What a transaction coordinator costs, and what you get.

How transaction coordinators usually get paid

There are a few common arrangements, and many TCs offer more than one:

• Per file, paid at closing. The most common setup for independent TCs. The fee is due when the deal closes, often paid through the settlement.
• Per file, regardless of outcome. Some TCs charge whether or not the deal closes, sometimes at a reduced rate for deals that fall apart, because the work was still done.
• Salary or hourly. Teams and brokerages with steady volume sometimes employ a TC directly.
• Split by side. Some charge different amounts for listing-side and buyer-side files, since the work differs.

Ask any TC you're considering for their fee schedule in writing, including what happens when a deal falls through.

What drives the fee

The price reflects time and risk. Things that typically push a fee up include: complex deals with lots of contingencies, short closing timelines, out-of-area or out-of-state clients who need more hand-holding, new construction, and extra services like listing setup or MLS entry. Experience matters too; a TC who's seen thousands of files may charge more and catch problems a newer one would miss.

Scope is the biggest variable. "Contract to close" can mean only tracking dates and documents, or it can include scheduling inspections, coordinating with the lender and title, and updating clients weekly. Two quotes that look different may simply cover different work.

Who pays: agent, client or brokerage?

Most often, the agent pays the TC out of their commission. Some agents pass a transaction or administrative fee on to their clients, which is a business decision with disclosure obligations that vary by brokerage and state; ask your broker before doing it. Some teams and brokerages cover TC costs as part of the services they provide agents.

Whatever the arrangement, it should be clear and disclosed. Clients shouldn't discover an unexpected line on their settlement statement.

What you're really buying

When you hire a good TC, you're paying for three things. Time: hours of email, scheduling and paperwork you get back to spend on clients and prospecting. Consistency: every file handled the same careful way, so deadlines don't slip when you're busy. Judgment: a second set of experienced eyes that notices when something doesn't look right.

Software can deliver a lot of the first two at a much lower cost per file. The third is where a skilled human still earns their fee.

How AI software changes the math

AI transaction tools handle the mechanical parts: reading dates off the contract, reminding you before deadlines, summarizing deal email and drafting replies. They're typically priced per transaction or per month, at a fraction of what a person costs, because there's no human time involved.

What they don't do is talk to people. They won't call the lender to chase an appraisal or reassure a first-time buyer. So the honest comparison isn't "AI or TC." It's which parts of the job you want a person doing, and which parts you're happy to let software handle.

Questions to ask a TC before hiring

• What exactly is included, from contract to close? Get it as a list.
• Do you handle listing-side files, buyer-side files, or both?
• What's your fee, when is it due, and what if the deal falls through?
• How do you communicate with my clients, and in whose name?
• What software do you use, and will I have access to the file?
• How do you handle wiring instructions and verify them?
• How many files do you handle at once, and who covers when you're away?

Clear, written answers to these questions are a good sign. A TC who's vague about scope or fees will likely be vague about your deals too.

Three setups that work

Software only. Good for agents with fairly simple deals who are comfortable handling the calls themselves and mainly need never to miss a date.

Human TC only. Good for high-volume agents, complex deals, or anyone who wants a person owning every file from contract to close.

Both. Software handles dates, reminders and email sorting; a TC handles the people. Some TCs already use software and pass the savings on, and some agents use software for their simpler deals and a TC for the complicated ones.

A simple way to compare

Take last year's transactions. For each one, estimate how many hours you spent on coordination: scheduling, email, document chasing, date tracking. Multiply by what your time is worth if you'd spent it prospecting or with clients. Compare that number to a year of TC fees and to a year of software at your volume.

Then add the risk column. A missed deadline that costs a client their earnest money, or a wire fraud you didn't catch, can be far more expensive than any fee. Whichever setup you choose should make those mistakes less likely, not more.

Becoming a TC: how the work is valued

If you're reading this as someone thinking about becoming a transaction coordinator, the same logic applies from the other side. Your value is the time you save agents, the consistency you bring and the problems you catch. Price for the scope you offer, put it in writing, and decide upfront how you'll handle deals that fall apart.

Software can make you more efficient, letting you handle more files without dropping quality, but it doesn't replace the relationships with lenders, title officers and agents that make a good TC indispensable. Check your state's rules on what unlicensed assistants and TCs may and may not do; some tasks require a real estate license.

The cost of doing it yourself

Plenty of agents coordinate their own files, and that's a legitimate choice. Just be honest about the cost. Every hour spent chasing a signature or rebuilding a timeline is an hour not spent with clients or finding the next one. If you do it yourself, at least use a system, whether a checklist, a calendar or software, so nothing depends on memory during your busiest weeks.

KONAH's pricing

The KONAH AI Transaction Coordinator is free for your first transaction, with no card needed. After that it's $29.99 per transaction: no monthly fee, no contract. It reads contract dates, sends reminders 3 days before, the day before and the day of each deadline, gives every deal its own email address with summaries and drafted replies, and flags wiring emails. It never sends email for you and never gives legal advice, so it pairs well with a human TC if you use one.