This document describes how broker-to-broker negotiations work in Insider as a whole: what a negotiation is in practice, the stages it goes through, when the service fee is generated, and how commission sharing is handled. More detailed instructions for starting and managing negotiations can be found in a separate article in the Help Center.
A negotiation is a confidential agreement between two agents to collaboratively attempt to close a deal for a specific listing. Linear Insider provides the framework for negotiations: clear statuses, time limits, automated billing, and customer privacy.
Duration of the negotiation stages:
- Negotiation request validity period: 72 hours (3 days)
- Active negotiation duration: 30 days at a time, always extendable if needed
- Sale agreed status: 30 days for arranging the transaction
1. Overview
An Insider negotiation is a structured process during which two agents can work together to move a transaction forward without immediately revealing customer information or commission details. The negotiation follows a fixed status flow: it begins with a request, proceeds to the active phase, continues to arranging the transaction, and ultimately ends either successfully or unsuccessfully.
What the negotiation provides for agents:
- A secure way to offer listings and find buyers across agency boundaries.
- An automatic time limit that keeps the process moving.
- A clear and transparent way to share commission between the parties.
- Customer privacy during the early stages of negotiation.
Good to know: Linear does not provide direct messaging between agents within negotiations. Communication is handled separately by phone, email, or any other agreed channel. Negotiations in Linear function as a management tool for structure, statuses, and billing.
2. Negotiation parties and roles
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 published the listing in Insider. Responsible for managing the listing, its price, and commission information. Only the seller’s agent can:
- Mark the negotiation as Sale agreed
- Mark the listing as sold
2.2 Buyer’s agent
The agent who brings a potential buyer into the negotiation as their client. The buyer’s agent can propose commission changes during the negotiation and participates in all decisions except confirming the transaction and marking the listing as sold.
2.3 Both parties can
- Cancel their own negotiation request (while it is still awaiting a response)
- Reject the other party’s request
- Request additional negotiation time
- Terminate the negotiation (No deal)
- Update commission details during the negotiation
3. Negotiation stages and statuses
The negotiation has clear statuses visible in Linear under the Negotiations tab for each negotiation. The status gives you an at-a-glance overview of the current stage of the process and what happens next.
Statuses in Insider negotiations:
- Negotiation proposed – Another 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 response window expired without a response, and a new request can be sent.
- Negotiation in progress – The request has been accepted and the negotiation remains active for 30 days.
- Sale agreed – A buyer has been found and the transaction arrangement phase begins, including 30 days for completing arrangements.
- Negotiation completed successfully – The listing has been marked as sold and Insider’s service fee moves to billing.
- Negotiation terminated – The negotiation has ended without a transaction and no service fee will be charged.
- Negotiation time expired – The 30-day negotiation window expired without a status change.
3.1 Main stages of the process
1. Negotiation request sent: the seller’s or buyer’s agent proposes a negotiation regarding a listing.
2. Request accepted or rejected: the other party responds within 72 hours.
3. Active negotiation: the parties independently agree on communication, property viewings, and other details.
4. Sale agreed: a buyer has been found and arrangements for the transaction begin.
5. Negotiation completed 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 transaction. If no deal is reached, terminate the negotiation in time to ensure that Insider’s service fee is not charged to either party.
3.2 Extending the negotiation period
A negotiation remains valid for a maximum of 30 days at a time. The period can be extended back to 30 days at any time while in the Negotiation in progress or Sale agreed status. Extending the time does not affect the amount of the service fee; it only postpones the billing date.
Tip: If arranging the transaction is delayed, for example due to financing, extend the negotiation period before the current period expires. This helps prevent the negotiation from ending automatically.
4. Commission, commission split, and service fee
Two separate financial components are associated with a negotiation: the commission split between agents and the Insider service fee paid to Linear.
4.1 Referral commission (between agents)
When publishing the listing, the seller’s agent defines the commission to be shared. The available options are:
- Fixed amount (in euros, VAT 0%)
- Percentage of the sale price (VAT 0%)
- Negotiable: the amount is agreed separately during the negotiation process.
In addition, the split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent is defined (own share as a percentage).
Good to know: The referral commission can also be changed during the negotiation, up until the Deal agreed stage. The change does not affect the amount of the Insider service fee. The buyer’s agent will receive a notification of the change.
4.2 Insider service fee (paid to Linear)
A service fee is charged for successful negotiations. The fee is 0.05% of the debt-free sale price of the property, charged separately from each agent. The fee is independent and is not deducted from the commission split.
Example: For a sale 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 transferred to billing immediately.
- The negotiation period expires while the negotiation is in the Negotiation in progress or Deal agreed stage without the transaction being cancelled: the fee is transferred to billing.
4.4 When the service fee is not charged
- The negotiation request is rejected or expires before approval.
- The negotiation is marked as No deal before the negotiation window expires.
- Both agents belong to the same group company (and the group structure has been configured in Linear).
Good to know: The group company benefit (no service fee) requires that the group structure is separately configured and maintained in Linear. If you are unsure whether the group structure has been set up correctly, please contact Linear customer support.
4.5 Commission visibility before negotiation
When publishing an Insider listing, you can choose whether the commission is visible to other agents before a negotiation request is made or only revealed after the negotiation has started:
- Show immediately when published: the other agent can see the commission and split before making contact.
- Hide until the negotiation stage: the commission is only revealed once both parties have accepted the negotiation.
Tip: Other agents may be more interested in listings where the commission is visible in advance. However, hiding the commission may be appropriate if it is unusual or negotiable.
5. Privacy and data visibility
A key principle of Insider negotiations is that the parties only see relevant information at each stage. This helps keep customer trust and business information secure.
5.1 During the negotiation request stage
- The buyer’s client remains anonymous; the other party only sees an identifier (for example, "Anonymous buyer #12345").
- The buyer’s agent’s contact details are not visible before the request is approved.
- The seller’s agent’s contact details are not visible before the request is approved.
5.2 Once the negotiation has been approved
- The agents’ contact details become visible to each other.
- The buyer’s agent gains access to more detailed property information.
- The client still remains anonymous (information is only shared when necessary for completing the transaction).
5.3 Agents Belonging to the Same Group
If both agents belong to the same corporate group, more information is visible from the beginning of the negotiation process. In this case, no Insider service fee is charged for a successful negotiation that leads to a completed transaction.
6. Notifications and Messages During the Negotiation
Linear sends email notifications and displays in-system notifications at key stages of the process. This ensures that neither party is left waiting unnecessarily.
You will receive notifications 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 a previously rejected one
- The negotiation has been moved to the Deal Agreed status
- The negotiation period has been extended
- The other party has changed the commission or commission split
- The negotiation is about to expire in 24 hours (reminder)
- The negotiation has expired
- The negotiation has been discontinued without a completed transaction
Good to know: You can adjust notification language and settings to control which notifications are sent by email and which are shown only inside Linear.
7. If Something Goes Wrong
7.1 The Other Party Is Not Responding to My Negotiation Request
A negotiation request remains valid for 72 hours. If no response is received, the request expires automatically. After this, you can send a new request if needed. It may also be a good idea to contact the other agent by phone if you already know them.
7.2 The Negotiation Expires Before the Deal Is Agreed
Extend the negotiation period before the 30-day period ends. The period will reset back to 30 days. If you do not react in time and the negotiation expires, the service fee will be invoiced. However, you can start a new negotiation if necessary.
7.3 I Did Not Want to Pay the Service Fee, but the Negotiation Expired
If no deal was completed, the negotiation must be marked as No Deal before the time window ends. After this, no service fee will be charged. If the negotiation has already expired, the service fee must generally be paid. In special situations, contact Linear customer support.
7.4 The Commission Details Changed During the Negotiation
Update the commission details on the page showing the negotiation details. The change is saved immediately, and the other party will receive a notification about it. The commission can be changed in any status before the listing has been marked as sold.
7.5 I Want to Cancel the Negotiation Request Before It Is Accepted
You can cancel your own request as long as the status is Negotiation Proposed. After cancellation, you can send a new request if you wish.
7.6 The Listing Was Sold Through Another Agent
When the seller’s agent marks the listing as sold, all other active negotiations related to the same listing are automatically ended. If you are the buyer’s agent and the listing was sold to another buyer, you will receive a notification about it.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
8.1 Can There Be Multiple Negotiations for the Same Listing at the Same Time?
Yes. The seller’s agent may receive negotiation requests from multiple buyer’s agents for the same listing. Once the listing is marked as sold through one negotiation, all other active negotiations are automatically ended.
8.2 How Long Can a Negotiation Last?
A negotiation can continue for as long as necessary if the time period is extended. One period can last a maximum of 30 days at a time, 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 completed.
8.3 How Is a Successful Deal Communicated to Other Systems?
Once a buyer has been found for the listing, the listing should be set to the Reserved status. This removes the listing from Insider and from other sales platforms where it has been published through Linear. Other open negotiations for the same listing will also end.
8.4 How Does the Negotiation Relate to a DIAS Transaction?
An Insider negotiation is a separate process that ends when the deal is agreed (Deal Agreed or by marking the listing as sold). The actual transaction is then completed separately through the normal process, for example as a DIAS transaction, by the agent selling the listing. The details of the transaction itself are not part of the Insider negotiation.
8.5 What Happens If I Forget to Mark the Negotiation as Sold?
If the transaction has been completed but the negotiation has not been marked as sold, the service fee will be generated when the negotiation expires, based on the sale price. However, it is recommended to mark the negotiation as sold in time so that the service fee is based on the actual final sale price.
8.6 Can a Negotiation Be Restarted After Rejection?
Yes. After a rejected, expired, or discontinued negotiation, you can send a new negotiation request for the same listing. The new request will again remain valid for 72 hours.