In most traditional home purchases, buyers do not pay their real estate agent. The seller has usually agreed to pay a commission to the listing brokerage, with a portion offered to the brokerage representing the buyer. Both buying and selling brokerages then split this further with the respective agents involved.
Still, many first-time buyers assume they cannot afford to “hire” a real estate agent —and never ask how it works.
Why Some Buyers Hesitate to Ask
It reminds me a little of being in a classroom. Sometimes we hesitate to raise our hand because we worry everyone else already understands, or that our question might make us look uninformed.
Home buying can feel much the same way. Often, the questions people are most hesitant to ask are the ones they most need answered.
Some buyers may assume, “I can’t afford to hire a real estate agent, so I’ll just attend open houses myself.” Others may feel uncomfortable asking about fees, worry that contacting a real estate agent means they are committing to work with someone, or hesitate to request a viewing because they don’t want to “waste anyone’s time.”
Open houses are also less common than many people realize, and plenty of homes are sold without ever having one.
How a Buyer’s Real Estate Agent Is Usually Paid
In most traditional home purchases, the seller has agreed to pay a commission to the listing brokerage, and a portion is offered to the brokerage representing the buyer. This is then broken down to each agent. This means the buyer does not usually pay their real estate agent directly. There can be exceptions, such as certain private-sale situations, but these are not as common and should always be explained clearly in advance.
Asking Questions Is Part of the Process
You don’t have to know exactly what you want or feel completely ready before reaching out. Asking questions and viewing homes can be part of figuring that out—and that isn’t wasting anyone’s time.
Please ask. You don’t need to already understand the home-buying process before calling a REALTOR®. Helping you understand it is part of the job and process. It’s a learning experience and adventure!
