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Three agents, three stories. The first quotes a fixed fee. The second quotes a share of the sale price. The third says the buyer pays in the end. Each calls their own model the best one for you. One question stays open at the kitchen table: what actually separates these models? And what does that mean for what ends up in your pocket?
What most people miss: "commission-free" does not automatically mean cheaper.
| Model | How you pay | Who carries the risk |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed fee | A fixed amount, independent of the sale price; depending on the provider, part of it is already due on instruction. | The same amount is due on sale regardless of price; any part due on instruction remains owed even without a sale. The provider carries the workload risk. |
| Percentage commission | A share of the price actually achieved, usually due once the deed is signed. | The agent only earns on completion; you carry the risk of a price negotiated too low. |
| Buyer-pays model | The buyer side pays the commission; nominally free of charge for you. | Whether this feeds through into the price you achieve is an open question, not a proven rule. |
| Success share above a reference value | A lower base fee plus a share of the surplus above an independently set reference value. | Agent and owner share the upside above the reference value. |
What is the difference between a fixed fee and a percentage commission?
With a fixed fee, you agree one set amount for the whole sale. It does not change, however high the final sale price turns out to be. Depending on the provider, part of it is already due on instruction, the rest on completion.
With a percentage commission, the agent only earns once the sale actually goes through1. A percentage commission is another word for the agent’s fee, calculated as a share of the sale price. Swiss law sets no fixed figure: it only names the «usual fee» if nothing else was agreed1.
The maths follow a simple rule: above a certain sale price, a fixed fee is always cheaper than a percentage share. Exactly where that point lies depends on the agreed fee and the agreed percentage – both are a matter of negotiation.
What this means for you: price alone says nothing about the service. Who conducts viewings, who handles the marketing and how long the listing runs sit in the contract – not in the model.
Which model suits your situation depends on your property and your timeline. A short, no-obligation call can clarify that.
Prefer to talk? +41 76 325 11 95 – you speak directly with Dominik Devaja.
Who pays the estate agent’s commission – the buyer or the seller?
Usually, whoever instructs the agent pays. In most cases, that is you as the owner. The law itself sets no fixed payment direction1.
Some providers advertise that the buyer side pays instead. For you, that sounds free at first. Whether such a commission still feeds through into the price the buyer is willing to pay is an open economic question. It is not a proven rule.
If the same agent works for both sides, this is called dual agency (Doppelmäkelei). Where this breached the contract or good faith, the agent forfeits the fee and any reimbursement of expenses1. Pure disclosure work for both sides can be permitted instead2. That means simply pointing out an opportunity to deal, without negotiating for either side.
What this means for you: ask openly who pays, and whether your agent also acts for the other side. What else applies to a sale in the Canton of Zurich is covered there. A further checklist before you sign: the 12 questions to ask before you sign.
What is a success share above a reference value?
With this fourth model, you agree a lower base fee. On top comes a share of the surplus: the amount by which the sale price exceeds a reference value set in advance. The reference value is an independent comparison figure, usually a valuation.
The idea behind it: agent and owner pull in the same direction. If the price rises above the reference value, both benefit. If it stays below, the lower base fee still applies.
Immosmile also works with an element of this fourth model: a success share above an independently determined reference value. Your contact stays the managing director. He is a former banker and certified property marketer (diplomierter Immobilienvermarkter), rethinking the agent model with Immosmile. We discuss figures in person, not on this page.
What this means for you: ask who sets the reference value, and when – before or after signing. What is left from a sale after tax and costs is shown by the property gains tax calculator.
To be honest
Sometimes neither model is the right question.
If you are selling to a buyer you already know – your own children, say, or neighbours – you may not need an agent at all. Then the question of a fee model never even arises.
This page’s own view is not neutral either: Immosmile itself works with an element of the fourth model. That is exactly why this page ends not with a ranking, but with the 12 questions to ask before you sign, which apply whichever model you choose.
Where to go after comparing the models?
What else do owners ask?
Is there a legally fixed rate for estate agent commission in Zurich?
No. The law names no figure. If nothing is agreed, an applicable tariff applies, otherwise the usual fee1. The amount is a matter of negotiation between you and the agent.
Can the same agent work for both the buyer and the seller?
What does "selling commission-free" actually mean?
Usually, that the buyer pays instead of the seller. The commission does not disappear, it just changes direction. Whether that affects the price you can achieve is open and not proven.
Does an estate agent in Zurich need a licence?
The canton’s official overview does not list a licensing requirement for this3. That is no substitute for checking the commercial register and references yourself.
What is the difference between a disclosure agent and a negotiating agent?
A disclosure agent (Nachweismäkler) only points out an opportunity to deal. A negotiating agent (Vermittlungsmäkler) actively works towards the deal. The agent usually only has to actively work towards it once there is a sole agency agreement, or if the contract expressly provides for it4.
What is the difference between a success share and an ordinary commission?
With a success share, the base fee is lower, but there is a share of the surplus above an independently set reference value. We discuss figures in person, not in public.
For daughters and sons
Researching this for your parents?
You often compare the offers more closely than your parents do themselves. Show them these four logics first, not a decision already made. That way, your parents see that nobody is pushing them towards a particular agent. And you remain the daughter or son who helps them think it through – not the one who decides.
Sources
- Swiss Code of Obligations, Articles 404, 412–418 (SR 220), in German · as of 1 October 2026
- BGE 111 II 366 (Federal Supreme Court, dual agency), in German · retrieved 08.10.2026
- BGE 144 III 43 and BGE 103 II 129 (Federal Supreme Court, disclosure and negotiating agents, sole agency), in German · retrieved 08.10.2026
- Canton of Zurich: trade and business licences (Amt für Wirtschaft), in German · retrieved 08.10.2026
General information without guarantee, not individual advice. The law, the tax assessment and advice from professionals for your situation are what count. Terms of use
