Updated October 2026. Rules checked against NAR’s settlement pages this month.
A buyer’s agent commission is the fee paid to the agent who represents the home buyer. It’s often called buyer agent compensation, or BAC. Since August 17, 2024, you must sign a written agreement with your agent that states the amount before you tour a home. The seller may offer to pay it, but that offer can no longer appear on the MLS. On a $417,500 home, 2.5% would be $10,437.50.
Jump to: 🤝 What it is · 💲 Who pays · 📍 2024 rules · 🏠 How to pay less · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Buyer agent pay is negotiable and not set by law. Your written agreement must state it as a clear amount, like a flat fee or a percent.
- Your agent can’t take more from any source than your agreement allows.
- Sellers can still offer buyer agent pay or closing-cost help, just not through the MLS.
- In Beycome’s buyer program, we keep 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credit the rest of any seller-paid compensation to you. With 3% offered on $400,000, that’s $8,000 back.
What is a buyer’s agent commission?
It’s what your agent earns for helping you buy. That work usually covers the search, showings, comparing prices, writing the offer, negotiating and getting you to closing.
It’s often a percent of the price, but it doesn’t have to be. Under the post-2024 rules, the agreement can set a flat fee, a percent, an hourly rate, or even $0. What it can’t be is open-ended, like “whatever the seller offers.”
Here’s what different amounts look like on NAR’s September 2026 median price of $417,500:
| Agreement | Fee on $417,500 |
|---|---|
| Flat fee of $5,000 | $5,000 |
| 1.5% of the price | $6,262.50 |
| 2% of the price | $8,350 |
| 2.5% of the price | $10,437.50 |
| 3% of the price | $12,525 |
These are examples only. Commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules, and they’re fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any buyer-agent compensation, and how much. Since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
Who pays the buyer’s agent?
It can be you, the seller, or a mix. You agree on your agent’s pay up front. Then, when you make an offer, you can ask the seller to cover some or all of it.
- The seller pays. The seller agrees to cover your agent’s fee as part of the deal.
- You pay. You bring the fee to closing, out of pocket or, if your loan allows, financed into your costs.
- A split. The seller covers part and you cover the rest.
- Seller concessions. The seller gives you a credit for closing costs, which can be shown on the MLS.
Our guide to whether sellers pay the buyer’s agent goes deeper. For the seller’s view, read who pays buyer agent commission when you sell.
What does a seller decide?
Selling with Beycome? We don’t set, collect or pay buyer-agent compensation. You decide whether to offer it and negotiate directly with the buyer’s agent, in a written agreement we’re not part of. A free “Compensation Agreement – Seller to Buyer’s Broker” template is in your dashboard. Our flat fee MLS listing starts at $99, with $0 due to Beycome at closing. If you’d rather have an expert handle pricing and offers for one flat fee, see Beycome Concierge.
What changed in August 2024?
The NAR settlement brought practice changes that took effect on August 17, 2024. Here’s what NAR says they mean for you.
- Agents who use an MLS must sign a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home.
- The agreement must state the agent’s pay in a clear, objective way, such as $0, a flat fee, a percent or an hourly rate.
- The agent can’t receive more, from any source, than the agreement allows.
- The agreement must say that fees are fully negotiable and not set by law.
- Offers of compensation are no longer allowed on the MLS. Sellers can still make them off the MLS.
You can negotiate anything in the agreement: the services, the length and the pay. Read National Association of Realtors (NAR) guides on written buyer agreements before you sign one. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) explains your closing documents, where the fee shows up.
How can buyers pay less, or get money back?
Start by asking. Agents set their own fees, and many will adjust them. Then look at the options below.
- Negotiate a flat fee or a lower percent in your buyer agreement.
- Ask the seller to cover your agent’s fee in your offer.
- Use an agent who shares part of the fee with you as a credit, where your state allows it.
- Buy without an agent, if you’re comfortable handling the contract. A real estate attorney can help. Nolo has plain guides on contracts and closings.
Beycome’s buyer program uses the third option. You pay no upfront fee. When the seller offers buyer-agent compensation, we keep 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credit the rest to you at closing. On a $400,000 home with 3% offered, that’s $8,000 back. If the offer is below our minimum, you cover the gap at closing. Rebates are banned or limited in some states, and lenders may cap credits. Our FAQ explains how the Beycome buyer program works.
Making an offer soon? See how to make a competitive offer. Paying cash? Read how to buy a house with cash.
Do commissions affect taxes?
For sellers, yes. IRS Publication 523 counts sales commissions as selling expenses, which lower your gain. For buyers, some costs you pay at purchase can be added to your home’s basis. The rules are detailed, so check the IRS publications or ask a tax pro.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →Is the buyer’s agent fee worth it?
It depends on what you need. A good agent can spot a bad price, catch problems in the contract and keep the deal on track. If you’re new to buying, that help is worth a lot. If you’ve bought before and know the market, you may need less.
Our view: decide on the services first, then the price. A lower fee is only a deal if you still get the help you need. Run the numbers with our commission calculator guide and our breakdown of real estate commission percentages.
Related reading: what happened to Faira, and the alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
What is a buyer’s agent commission?
The fee paid to the agent who represents the home buyer. It’s set in a written buyer agreement and is fully negotiable.
What does BAC mean in real estate?
Buyer agent compensation, the pay for the buyer’s agent. Since August 17, 2024, offers of BAC can’t be shown on the MLS.
Who pays the buyer’s agent commission?
It can be the buyer, the seller or both. The buyer agrees to the amount with their agent and can ask the seller to cover it in the offer.
Is buyer agent commission still 3%?
There’s no standard rate. It’s not set by law or by NAR rules. Your agreement can set any clear amount, including a flat fee or $0.
Do I have to sign an agreement with a buyer’s agent?
Yes, before touring a home with an agent who uses an MLS. The agreement must state the agent’s pay and that it’s negotiable.
Can I get part of the buyer’s agent commission back?
In many states, yes. In Beycome’s buyer program, we keep 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credit the rest of the seller-paid compensation to you.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, a licensed real estate brokerage. Licenses are listed at beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Rules are summarized from NAR’s settlement and written buyer agreement pages, read on October 21, 2026. The median price is NAR’s September 2026 figure.
Commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any compensation to a buyer’s agent, and how much; since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS. All percentages above are examples.
Buyer program: no upfront fee; Beycome keeps 1% of the price with a $1,499 minimum and credits the rest. The credit depends on the compensation the seller offers, your state’s rules on rebates and your lender’s approval. Not available on homes sold by owner.
Beycome prices are as of October 2026. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing. Other closing costs, taxes, title fees and any buyer’s agent pay the seller agrees to still apply.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources
- NAR, what the settlement means for home buyers and sellers.
- NAR, consumer guide to written buyer agreements.
- NAR, existing-home sales, September 2026 (median price).
- IRS Publication 523, Selling Your Home.
- IRS Publication 551, Basis of Assets.
- Beycome, buyer program, October 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
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