Most transaction coordinators charge $300 to $800 per transaction. The typical fee is $350 to $500. Some charge by the hour or take a percentage of your commission instead. Here's what each option costs.
Transaction coordinator fees at a glance
| How they charge | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Flat fee per file | $350–$500 (up to $800 for complex deals) |
| Percentage of commission | 1%–3% |
| Hourly (U.S.-based) | $25–$55/hr |
| Hourly (overseas assistant) | $7–$15/hr |
| Full-time employee | $45,000–$65,000/year + benefits |
Flat fee per file: $350 to $500
Most independent TCs charge one flat fee to take each transaction from contract to close, paid at closing. A standard resale runs $350 to $500. Luxury, new-construction, and short-sale files run higher, up to $800. Some TCs charge less for a listing-only file, around $150 to $350, and more when they handle both sides.
Example: on a $400,000 sale, a $450 fee is about 0.1% of the price. If your commission is 3% ($12,000), the TC costs under 4% of your check.
Percentage of commission: 1% to 3%
Some TCs take 1% to 3% of your commission instead of a flat fee. On a $12,000 commission, that's $120 to $360. It's often cheaper on small deals and more expensive on big ones.
Hourly: $25 to $55 an hour
A few TCs and virtual assistants bill by the hour. U.S.-based coordinators charge $25 to $55. Overseas assistants charge $7 to $15. You pay less per hour but manage the hours and the quality yourself.
In-house employee: $45,000 to $65,000 a year
Teams and brokerages with steady volume sometimes hire a TC as a full-time employee. Salaries run $45,000 to $65,000. Add payroll taxes, benefits, software, and training, and the real cost is 20% to 30% higher. One in-house TC handles about 10 to 20 files a month. Past that, you hire a second one.
Who pays the transaction coordinator?
The agent usually pays, out of their commission. Some agents pass the fee to the buyer or seller at closing. If you do that, you have to disclose it, and it has to cover real work.
When is a transaction coordinator worth it?
A TC pays for itself at about four closings a month. Below that, most agents handle their own files. Above it, the paperwork gets in the way of selling.
One file takes 12 to 20 hours of admin work: opening escrow, ordering title, tracking the option and financing deadlines, collecting disclosures, chasing signatures, and updating everyone. Miss one deadline and your client can lose their earnest money, or the deal.
How to pay less: TC software and AI
There's a third option now. Transaction coordinator software and AI transaction coordinators do most of the same work. They read the contract, enter the details, build the deadline calendar, draft the paperwork and emails, and flag missing items. You review and approve. It costs a fraction of a human TC, often under $100 a file.
Transaction coordinator cost FAQ
$300 to $800, most commonly $350 to $500.