Do Buyers Pay Realtor Fees?

Buyers do not automatically pay their agent out of pocket, but since the 2024 settlement they can be asked to. Buyer-agent compensation is now negotiated separately, and a written buyer agreement is required before touring a home with an agent.

Buyers do not automatically pay their agent out of pocket, but since the 2024 settlement they can be asked to. Buyer-agent compensation is now negotiated separately, and a written buyer agreement is required before touring a home with an agent. In many deals the seller still contributes through a concession, but that is a negotiation, not a guarantee.

What changed for buyers in 2024

Practice changes tied to the NAR settlement took effect August 17, 2024. For buyers, three changes matter most:

• Offers of buyer-agent compensation are no longer published on the MLS.
• A written buyer agreement is required before touring a home with an agent.
• Commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable.

Before the change, a buyer could often assume the seller would cover their agent's compensation, because that offer was advertised in the listing. Now the buyer and their agent agree on compensation up front, and any seller contribution is worked out in the offer.

How buyer-agent compensation works now

There are three common paths, and they can be combined:

Path	What happens	Who bears the cost
Seller concession	The buyer asks the seller to contribute toward buyer-agent compensation as part of the offer.	The seller, in the form of reduced net proceeds.
Buyer pays directly	The buyer pays their agent under the written buyer agreement.	The buyer, in cash or financed where allowed.
Mixed	The seller contributes part, and the buyer covers the rest.	Split between the parties as negotiated.

Which path applies depends on the market, the property, the strength of the buyer's offer, and what the seller is willing to do. In competitive situations a buyer may choose to cover more of their agent's compensation to make an offer cleaner.

The written buyer agreement

The written buyer agreement is the document that sets the buyer-agent relationship. It should state the services the agent will provide, the term of the agreement, the compensation, and whether the arrangement is exclusive. These terms are negotiable, and the agreement can be narrow, such as a single showing or a single property, or broader for a full home search.

Read it before you sign. Check the length of the term, how to cancel, and how the compensation is handled if the seller contributes. If a seller offers a concession that covers part of the fee, the agreement should make clear what happens to the remainder.

What buyers pay at closing regardless

Even when a seller contributes to buyer-agent compensation, buyers commonly pay their own loan costs, appraisal, prepaid taxes and insurance, and their inspection. Moving costs and any immediate repairs are also on the buyer. These items exist whether or not the seller helps with the agent's fee.

The Closing Disclosure lists the final buyer-side figures. Compare it with the Loan Estimate you received earlier, and ask about any charge you do not recognize. The CFPB publishes a mortgage closing checklist that explains the categories.

What the MLS change means for buyers' searches

Because offers of buyer-agent compensation are no longer published on the MLS, buyers cannot filter listings by whether the seller is contributing. That information now surfaces through conversation: the buyer's agent may ask the listing agent, or the buyer may learn it when an offer is negotiated. Buyers should not assume a listing does or does not include a contribution.

The practical takeaway is to ask early. If a seller is willing to contribute, that can shape what a buyer can afford. If not, the buyer needs a plan to cover their agent's compensation. Knowing the answer before writing an offer prevents surprises later in the deal.

How buyers can plan for the cost

1. Ask your agent what compensation your written agreement sets and how it interacts with a seller concession.
2. Ask each listing agent whether the seller is open to a concession, and how much.
3. Confirm with a lender how any concession affects your loan and cash needed at closing.
4. Budget for the possibility that you cover your agent's compensation yourself.
5. Compare homes on total cash needed, not just list price.

Planning ahead matters because compensation is now a negotiated term rather than a listing detail. A buyer who understands their own numbers can make a cleaner offer and avoid renegotiating later.

It also helps to know your alternatives. If a seller will not contribute and you cannot comfortably cover your agent's compensation, you may need to adjust your price range, negotiate the fee with your agent, or look at homes where the seller is more flexible. Making that decision before you fall in love with a house keeps you in control of the numbers.

Can a buyer finance agent compensation?

Sometimes a buyer can fold costs into the transaction through a seller concession that affects price or credits, but lender rules and loan limits apply. A concession is not the same as a discount, and the lender ultimately decides what can be financed. Talk to a loan officer early about how a concession would work on your loan before you write an offer that depends on it.

Questions to ask before signing a buyer agreement

1. What services are included, and what costs extra?
2. How long is the term, and how can I cancel?
3. Is the agreement exclusive, and to what area or property?
4. What is the compensation, and how is it calculated?
5. What happens if the seller offers a concession?
6. What happens if I buy a home without you after we tour it?

For a full breakdown of typical buyer and seller costs, see the who pays what reference. For the rules that shape these agreements, see the realtor commission rules reference.

This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Compensation terms and loan rules vary by state, lender, and contract.

Not a brokerage and not advice. List With Agent is not a real estate brokerage. We are an independent marketing and referral service that connects home sellers with licensed real estate agents. This page is general educational information, not legal, financial, or real estate advice.

By the ListWithAgent Editorial Team. Last updated 2026-09-12. Educational information only — not legal, financial, or real estate advice.