I think 10% is fair. I know that is not what a lot of sellers want to hear when they are about to part with a significant chunk of their sale proceeds, but after doing this for as long as I have, I can tell you that a good broker earns every dollar of that commission and then some. The problem is not the percentage. The problem is that too many sellers sign listing agreements without understanding what the fee covers, how it is structured, and what they should be negotiating

Why use a business broker? A straight comparison of broker fees vs. selling DIY, the hidden costs, and what the data shows about who actually nets more.

In many states, there are no licensing requirements to call yourself a business broker. None. That means the person sitting across from you could have closed dozens of deals or could have started last Tuesday. There is no board to check, no bar to pass, no minimum standard to meet. The burden of figuring out whether someone is qualified falls entirely on you. The questions you ask a business broker before signing a listing agreement are the only real vetting tool you have. A

I got a call recently from a guy who had been trying to sell his HVAC company on his own for fourteen months. He had the financials in order, a solid customer base, and a business worth north of a million dollars. But every buyer he talked to either lowballed him, got spooked during due diligence, or just disappeared. When he finally asked me what went wrong, I told him the truth: he did not need a better buyer. He needed a broker. A business broker is a licensed intermediary