You have to remember, each agent usually has a partner, or assistant, so the commission gets shared there, then the principal of the agency gets their cut, usually 40-50%, then the master franchise gets their thin slice eg/ ray white owner, then they only get paid if they sell, so if they work on say 15 properties per annum and they only sell 9, that's all they get paid on, if you work it all out, the average income of a rea is about $40k p.a
It's not all beer and skittles.
But I agree, paying even $20k commission to sell something is a lot.......