keller Williams commission split has long been a popular choice among real estate professionals.
With the rise of 100% commission real estate brokers though, agents now have more options to consider.
Brokers like LoKation® Real Estate are offering alternatives to traditional commission splits like Keller Williams, allowing agents to receive their commission faster, keep more of it and afford the agent the opportunity to use or reinvest their earnings as they see fit.
In this article, we’ll provide an in-depth comparison of the Keller Williams commission splits and the 100% commission plans offered by brokers like LoKation® Real Estate.
Our aim is to present a neutral perspective on these commission plans, equipping you with the information you need to make an informed decision on which brokerage aligns best with your professional goals and financial expectations.
Breaking down Keller Williams commission plan
ex. selling a home in Florida
Here’s an example of how the Keller Williams commission split and commission plan work.
A real estate agent with Keller Williams was the buyer’s agent for a single family home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that recently sold for $500,000.
The realtor received a buyer’s agent commission of 2.5%, which resulted in the Keller Williams agent generating a commission of $12,500.
In this example, the Keller Williams agent has earned, but will not be paid, a gross commission of $12,500.
Read more below to learn why.
Understanding the Keller Williams Cap Amount & Structure
In order to get paid their full 100% commission, every Keller Williams agent has to generate between $18,000 to $25,000 in gross commission income first before they are eligible to receive 100% commission on their sales that year.
The actual amount agents have to pay, cover, or cap, depends on the location where the agent works.
The Keller Williams Cap Amount
The Keller Williams cap amount structure determines the maximum amount of commission an agent will pay to the brokerage each year.
Once an agent reaches their cap amount, they keep 100% of their commission for the remainder of the year.
The cap amount varies depending on the market center and can be influenced by factors such as the agent’s production level and the market center’s expenses.
Understanding the cap amount structure is crucial for agents looking to maximize their earnings and grow their business within the Keller Williams system.
How does the Keller Williams cap amount structure work?
The Keller Williams cap amount structure is designed to incentivize agents to increase their production and earnings while also providing a fair split with the brokerage.
Each market center sets its own cap amount, which can vary based on factors such as location, expenses, and the agent’s production level.
Once an agent reaches their cap amount, they keep 100% of their commission for the remainder of the year.
This system encourages agents to work hard and grow their business within the Keller Williams system.
What happens after the agent reaches the cap amount?
The Keller Williams cap amount structure is designed to incentivize agents to increase their production and earnings while also providing a fair split with the brokerage.
Each market center sets its own cap amount, which can vary based on factors such as location, expenses, and the agent’s production level.
Once an agent reaches their cap amount, they keep 100% of their commission for the remainder of the year.
This system encourages agents to work hard and grow their business within the Keller Williams system.
What happens to the cap once I’ve paid it?
A portion of this cap amount goes to the Keller Williams corporate office in Texas, up to a maximum of $3,000.
Until the agent reaches the cap, or threshold, 6% of their gross commission goes to Corporate.
30% goes to the agent’s local office, or Market Center.
Until the agent generates enough sales in a year to pay corporate headquarters $3,000, they have to give 30% of their gross commission income AND 6% on each sale back to Keller Williams.
How much commission does Keller Williams
take from their agents?
In the example above, the Keller Williams real estate agent earned a gross commission of $12,500 on their recent sale.
But 30% will go to the Market Center.
6%, up to $3,000, will also go to Keller Williams corporate headquarters.
That’s $4,500 that the Keller Williams agent gives up on this deal to the local Market Center and/or HQ combined.
In other words, Keller Williams takes $4,500 on this deal from the agent’s gross commission income.
What if the agent already paid the Market Center and Headquarters its $18,000 – $25,000 that year?
Then they receive 100% of the gross commission income on this sale, or $12,500.
UNTIL
The agent hits their Keller Williams anniversary date.
Then, on the day after their anniversary date working for KW, the Keller Williams real estate agent or agent commission plan resets to the original plan outlined above.
6% goes to headquarters and 30% goes to the Market Center they work for.
KW’s commission split and plan is in place whether the agent works for Keller Williams for 1 year, 5 years or 20 years.
The plan is the same for everyone.
How much does Keller Williams pay the agent on this sale?
If the Keller Williams agent still owes the Market Center and Headquarters franchise fee, then the agent receives $8,000 for this sale.
What happens after an agent reaches their cap amount?
If the Keller Williams real estate agent has generated enough gross commission income to satisfy the amount they owe to Keller Williams, then they keep the entire gross commission on this sale, or $12,500.
What happens to the Keller Williams commission plan once the agent hits their Anniversary Date?
The Keller Williams commission plan resets for the agent.
The Keller Williams agent is again obligated to give up between $18,000 and $25,000 of their gross commission income to KW Corporate and their local Market Center.
Whether it’s the agent’s 2nd year or 10th year or they are a top 1% producer for Keller Williams, the plan is the same and resets on the anniversary date each year.
What if the agent doesn’t make enough sales and GCI(gross commission income) to cover the Keller Williams cap in a year?
The Keller Williams commission plan resets in the new year.
There is no clawback for missing last year’s production goal for the agent.
How much does a Keller Williams agent make on this sale?
IF the Keller Williams agent is still in the Cap phase for the year, the Keller agent gets to keep $8,000.
The KW agent gives up $4,500, which the Keller Williams organization keeps for itself.
OR
IF the agent has already hit their cap, then the agent keeps 100% of their gross commission income on this sale, or $12,500.
How does Keller Williams compare to other 100%
commission real estate brokerages?
When comparing Keller Williams agent commission split and plan, the KW plan compares favorably to a 100% commission real estate agent IF the Keller Williams agent generates enough GCI(gross commission income) to cover their cap each year.
Until then, the agent is giving up 30% on each deal and up to $3,000 each year for the headquarters franchise fee.
In a 100% commission real estate brokerage, the agent earns 100% of the gross commission on each sale, or $12,500, LESS any transaction fees or monthly fees that brokerage charges the agent.
How does Keller Williams compare to agents who join LoKation® Real Estate?
LoKation® Real Estate, which is an established 100% commission brokerage, offers agents the option of choosing between 2 commission plans.
The Blue Plan has a $99 enrollment fee, a $99 monthly fee and a $99 transaction fee.
The Silver Plan has a $99 enrollment fee and a $495 transaction fee.
Depending on the number of transactions a LoKation® agent forecasts in a year will typically determine what plan they select.
LoKation® Real Estate Blue Plan
Under the Blue Plan and assuming this was the first sale the agent made at LoKation®, the agent’s commission calculation would look like this:
Using the same example, the real estate agent with LoKation® was the buyer’s agent for a single family home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that recently sold for $500,000.
The realtor received a buyer’s agent commission of 2.5%, which resulted in the LoKation® agent in Fort Lauderdale generating a commission of $12,500.
The LoKation® agent earned a Gross Commission of $12,500 less:
$99 enrollment fee
$99 monthly fee
$99 transaction fee
In this example, the LoKation® agent will receive a net commission of $12,203.
When comparing the take home pay for a LoKation® agent in Fort Lauderdale and a Keller Williams agent in Fort Lauderdale, you can look at the simple Keller Williams commission calculator below.
Keller Williams Commission Split vs LoKation® Real Estate
In this example, under the Silver Plan and assuming this was the first sale the agent made at LoKation® in Fort Lauderdale, the agent’s commission calculation would look like this:
The real estate agent with LoKation® was the buyer’s agent for a single family home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that recently sold for $500,000.
The agent received a buyer’s agent commission of 2.5%, which resulted in the LoKation® real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale generating a commission of $12,500.
The LoKation® agent earned a Gross Commission of $12,500 less:
$99 enrollment fee
$495 transaction fee
In this example, the LoKation® agent in Fort Lauderdale will receive a net commission of $11,906.
When comparing the take home pay for a LoKation® agent in Fort Lauderdale and a Keller Williams agent in Fort Lauderdale, the comparison would look like this:
Keller Williams Commission Calculator versus LoKation® Real Estate
What would you do with an extra
$4,000 – 4,500?
With LoKation’s 100% commission plan, agents are able to reinvest their commission back into their business how they see fit.
Or they take that extra money and invest outside of real estate, invest in themselves or take that additional money and help a family member achieve their goals.
So many real estate commission plans are focused on what agents make, especially the Keller Williams agent commission plan.
But with LoKation Real Estate’s 100% commission plan, the focus is on what you keep.
If you’d like to discuss the agent training, the support, the transaction support and back office support that LoKation® Real Estate provides, let’s connect and discuss confidentially.
I’ll help you learn how to join LoKation™, discuss how my team at Banyan Bridge Group helps agents and compare any commission split or agent commission plans like the Keller Williams plan.