How Much Do Transaction Coordinators Charge?

Most independent transaction coordinators charge a flat fee per file, usually for one side of a transaction, paid by the agent and often collected at closing. Some charge a monthly retainer or by the hour instead, and many add separate fees for listing setup, both sides of a deal and files that fall through. Rates vary widely by market.

More on this topic: TC and brokerage operations, every guide in one place.

There is no official survey of TC fees, so this guide focuses on how fees are structured, who pays them and when, which published figures exist and what they are worth, and how to set a fee that covers your time. Once it's set, Closingbird's invoicing bills it from the file, prefilled.

Key takeaways

• The flat fee per closed file is the most common model for independent TCs.
• Common extras: listing-to-close packages, dual-side files, rush files and a smaller fee if a deal falls through.
• The agent usually pays, often from their commission at closing. Whether any fee can be passed to a client depends on the brokerage, the state and the lender.
• Published fee ranges come from vendors and informal surveys, not official data. Check what TCs in your market charge.
• Set your fee from your own hours per file and costs, not from someone else's price list.

The common TC fee structures

What published numbers exist (and their limits)

You will find many “average TC fee” claims online. Very few say where the number came from. Two published references are worth knowing, with their caveats:

• Nekst's fee guide (November 2023). Nekst, which sells TC software, compiled fees that coordinators posted publicly on Facebook: $325–$600 for managing a file to closing, $125–$200 for listing paperwork, and $0–$250 (typically $50) when a file fails to close. It doesn't say how many TCs were included, and the figures are three years old.
• Transactly's published pricing (checked October 30, 2026). Transactly, an outsourced TC service, lists $399 per transaction for its transaction coordination services on its $0-a-month Pay as you Go plan, with lower per-transaction prices on its Elite subscriptions ($379 a month billed monthly, or $359 a month paid quarterly). That's what a national service charges, not what an independent TC must charge.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track TC fees. The most reliable number for your market is what local TCs actually quote, so ask agents what they pay and look at the fee pages of TCs near you.

Who pays the transaction coordinator, and when

• The agent pays, in most independent arrangements. The TC works for the agent, and the agent treats the fee as a cost of doing business.
• Paid at closing. Many TCs collect when the deal closes, either by invoice due at closing or as a line on the commission disbursement authorization (CDA) where the brokerage and closing agent allow it. See how a CDA works.
• Deposit up front. Some TCs take part of the fee when the file opens, so a cancelled deal still covers work done.
• Passed to the client. Some agents charge clients an administrative or transaction fee. Whether that is allowed, how it must be disclosed and whether a lender will accept it varies, so it's a question for the broker, not the TC.
• Brokerage-paid. In-house TCs are usually paid a salary or hourly wage by the brokerage or team instead of per file.

How to set your own TC fee

Work forward from your own numbers rather than copying a competitor:

1. Track the hours you actually spend on a typical file for a month, from intake to close-out, including follow-ups.
2. Decide the hourly rate your time needs to earn, after taxes and benefits you pay yourself if you're independent.
3. Add your per-file share of costs: software, phone, insurance, e-signatures, continuing education.
4. Fee per file = (hours per file × target hourly rate) + costs per file. Then compare it with what local agents pay today.
5. Price the exceptions in writing: dual-side, rush, fall-through and anything outside the normal scope.

To see what a fee adds up to, the free transaction coordinator fee calculator turns per-file fees and monthly volume into monthly and yearly income after fall-throughs and costs. Its agent view weighs a TC's fee against the hours an agent would spend on the file themselves.

Software is part of that cost. If you're comparing tools, our transaction coordinator software pricing guide shows how each vendor charges; Closingbird's plans are on the pricing page.

Getting paid without chasing

Put the fee, when it's due and the fall-through terms in your TC agreement. Then invoice from the file the day it closes. In Closingbird, invoicing is built in: a new invoice from the transaction is prefilled with the agent, a due date at closing and a transaction coordination fee line (using the TC fee from the commission lines if you recorded one). You can email it with a PDF and a PayPal pay link, or record a check or bank transfer by hand, including partial payments. Reminders are sent when you click Send reminder, not automatically.

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical transaction coordinator fee?

There is no official average. Most independent TCs charge a flat fee per side of a transaction. A 2023 Nekst compilation of fees TCs posted online put file-to-closing fees at $325-$600, but local rates differ, so check your market.

Who pays the transaction coordinator fee?

Usually the agent who hired the TC, often from their commission at closing. Some agents pass a fee to clients; whether that is allowed depends on the brokerage, state and lender.

Do transaction coordinators get paid if the deal falls through?

Only if their agreement says so. Many TCs charge a reduced fall-through fee or take a deposit when the file opens.

Do TCs charge per side or per transaction?

Most charge per side. If you run both sides of the same deal, agree in advance whether that is two fees, one higher fee or a discount on the second side.

Is it better to charge per file or monthly?

Per file suits most independent TCs because agents only pay when they have a deal. A monthly retainer can work with a team that sends steady volume.

Run it in Closingbird

Invoice your TC fee from the file the day it closes, prefilled with the agent and your fee, and see what's paid and what isn't. Start a free trial (14-day free trial, no credit card required) or see pricing.

Related reading

• Transaction coordinator agreement: what to include
• How to become a transaction coordinator
• In-house vs independent transaction coordinator
• Closingbird vs Transactly: TC service or TC software?
• Help: invoice your TC fee from a transaction

Sources

Checked in October 2026. Rules and prices change, and many vary by state, so confirm with the source, your state's real estate commission or your broker before you rely on them.

• Nekst: guide to real estate coordinator fee structures (November 2023, vendor-published)
• Transactly pricing