Free to read. No paid listings. How this site works
Guide: commissions
What changed on August 17, 2024, what did not, and what to settle before you sign a listing agreement.
National Association of REALTORS, read Oct 2, 2026. See source
In March 2024 the National Association of REALTORS reached a settlement of claims brought on behalf of home sellers over broker commissions. Practice changes that came with it took effect on August 17, 20241.
This guide summarises NAR's own consumer explanation; it is not legal advice.
Written buyer agreements. Agents who use an MLS must sign a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home, in person or by live video. The agreement must state the agent's pay in objective terms (for example $0, a flat fee, a percentage or an hourly rate), must bar the agent from receiving more than that from any source, and must say that broker fees and commissions are fully negotiable and not set by law1.
No offers of compensation on the MLS. A seller's offer to pay the buyer's agent can no longer be published on MLS platforms. Sellers can still make such offers off the MLS, and can still advertise buyer concessions, such as help with closing costs, on the MLS1.
What did not change. Agent compensation for buyers and sellers continues to be fully negotiable1.
| Payment | What it pays for | Where it can be advertised |
|---|---|---|
| Offer of compensation2 | The buyer's agent, for bringing a buyer who closes | Off the MLS only |
| Seller concession2 | Buyer costs such as title, inspection, loan origination, taxes or repairs | On the MLS (as one total, not tied to a buyer's agent) or in negotiation |
Lender and state limits apply to concessions; payments toward the buyer's broker are excluded from lender limits and must be made off-MLS2.
Step 1
A percentage, a flat fee or another structure: it is negotiable.
Step 2
Whether you will offer to pay a buyer's agent, and how it will be communicated off the MLS.
Step 3
Closing-cost help or repairs, within the buyer's lender limits and state law.
Step 4
The listing agreement should state all of it.
How these links work: each button opens the partner's own site. We are not paid for these links today; we may earn a referral fee in the future.
Good for a shortlist of local listing agents to interview
Also on HomeLight's site
We do not earn anything from your quotes or sign-ups today. Every partner link is a plain link to the partner's own site, without a referral code. We may join partners' referral programs in the future, and this notice will say so before that changes.
Programs, fees and terms belong to each partner and can change. The partner's own page is the final word on price, eligibility and terms.
SellSmart Match is not a real estate brokerage, agent, lender or law firm. Nothing here is legal or financial advice, and we do not pass your details to anyone.
