DST directly through Sponsor to Save on Commission

[James Sun]

I have close to 2M in investment RE that I'm looking to 1031 into a DST. One of the biggest complaints with DSTs is the high cost/fees associated with them. A big part seems to be the broker commission (8-12% from what I have seen). Is it possible for an investor to work directly with a DST sponsor and "save" some/all of the commission that would have been paid to a broker? It's a pretty big chunk for the amount I'm looking to invest.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.  My wife got a RE agents license for our primary home purchase just to save on the commission (took 1 week of studying and a 3 hour test which yielded a mid 5 figure rebate).