TC feesHow much does a transaction coordinator charge?
Most independent transaction coordinators charge a flat fee per closed file – typically $300 to $700, with $400 to $500 the most common range in 2026 – often with a different price for the buyer and listing side and a smaller fee if the deal is cancelled. The agent or team that hires the TC usually pays, either directly or at closing through the title or escrow company.
How TCs price their work
Flat fee per closed file
The most common model. One price for contract-to-close, paid when the deal closes.
Per side
A buyer-side file and a listing-side file are priced separately; a listing-to-contract package is often extra.
Cancellation fee
A smaller fee when the deal falls apart after the TC has opened and worked the file.
Monthly retainer or salary
Teams with steady volume pay a TC monthly; in-house TCs are employees of the brokerage or team.
Add-ons
Rush files, listing coordination, compliance-only review or bilingual client updates may be priced separately.
What a TC fee usually includes
- Opening the file with title or escrow and sending the executed contract to everyone.
- Building the contract timeline and reminders before every deadline.
- Collecting signatures, disclosures and addenda; keeping the file ready for broker compliance.
- Follow-up with the lender, inspector, appraiser, title and the other side.
- Client updates, closing scheduling and the wire-fraud warning.
Who pays the transaction coordinator fee?
The person who hires the TC
Usually the agent or the team; sometimes the brokerage, which may charge its agents a per-file fee.
Paid at closing
Many TCs are paid through the title or escrow company: the fee appears on the settlement statement as agreed in writing.
Charged to the buyer or seller?
Whether a separate TC fee can be charged to a client depends on the brokerage, the lender and state rules. Confirm with your broker and the title company before adding it.
Fees that are not a TC fee
- A brokerage "transaction fee" or "admin fee" – charged by some brokerages, not by the TC.
- Title, escrow or settlement fees – charged by the title or escrow company for its own work.
- The Texas option fee – paid by the buyer to the seller for the right to terminate during the option period.
Questions to ask before hiring a TC
- What exactly is included, and what costs extra?
- What do you charge if the deal is cancelled?
- When and how are you paid – at closing or by invoice?
- Do you communicate with the clients, and in which languages?
- What software do you use, and can I see the deadlines in real time?
Questions about transaction coordinator fees
How much does a transaction coordinator charge?
Typically $300–$700 per closed file, with $400–$500 the most common range (Paperless Pipeline, June 2026). Prices vary by market, side of the deal and what is included.
Who pays the transaction coordinator fee?
Usually the agent or team who hired the TC. It is often paid at closing through title or escrow, or directly by the agent.
Do TCs charge if the deal does not close?
Many charge a smaller cancellation fee for work already done; it should be written in the agreement.
Is it cheaper to hire an in-house TC?
It depends on volume: a salary makes sense with steady volume; per-file pricing scales with the deals you actually close.
How should a new TC set prices?
Start from what is included, your local market and a cancellation fee; put it all in a written agreement and invoice at closing.
Free templates for the TC business
Handle more files for the same fee: ClosingCode builds the timeline from the contract, reminds everyone and updates clients in English or Spanish.
Start free trialSource of the fee range: Paperless Pipeline, "How to start a real estate transaction coordinator business" (June 2026). Fees are set by each TC; this is not a fee schedule.
General information, not legal or tax advice. ClosingCode is software; it is not a law firm or brokerage.