For decades, a buyer-agent fee of roughly 2–3% has often been “baked into” the way home deals get done, even when buyers never wrote a separate check at closing. That familiar rhythm is changing. Not because buyers suddenly don’t want representation, but because the process is becoming more transparent—and more negotiable—than most people realized. If you’re buying or selling in 2026, you need a clean mental model for what you may owe, what you can negotiate, and how to structure an offer so you don’t get surprised.
Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission? Here’s the short answer
Yes, you may still pay it—but not always in the way you’re used to seeing it. The key shift is that the buyer-agent’s compensation is now discussed and agreed to more explicitly, usually up front, and it can be paid by the buyer, the seller, or a mix of both depending on what gets negotiated. So when someone asks, “Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission?” the real answer is: you need a plan for it, because it’s no longer safe to assume how it will be handled.
In practical terms, buyers and sellers are sorting this out with a few common tools: buyer representation agreements, seller concessions, purchase price strategy, and closing-cost credits. None of these are new ideas. What’s new is that more people are being forced to talk about them early, in plain language, and get them in writing.
What Changed in the market (and why it matters to your wallet)
Recent rule changes tied to the NAR settlement pushed the industry toward clearer buyer representation agreements and away from displaying buyer-agent compensation offers inside the MLS. Translation: buyers are more likely to sign an agreement that spells out their agent’s fee before touring homes, and sellers are less likely to rely on “the MLS will handle it” as a default approach. This doesn’t eliminate buyer agents. It changes how compensation is communicated and negotiated.
Here’s why that matters: when something stops being “automatic,” it becomes a decision. Decisions create leverage—if you understand them. They also create confusion—if you don’t. That’s why so many people are now asking, Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission?, even if they’ve bought or sold before.
The buyer agreement is the new starting line
If you’re a buyer, expect an earlier conversation about what your agent does, what that service costs, and how it gets paid. That agreement can be a percentage, a flat fee, or another structure, and it can outline when payment is due and what happens if the seller doesn’t contribute. The benefit is clarity. The downside is that if you sign without understanding the options, you can lock yourself into terms that don’t match your budget or your negotiating power.
The MLS is still central—but compensation talk moved “off-screen”
Many buyers and sellers will still list your property on the MLS because it’s the broadest exposure channel for most residential listings. That hasn’t changed. What changed is that buyer-agent compensation typically isn’t advertised the same way inside the MLS system, which means the “who pays what” conversation may happen through negotiations, disclosures, and offer terms instead of being assumed from the listing details.
Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission? Three real-world ways it plays out
Let’s get concrete. Below are three common scenarios you’ll see now, and what they mean for your cash-to-close.
1. The buyer pays their agent directly
In this scenario, the buyer agrees to pay the buyer-agent fee out of pocket (or under terms in their agreement). This can happen when a seller refuses to offer concessions, the market is extremely tight, or the buyer wants a specific agent and accepts the cost as part of the deal. It can also occur when the purchase structure (or the property type) limits the seller’s willingness to contribute.
This is the “cleanest” structure on paper. It’s also the one that can sting the most at closing if you didn’t plan ahead. If you’re a buyer wondering, Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission?, this is the scenario you’re trying to avoid being surprised by.
2. The seller contributes through concessions or credits
This is the most common “modern version” of the old pattern. The buyer and seller negotiate so the seller effectively covers some or all of the buyer-agent cost via seller concessions, credits, or other pricing terms. It’s not magic. It’s just a different wrapper: the seller’s net proceeds may be reduced, or the sale price may be structured to support credits, depending on lender rules and the overall deal.
For buyers, this can preserve cash. For sellers, it can keep the buyer pool larger—especially if buyers are sensitive to upfront costs. If you plan to list your property on the MLS, this approach can be a smart way to stay competitive without feeling like you’re “overpaying” by default.
3. The fee is split or reduced through negotiation
Sometimes the buyer-agent fee is partially covered by the seller and partially paid by the buyer, or it’s renegotiated lower based on the scope of work. Maybe the buyer is only requesting specific services. Maybe the buyer is experienced and needs less hand-holding. Maybe the property is easy to show and the timeline is short.
This is where transparency can actually help everyone. When the buyer and agent define the service level, it becomes easier to align the fee with reality. And yes, this is another clear “yes, but negotiable” answer to Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission?
How sellers can think about this without getting defensive
If you’re selling, the goal isn’t to “win” the commission conversation. The goal is to net what you need while keeping your home attractive to serious buyers. In some price ranges, buyers simply can’t absorb new out-of-pocket costs without reducing their offer price. In others, buyers can—and will—if they love the home.
A practical seller mindset looks like this: price the home based on comps, then decide whether offering concessions will increase demand enough to protect your net. Many sellers still choose to help cover buyer-side costs because it expands the buyer pool. And if you’re going to list your property on the MLS, you want that buyer pool as deep as possible on day one.
A simple way to evaluate your options
Ask two questions before you commit to any strategy:
- What is the most likely buyer profile for my home (first-time, move-up, downsizer, investor)?
- In my price range, is cash-to-close the biggest constraint?
Those answers guide whether you should offer concessions, hold firm, or structure your listing and negotiations differently. The “right” answer depends on your market conditions and your timeline, not on what someone claims is “standard.”
Buyer strategy: protect your budget before you tour houses
If you’re buying, treat agent compensation like any other major closing cost: plan it, compare structures, and negotiate it. I tell people to do one quick exercise before they fall in love with a home: map out your maximum cash-to-close and decide what costs must be financed or credited versus paid out of pocket.
Then, have the direct conversation with your agent early. Ask what services are included, what flexibility exists, and what happens if the seller won’t contribute. That’s how you avoid touring ten homes and realizing later that the math doesn’t work. And it’s how you answer Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission? with confidence instead of stress.
The bottom line (and where Team Results Realty fits in)
The market is moving toward clearer, more upfront agreements and more negotiation around buyer-agent compensation. Buyers may pay directly, sellers may cover it through concessions, or the fee may be split or adjusted—often depending on the property, the financing, and the strength of the offer. If you’re buying or selling this year, don’t treat commission like a mystery fee. Treat it like a negotiable term of the deal.
At Team Results Realty, we specialize in helping sellers list your property on the MLS with a flat fee listing service—so you can get broad exposure while keeping tighter control over your overall costs. If you want a strategy that’s built for today’s commission landscape (not last decade’s assumptions), our team can help you structure it the smart way.
