Real estate commission in the Dominican Republic: how much it is, who pays it and how to get it back
4 min read.
No law sets real estate commissions in the Dominican Republic. The national association of real estate agents and companies (AEI) uses 5% as its reference for urban sales, and the market ranges from 3% to 5%. On a pre-construction home the developer pays it, usually 3% to 6% of the price, and it's already built into what you pay. If you buy with Instadigs, that commission comes back to you in full: it's credited to your property after you pay the down payment.
How much real estate agents charge
There's no rate set by law. The Asociación de Agentes y Empresas Inmobiliarias (AEI) uses 5% of the price as its reference for urban sales, unless the parties agree otherwise, and 5% to 10% for rural ones. It's a guideline for its members, not a rule for the whole market.
In practice, sales commissions run from 3% to 5%, with 5% the most common, and some new projects offer agents more to sell faster.
When two agents work the same sale, one for the seller and one for the buyer, they split the commission. Unless they signed something different, the AEI says it's split evenly.
Who pays the commission
On resales the seller usually pays it, and on new construction, the developer. According to the AEI, the sales tax on the commission (ITBIS) is also the seller's.
The developer paying doesn't make it free for you. The commission is a cost of selling, like advertising, and it's built into the list price. That's why buying straight from the developer rarely lowers that price. What changes the math is someone giving that commission back to you.
What it means in dollars
With the usual commissions on a pre-construction project:
| Property price | At 3% | At 5% | At 6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $3,000 | $5,000 | $6,000 |
| $150,000 | $4,500 | $7,500 | $9,000 |
| $250,000 | $7,500 | $12,500 | $15,000 |
It's money that comes out of what you pay for your home.
How you get it back with Instadigs
Instadigs is an AI-powered app on your side, not the seller's. Its agent, Digger AI Agent, finds projects for you, runs the numbers and, if you want, represents you with the developer.
The developer pays Instadigs the commission on that sale, as it would pay any broker, and Instadigs gives all of it back to you, 100%. It's credited to your property after you pay the down payment: it can't be used for the down payment or reduce it, but it lowers what you still owe.
An example with a $150,000 home and a 5% commission:
- You pay the down payment, usually 20%, which is $30,000.
- Instadigs credits the $7,500 commission to your property.
- What you still owe drops from $120,000 to $112,500.
The commission varies by project, and we confirm its percentage before you start. The conditions are in the Instadigs terms.
Is the profession regulated?
There's no official real estate license in the Dominican Republic today. On April 29, 2026, the Senate passed a real estate brokerage bill that creates an annual license, a public registry under the Ministry of Housing (MIVHED) and the requirement to agree on the commission in writing. As of September 2026 it was still pending in the Chamber of Deputies, so it isn't law yet.
What does apply is Law 155-17 against money laundering. Real estate agents, notaries and developers who sell must verify your identity and the source of your funds, which is why you'll be asked for documents even when no one is charging you anything.
It works differently in the United States
Since August 17, 2024, after the National Association of Realtors (NAR) settlement, commission offers are no longer posted on the MLS, and buyers sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes. Sellers can still pay the buyer's agent, but everything is negotiable. In the third quarter of 2025, buyer's agents earned 2.42% on average, according to Redfin.
If you're looking for new construction in another country, Digger helps there too. How much of the commission comes back to you depends on how you can be represented in that market, and we confirm it before you start.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the real estate commission in the Dominican Republic?
No law sets it. The AEI uses 5% as its reference for urban sales and the market ranges from 3% to 5%. On pre-construction projects, developers usually pay between 3% and 6%.
Do buyers pay a commission in the Dominican Republic?
Usually not out of pocket: the developer pays it on new construction and the seller on resales. But it's built into the price, so in the end it comes out of what the buyer pays.
Does buying without an agent lower the price?
Rarely. Developers sell at the same list price with or without an agent. What saves you money is getting the commission back, which is what Instadigs does.
When does Instadigs give the commission back?
It's credited to your property after you pay the down payment. It can't be used for the down payment or reduce it: it lowers what you still owe.
Do real estate agents need a license in the Dominican Republic?
Not yet. The Senate passed the bill creating the license in April 2026, and as of September 2026 it was pending in the Chamber of Deputies.
Sources
- AEI, frequently asked questions on commissions (Spanish)
- El Inmobiliario, sales commissions in the Dominican Republic (July 22, 2024, Spanish)
- Diario Libre, Senate passes the real estate brokerage bill (April 29, 2026, Spanish)
- El Inmobiliario, the brokerage bill in the Chamber of Deputies (Spanish)
- Law 155-17 against money laundering, Superintendency of Banks (Spanish)
- NAR, what the settlement means for home buyers and sellers
- Redfin, buyer's agent commissions in Q3 2025
This guide explains how buying works in general. Rates and requirements are set by law, by each bank and by each developer, and they can change: the date above is when it was last reviewed.