It depends on what they do for the money. If they are the ones who brings the buyer to the table then they deserve whatever commission they agree too. The 12.5 % is the General Sales Tax which goes to the government. The GST is paid on everything, from the beer you drink to the contractor you pay to build your house so that isn't something the real estate agents have much control over. In addition I believe the GOB also gets 5% of the price of the land or house. Not sure what the GOB does for their money but it was reduced a few years ago from 15%. When I bought my property my lawyer told me exactly what all the fees were, I'd think you'd find that in advance of hiring an agent. I also, when I made my offer told the realtor that this was my offer it included all the money that would be spent on the property, excluding the legal fees. I didn't care what kind of deal the seller had with the agent. The other thing to remember, you get what you pay for. By the way, my agent is no longer in Belize so their name would not be germane to the discussion.