The percentage commission model was designed in an era when homes sold for $80,000. Two-and-a-half to three percent on $80,000 is $2,000 to $2,400. Reasonable for the labor involved. Move that same percentage to a $1.5 million Santa Clarita home in 2026 and the listing-side commission balloons to $37,500 to $45,000 — for the same MLS entry, the same photography session, the same syndication, the same showings, the same negotiation work. The labor did not multiply by twenty. The fee did.
This post runs the actual numbers at three Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valley price points where the percentage model costs a seller the most for identical work.
The $1,000,000 home
| Model | Listing-Side Commission |
|---|---|
| 3% percentage listing | $30,000 |
| 2.5% percentage listing | $25,000 |
A $1 million home in Santa Clarita is no longer a luxury anomaly. Stevenson Ranch, Valencia, Saugus, and parts of Newhall regularly trade in this range. Sellers at this price point save $13,000 versus a 3 percent listing or $8,000 versus 2.5 percent — purely on the commission line, before Connor begins negotiating down escrow, title, HOA transfer, and ancillary costs.
The $1,500,000 home
| Model | Listing-Side Commission |
|---|---|
| 3% percentage listing | $45,000 |
| 2.5% percentage listing | $37,500 |
This is where the math becomes structurally important. The spread between 2.5% and 3% at this tier is $7,500, and the spread against a fee set to the work is far larger. That kind of money is a year of college tuition. It is a down payment on the seller's next property. It is a renovation budget. Under a percentage model, that money walks out the door as commission purely because the price was higher.
The $2,000,000 home
| Model | Listing-Side Commission |
|---|---|
| 3% percentage listing | $60,000 |
| 2.5% percentage listing | $50,000 |
At the $2 million tier — Hidden Hills, parts of Calabasas, premium Stevenson Ranch, and similar zip codes — the gap between 2.5% and 3% alone approaches the price of a new car. Or two used cars. Or a complete kitchen remodel. The number speaks for itself.
What does NOT change at the higher price point
This is the question every seller of a high-value home should ask: at $1.5M or $2M, do I get a worse agent if the fee is not a percentage?
No. Same Connor MacIvor. Same 27 years of experience. Same direct cell access. Same negotiation expertise. Same custom AI Property Page, professional photography, full syndication, AI Voice Agent, and end-to-end transaction management. Nothing is stripped at the higher tier. The model simply refuses to charge more for the same work.
"The work to sell a $2 million home is not twice the work to sell a $1 million home. The percentage model says it should cost twice as much. That math is broken, and I am not interested in defending it." — Connor MacIvor
The compounding effect across other closing costs
Higher-priced homes also tend to carry higher escrow fees, higher title premiums, sometimes higher HOA transfer charges, and higher county transfer taxes. Under a percentage commission, the seller has already lost tens of thousands on the commission line, with no leverage left to negotiate down those ancillary costs.
Connor enters the closing-cost negotiation with a mandate most listing agents do not take on: every dollar shaved off escrow, title, HOA, and vendor fees is a dollar that stays with the seller. At higher home values the dollar amounts on those ancillary lines are larger, which means the percentage shaved compounds more meaningfully.
Run your specific number
The tables above use rounded examples. Your home's actual sale price, location, HOA status, and chosen buyer-side cooperating compensation all factor into the real total. Connor will model the full closing statement for your property before you sign anything.
Get the Side-by-Side for Your Home
Connor models the full closing statement under both models — every line item, no surprises at closing.
Book Seller Strategy CallRelated Reading
The Complete Guide to Selling Your Santa Clarita Home What Connor's Listing Representation Actually Covers Why the Percentage Commission Model Is Broken in 2026Frequently Asked Questions
