In Uganda, it is not uncommon for real estate agents to refer property buyers to one another and anticipate sharing the commission, particularly if they do not possess the specific property that a buyer requires. In such cases, commission sharing is usually arranged through verbal agreements between the agents and the involved parties.

Although verbal agreements may seem convenient, they can lead to negative consequences and conflicts between agents. This is often due to disagreements over how the commission will be divided, as not all parties involved in the transaction have reached a mutual understanding. This issue can be further compounded when there are more agents involved in the transaction than anticipated, exacerbating differing expectations and increasing the likelihood of disputes.

To avoid such conflicts, real estate agents in Uganda should learn to establish clear commission split arrangements before entering into a transaction. Here are some common practices for sharing commissions:

Equal split: In this scenario, the commission is split equally between the buyer's agent and the seller's agent. This is a common practice in Uganda, especially for residential real estate transactions invloving only two agents.

Percentage split: The commission is split between the agents based on a percentage agreed upon in the listing agreement or buyer's agreement. For example, the seller's agent may receive a higher percentage commission than the buyer's agent.

Negotiated split: The commission split can also be negotiated between the agents and the parties involved in the transaction. This is often the case for more complex transactions, such as commercial real estate deals.

Distributed split: In some cases, all the agents and sub-agents (also known as Kajegere) involved in the transaction will share all the commission equally, regardless of efforts and time invested in the transaction. However, this practice is prone to abuse, as the two main agents (buyer’s agent and seller’s agent) may create fake sub-agents so as to get a bigger part of the commission.

Matrix split: This is a commission split where the main agents (buyer’s agent and seller’s agent) share the commission in half (50/50), then each of those two main agents shares their part of the commission in half with the next sub-agent on their side of the transaction, the 50/50 sharing continues down the matrix untill the last/final agent on each side of the transaction. This is common in cases where each of the main agents comes along with sveral other sub-agents who either brought the property to the market or those who brought the buyer.

It's important for real estate agents in Uganda to have a clear understanding of the commission split arrangement before entering into a transaction. Additionally, agents should disclose the commission split to their clients to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. By establishing clear commission sharing arrangements, real estate agents in Uganda can avoid potential conflicts and work together to ensure that their clients get the best possible outcomes in their real estate transactions.

Kind Regards
Julius Czar
Author: Julius Czar
Company: Zillion Technologies Ltd
Mobile: +256705162000 / +256788162000
Email: Julius@RealEstateDatabase.net
Website: www.RealEstateDatabase.net
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