This document explains how agent-to-agent negotiations work in Insider end to end: what a negotiation is in practice, what stages it goes through, when the service fee is triggered, and how the commission split is handled. More detailed instructions on starting and conducting a negotiation can be found in a separate Help Center article.
A negotiation is a confidential agreement between two agents to try to close a deal for a specific listing together. Linear Insider provides a framework for negotiations: clear statuses, time limits, automated billing, and customer privacy.
How long the negotiation stages last:
- Validity of the negotiation request: 72 hours (3 days)
- Duration of an active negotiation: 30 days at a time, always extendable as needed
- Deal agreed status: 30 days to arrange closing
1. Overview
An Insider negotiation is a structured process in which two agents can move a deal forward together without customer details and commission details being immediately visible. The negotiation follows a fixed status flow: it starts with a request, moves into an active phase, proceeds to agreeing the deal, and ultimately ends either successfully or as terminated.
What the negotiation provides for agents:
- A secure way to offer listings and find buyers across brokerage boundaries.
- An automatic time limit that keeps the process moving.
- A clear and transparent way to split the commission between the parties.
- Customer privacy in the early stages of the negotiation.
Good to know: Linear does not relay actual messages between agents within negotiations. Communication is handled in the agreed way by phone, email, or another suitable channel. In Linear, the negotiation acts as a management tool for structure, statuses, and billing.
2. Parties and roles in the negotiation
There are always two roles in a negotiation: the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent.
2.1 Seller’s agent
The agent who has published the listing in Insider. Manages the listing, its price, and commission details. Only the seller’s agent can:
- Move the negotiation to the Deal agreed status
- Mark the listing as sold (final)
2.2 Buyer’s agent
The agent who brings a potential buyer into the negotiation (as their own customer). The buyer’s agent can propose commission changes during the negotiation and participates in all decisions except for agreeing the deal and marking the listing as sold.
2.3 Both parties can
- Cancel their own negotiation request (while the request is still pending a response)
- Reject the other party’s request
- Request more negotiation time
- Terminate the negotiation (No deal)
- Update commission details during the negotiation
3. Negotiation stages and statuses
A negotiation has clear statuses, shown in Linear on the Negotiations tab for each negotiation. The status tells you at a glance what stage the process is in and what happens next.
Statuses for Insider negotiations:
- Negotiation request sent – The other agent has sent a negotiation request and is waiting for a response within 72 hours.
- Negotiation request rejected – The other party rejected the request, and a new request can be sent later.
- Negotiation request expired – The 72-hour window elapsed without a response, and a new request can be sent.
- Negotiation in progress – The request has been accepted and the negotiation is active for 30 days.
- Deal agreed – A buyer has been found and arranging the closing begins, including 30 days for arrangements.
- Negotiation ended successfully – The listing has been marked as sold and Insider’s service fee moves to billing.
- Negotiation terminated – The negotiation has been ended with no deal, and no service fee is charged.
- Negotiation time expired – The 30-day time window elapsed without a status change.
3.1 Main phases of the process
1. A negotiation request is sent: the seller’s agent or the buyer’s agent proposes a negotiation for the listing.
2. Request accepted or rejected: the other party responds within 72 hours.
3. Active negotiation: the parties independently agree on communication, viewing appointments, and other details.
4. Deal agreed: a buyer has been found and arranging the closing begins.
5. Negotiation ended successfully: the listing is marked as sold and Insider’s service fee moves to billing.
Good to know: The negotiation process can also end without a deal. If no deal is reached, terminate the negotiation in time—this way Insider’s service fee will not be charged to either party.
3.2 Extending the negotiation period
A negotiation is valid for a maximum of 30 days at a time. You can extend the time back to 30 days at any point while in the Negotiation in progress or Deal agreed status. Extending the time does not affect the service fee amount; it only moves the billing date further out.
Tip: If closing arrangements are delayed, for example due to financing, extend the negotiation window before the current period ends. This helps you avoid the negotiation ending automatically.
4. Commission, commission split, and service fee
There are two separate financial items related to a negotiation: the commission split between the agents and the Insider service fee paid to Linear.
4.1 Referral fee (between agents)
When publishing a listing, the seller’s agent defines the commission to be shared. The options are:
- Fixed amount (in euros, VAT 0%)
- Percentage of the sales price (VAT 0%)
- Negotiable: the amount is agreed case by case during the negotiation.
In addition, you define how the commission is split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent (your own share as a percentage).
Good to know: You can change the referral fee during the negotiation, up until the Deal agreed status. The change does not affect the amount of the Insider service fee. The buyer’s agent will be notified of the change.
4.2 Insider service fee (to Linear)
A successful negotiation incurs a service fee of 0.05% of the listing’s debt-free purchase price, charged separately from each agent. The fee is independent and is not deducted from the commission split.
Example: for a purchase price of €300,000, the service fee is €150 per agent (VAT 0%).
4.3 When the service fee is charged
The service fee is generated automatically in the following situations:
- The negotiation is marked as sold (the negotiation has ended successfully): the fee is sent to invoicing immediately.
- The negotiation period ends from the Negotiation in progress or Deal agreed status without the deal being cancelled: the fee is sent to invoicing.
4.4 When the service fee is not charged
- The negotiation request is rejected or expires before it is accepted.
- The negotiation is marked as No deal before the time window ends.
- Both agents belong to the same group (and the group structure has been recorded in Linear).
Good to know: The group benefit (no service fee) requires that the group structure is separately recorded and maintained in Linear. If you are unsure whether your group has been recorded correctly, contact Linear customer support.
4.5 Commission visibility before the negotiation
When publishing an Insider listing, you can choose whether the commission is visible to other agents already before a negotiation request, or only revealed once the negotiation has started:
- Show immediately in the listing: the other agent can see the commission and split before getting in touch.
- Hide until the negotiation stage: the commission is revealed only once both parties have accepted the negotiation.
Tip: Other agents may be more interested in listings where they can see the commission in advance. However, hiding it may be appropriate if the commission is unusual or negotiable.
5. Privacy and data visibility
A core principle of an Insider negotiation is that each party only sees the information that is relevant at each stage. This helps keep client trust and business-sensitive information secure.
5.1 At the negotiation request stage
- The buyer’s client remains anonymous; the other party only sees an identifier (e.g. “Anonymous buyer #12345”).
- The buyer’s agent’s contact details are not visible before the request is accepted.
- The seller’s agent’s contact details are not visible before the request is accepted.
5.2 Once the negotiation has been accepted
- The agents’ contact details are revealed to each other.
- The buyer’s agent gets access to more detailed information about the listing.
- The client remains anonymous (details are shared only when necessary for completing the transaction).
5.3 Agents within the same group
If both agents belong to the same group, more information is visible to both parties from the very beginning. In this case, no Insider service fee is charged for a successful negotiation that results in a completed transaction.
6. Notifications and messages during the negotiation
Linear sends email notifications and shows in-app notifications at key stages, so neither party is left waiting unnecessarily.
You will receive a notification in the following situations:
- A new negotiation request is sent to you
- The other party has accepted or rejected your request
- The other party has sent a new request to replace one that was previously rejected
- The negotiation has been moved to the Deal agreed status
- The negotiation period has been extended
- The other party has changed the fee or the fee split
- The negotiation is about to expire in 24 hours (reminder)
- The negotiation has expired
- The negotiation has been terminated without a deal
Good to know: With the notification language and settings, you can control what is sent by email and what you only see inside Linear.
7. If something goes wrong
7.1 The other party doesn’t respond to my negotiation request
A negotiation request is valid for 72 hours. If there is no response, the request expires automatically. After that, you can send a new request if you wish. It’s also worth trying to reach the other agent by phone, especially if you already know them.
7.2 The negotiation expires before the deal is agreed
Extend the negotiation time before the 30-day period ends. The time will be reset back to 30 days. If you don’t have time to react and the negotiation expires, the service fee moves to invoicing. However, you can start a new negotiation if needed.
7.3 I didn’t want to pay the service fee, but the negotiation expired
If no deal was made, the negotiation must be set to No deal status before the time window ends. After this, no service fee will be charged. If the negotiation had time to expire, the service fee is generally payable. In special cases, please contact Linear customer support.
7.4 The fee details changed during the negotiation
Update the fee details on the page that shows the negotiation details. The change is saved immediately and the other party will be notified. The fee can be changed in any status until the listing has been marked as sold.
7.5 I want to cancel the negotiation request before it is accepted
You can cancel your request as long as the status is Negotiation request sent. After cancelling, you can send a new request if you wish.
7.6 The property was sold through another agent
When the seller’s agent marks the listing as sold, any other active negotiations for the same listing end automatically. If you are the buyer’s agent and the property was sold to someone else, you will be notified.
8. Frequently asked questions
8.1 Can there be multiple negotiations for the same listing at the same time?
Yes. The seller’s agent can receive negotiation requests from multiple buyer’s agents for the same listing. Once the listing is marked as sold via one negotiation, the other active negotiations end automatically.
8.2 How long can a negotiation last?
In practice, a negotiation can continue as long as needed, as long as it is extended. A single period is always a maximum of 30 days, and it can always be renewed back to 30 days. The service fee is determined based on the end of the time window or when the deal is marked as agreed.
8.3 How is a successful transaction communicated to other systems?
Once a buyer has been found for the listing, it must be set to Reserved status, after which it will be removed from Insider as well as from other sales channels where the listing has been published from Linear. Any other open negotiations for the same listing will end.
8.4 How does the negotiation relate to a DIAS transaction?
An Insider negotiation is its own process, which ends when the deal is agreed (Deal agreed) or when the listing is marked as sold. The actual closing of the deal takes place after that in the normal way, for example via the DIAS process, by the agent selling the property. The details of closing are not part of the Insider negotiation.
8.5 What happens if I forget to mark the negotiation as sold?
If the transaction has completed but the negotiation hasn’t been marked as sold, the service fee will be generated when the negotiation expires, based on the sales price. However, it’s recommended to mark the negotiation as sold in time, so that the service fee is based on the actual realized sales price.
8.6 Can I start the negotiation again after a rejection?
Yes. After a rejected, expired, or terminated negotiation, you can send a new negotiation request for the same listing. The new request is again valid for 72 hours.