Final answer:
Real estate salespeople are typically paid their commission by the seller. However, it is channeled through their sponsoring broker and on rare occasions, can be paid by the buyer under specific contract terms. Thus, while the seller is the most common source, any of the parties could technically pay the commission. Option B is correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
A real estate salesperson's commission for a transaction is typically paid by the seller. The seller agrees to pay a certain percentage of the sale price to the listing broker as part of the contract for listing the property.
After the transaction is complete, the listing broker then pays the real estate salesperson who assisted with the sale from this commission. It's important to note that while the commission is usually paid out by the seller, the actual flow of money is typically through the salesperson's sponsoring broker.
In some circumstances, there can be exceptions to this rule. For example, if the contract specifies otherwise, the buyer may pay the commission directly, especially in cases where the buyer is working with a broker under a buyer's brokerage agreement. However, these types of arrangements are less common. Therefore, while the commission is predominantly paid by the seller, the possible options include the salesperson's sponsoring broker, the seller, or the buyer. Thus, the correct answer to the question is 'DAny of the above' but it is predominantly 'BThe seller'.