If you are a real estate agent, chances are high you will face some type of dispute regarding commission payments at some point in your career. At the Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, our experienced real estate attorneys are committed to helping you settle commission disputes in the easiest way possible.

Common real estate commission disputes

Real estate commission disputes may arise in many different ways. Depending on the circumstances of the sale, either the buyer or seller of the real estate pays a commission to an agent, a broker, or both. Unfortunately, many disputes may develop regarding payment of commission, including the following:

• An unlicensed agent or broker seeking a commission
• An agent or broker seeking commission without a proper agreement or that conflicts with an agreement
• Disagreements between agents and broker on how to divide the commission
• Challenging the procuring cause¹ of the sale (meaning the individual who actually made the sale happen and therefore deserves the commission payment

The livelihood of real estate agents and brokers often depends almost solely on commissions, so it is completely understandable that they would want to fight for hard-earned commission payments. However, home buyers and sellers should not be required to pay commissions that are not valid.

When such disputes arise, it often requires alternative dispute resolution² such as mediation or arbitration to settle them. If there is no written agreement that sets out how disputes should be resolved, the dispute may often lead to legal action in civil court. In either case, it is highly important to discuss your case with an experienced real estate attorney as soon as possible.

The real estate attorneys at the Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess can help you

At the Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, we have extensive experience helping real estate professionals settle commission disputes in the Seattle and Tacoma areas.

If you have a dispute regarding commission from a real estate sale, you should consult with one of our skilled real estate lawyers to discuss your potential legal recourse.

¹https://www.thebalancesmb.com/procuring-cause-of-a-sale-in-real-estate-2866931

²http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_dispute_resolution