{"id":7677,"date":"2026-08-14T06:48:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T10:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=7677"},"modified":"2026-08-14T06:48:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T10:48:20","slug":"the-new-buyer-representation-agreements-dont-be-caught-off-guard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/the-new-buyer-representation-agreements-dont-be-caught-off-guard\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Buyer Representation Agreements: Don\u2019t Be Caught Off Guard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-style-rounded is-style-rounded--1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"597\" src=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-buyer-representation-agreements.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7678\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-buyer-representation-agreements.webp 1400w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-buyer-representation-agreements-300x128.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-buyer-representation-agreements-1024x437.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-buyer-representation-agreements-768x327.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before being shown any homes, a hopeful buyer signs a buyer representation agreement with the agent. This document is standard now, and that\u2019s surprising some buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The form lays out the terms of the relationship between a real estate professional and the client. Once it\u2019s signed, the buyer\u2019s agent owes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/your-real-estate-agents-fiduciary-duties\/\">fiduciary duties to the buyer<\/a>. This means the agent must act in the buyer\u2019s best interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, why would a buyer hesitate to sign? Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Agent Commissions at the Core of the Agreement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s been two years since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/seller-paid-agent-commissions-are-over-in-august-how-will-buying-homes-change\/\">National Association of REALTORS\u00ae (NAR) settled a class-action lawsuit<\/a> dealing with agent commissions. The lawsuit came from sellers who questioned having to agree to pay the commissions before they could list their homes. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the settlement, NAR set forth a new practice. Buyers now sign buyer representation agreements up front. The agreements spell out to buyers how the fee structure works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, some buyers are objecting to the agreements. Why are buyers being taken aback?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some buyers say the contracts come as a surprise when they go to tour a home. They don\u2019t want to feel forced to hire a particular agent the first time they look at homes. They might not be prepared to commit to terms they haven\u2019t read before.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some say they didn\u2019t understand the terms they were being locked into when they signed. After signing, the buyer must adhere to a broker\u2019s various requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It seems buyers take issue with surprises (no surprise there!), and they don\u2019t feel comfortable with some of the terms they\u2019re signing up for. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Should Buyers Know Before They Sign? &nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-style-rounded is-style-rounded--2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"962\" height=\"507\" src=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-should-buyers-know-before-they-sign.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-should-buyers-know-before-they-sign.webp 962w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-should-buyers-know-before-they-sign-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-should-buyers-know-before-they-sign-768x405.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first thing to know is that you don\u2019t have to sign. Read the document over, and make sure the terms are fair. Learn from what some surprised buyers have reported:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Buyer representation agreements include exclusivity clauses. How long is yours?<\/strong> You can\u2019t fire your agent during the time you\u2019ve agreed to exclusively work with the person. (A period of 30 to 90 days of exclusive representation is common.) \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What does the contract say about what you can and can\u2019t do during the period you\u2019ve committed to working with this agent?<\/strong> Some agreements expect the buyer to pay the brokerage if the buyer rents a home during the exclusivity period. Look for rental costs and fees that the broker might expect in this situation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s true that anti-consumer buyer representation agreements do exist out there. Even in the best case, a contract is full of legal language. And that language is binding. You shouldn\u2019t feel surprised or rushed through the signing. A good agent takes the time to explain each part of the agreement to you\u2014and <em>not <\/em>in the heat of the moment, when you\u2019re seeing your potential new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a nutshell: You <em>do not have to sign<\/em> a representation agreement with an agent unless you want to use that agent to represent you. You <em>do need to sign<\/em> a buyer representation agreement before an agent can work diligently for you. Expect a real estate agent to tell you about this document in a consultation<em> before<\/em> your first home tour. Expect to be given ample time to read it and make a decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you know you\u2019ll be signing an agreement before touring your first home with the agent, you have a very good reason to vet agents in advance. Once you sign an agreement, you\u2019re essentially saying you trust the agent you\u2019re hiring. Be sure that\u2019s the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What if you see a home without an agent representing you? The seller\u2019s agent is allowed to show you a home, as long as you and the seller understand that the seller\u2019s agent does not represent the buyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-5-background-color has-background has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong><em>Can <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/can-working-with-a-real-estate-attorney-instead-of-an-agent-save-you-money\/\"><strong><em>hiring a real estate attorney rather than a broker<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> save you money? And if it can, will the savings be worth it?<\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make No Mistake: The Terms of Your Agreement Are Negotiable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is no fixed price for an agent\u2019s services. Professionals may set their fees. And the prospective client is free to decide whether they want to work with this or that professional. This is why a preliminary consultation with an agent matters. How are you going to negotiate (if you want to) in the heat of the moment, when someone is showing you a home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae itself, in its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/the-facts\/consumer-guide-to-written-buyer-agreements#:~:text=Compensation%20between%20you%20and%20your,open%2Dended%20or%20a%20range.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Consumer Guide to Written Buyer Agreements<\/a>, \u201cCompensation between you and your real estate professional is negotiable and not set by law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NAR adds: \u201cOnly sign an agreement that reflects what you have agreed to with your real estate professional.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What does this mean, in practical terms?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe you want the exclusivity clause (your obligation to work with this one agent only) to be shorter. OK! You\u2019re free to ask for this. You might even be able to get an agreement that works just for one property you\u2019re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the agreement states that the agent\u2019s fee is 3% of the home purchase price, you are free to ask the agent to adjust that to 2.5% if you have another good agent lined up who will agree to 2.5%. In most areas, 3% is on the high end, so this scenario is plausible. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalreserve.gov\/econres\/notes\/feds-notes\/commissions-and-omissions-trends-in-real-estate-broker-compensation-20250512.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federal Reserve<\/a> has seen \u201cthe average rate falling from about 3 percent in the late 1990s to about 2.7 percent today.\u201d In any case, the agent should state a precise percentage for the commission\u2014not a vague range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep in mind that most real estate agents aren\u2019t trying to create financial anxiety in their clients. Agents, too, are having to adjust to the new buyer representation agreement rules. And while the fee is negotiable before the agreement is signed, that doesn\u2019t mean the client controls the commission. As we\u2019ve noted, agents are at liberty to set their own fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How We Buy Homes With Real Estate Agents: Has Anything Essentially Changed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In general, what a buyer is likely to sign won\u2019t differ substantially from the long-running standard agreements used in many states. The key language may not have changed. What\u2019s different now is the rule that a signed buyer representation agreement must be in place before the agents can show us the homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The message from the 2024 NAR settlement is that the party who lists a home for sale does not have to pay the buyer agent\u2019s fee. They might still offer to pay it\u2014many sellers do\u2014but they\u2019re not required to agree to this when listing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And wasn\u2019t the buyer always covering the fees when closing on a home, even if indirectly? Today, those fees are still part of the buyer\u2019s closing costs. Essentially, not a lot has changed\u2014although certainly, buyers are now more likely to understand and negotiate the agent\u2019s commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of the day, an agent does a lot of work to match a hopeful buyer with the deed to a home. That\u2019s nothing new. It\u2019s only fair that agents be properly paid for the time and knowledge they invest in their clients\u2019 journeys. At its best, a buyer representation agreement ensures clarity and enables agents to perform their best work for the new deed holder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-accent-5-background-color has-background has-small-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Supporting References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kit Pulliam for <em>Moneywise<\/em> (from Wise Publishing, Inc.): \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/moneywise.com\/news\/real-estate-news\/real-estate-buyer-representation-agreements-unfair-contracts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazingly Unfair and Dishonest\u201d: Two Years After a Rule to Protect American Homebuyers Kicked In, Experts Say It\u2019s Having the Opposite Effect<\/a> (Jul. 27, 2026).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And as linked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/men-and-woman-talking-in-room-7489097\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gustavo Fring<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/elderly-couple-talking-to-a-real-estate-agent-8815810\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kampus Production<\/a>, via Pexels\/Canva.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before being shown any homes, a hopeful buyer signs a buyer representation agreement with the agent. This document is standard now, and that\u2019s surprising some buyers. The form lays out the terms of the relationship between a real estate professional and the client. Once it\u2019s signed, the buyer\u2019s agent owes fiduciary duties to the buyer. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7678,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[131],"tags":[564,3931,3932,3930,324,3933,1948,1747],"class_list":["post-7677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate","tag-agent-fees","tag-buyer-agents","tag-buyer-representation-agreements","tag-exclusivity-clauses","tag-home-buying","tag-nar-settlement","tag-real-estate-commissions","tag-real-estate-contracts"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Buyer Representation Agreements: What Buyers Need to Know<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what buyer representation agreements cover, when you may be asked to sign, which terms are negotiable, and how to avoid surprises before touring homes.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/the-new-buyer-representation-agreements-dont-be-caught-off-guard\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Buyer Representation Agreements: Read Before You Sign\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Buyer representation agreements are now part of the home-touring process, but their terms can surprise buyers. 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