Most real estate agents charge a commission — in many cases up to 6% of the sale price of a home — for listing and selling a house on behalf of a homeowner.

For a home that sells for about $170,000, this commission totals just over $10,000. For a home that sells for $500,000, it amounts to $30,000. And for a home that sells for $1,000,000, the commission would be $60,000. You get the point. Depending on the amount of equity a seller has, the commission can make up a significant chunk of any proceeds from a home sale.