Free calculator

Estate sale commission & settlement calculator

Work out the company’s commission and the family’s net proceeds in seconds — including a minimum fee and sale expenses.

Example numbers shown. Commission is applied to gross sales; if a minimum fee is higher, the minimum is charged instead. Expenses are taken from the family’s share.

How estate sale commission works

Most estate sale companies are paid a percentage of gross sales, so the company only does well when the sale does well. Rates vary by market, sale size and what services are included, and many companies set a minimum fee so a small sale still covers their labor.

The formula

1. Commission = gross sales × commission % (or the minimum fee, if higher)
2. Net to the family = gross sales − commission − agreed expenses

Spell out expenses up front

Disagreements usually come from surprises. List the expenses that can come out of the family’s share — advertising, extra staff, cleaning, haul-off — in the agreement, and itemize them on the settlement report.