Do You Have to Pay Your Buyer's Agent Now? How Buyer Agreements Work in Huntsville

^{EMBRY GROUP AT CRUE REALTY  |  BUYER'S GUIDE}

_{Embry Group at Crue Realty  |  Huntsville, AL}

Updated October 2026

Not necessarily. Since August 17, 2024, buyers working with a REALTOR® sign a written agreement before touring homes, and that agreement spells out what their agent will be paid. But who actually covers that fee is negotiable. In many sales, the seller still pays some or all of it. In others, the buyer pays part of it at closing. Here's how it works and how to plan for it.

What Changed in 2024

As part of a national settlement involving the National Association of REALTORS®, two big practice changes took effect on August 17, 2024:

1. Written buyer agreements before touring. If you work with a REALTOR®, you'll be asked to sign a written agreement before you tour a home with them, whether in person or virtually.
2. No compensation offers on the MLS. Sellers can no longer advertise what they'll pay a buyer's agent in MLS listings. That doesn't stop them from paying. It just moved the conversation off the MLS and into negotiations.

You don't need an agreement to walk through an open house on your own or to ask an agent about their services. (NAR consumer guide to written buyer agreements)

What a Written Buyer Agreement Includes

The agreement is a plain contract between you and your agent. It typically covers:

• Compensation: a specific amount, rate, or method for calculating what your agent is paid
• A statement that commissions are negotiable and not set by law
• Services: what your agent will do for you
• Term: how long the agreement lasts and how it can end
• Whether it's exclusive

One rule is worth knowing: your agent can't receive more than the amount in your agreement, even if a seller offers more.

How Your Agent's Fee Can Get Paid

Here's the part most buyers really want to know. There are a few common paths:

• The seller pays it. Many sellers still agree to cover the buyer's agent fee because it widens their pool of buyers. Your agent can ask for this as part of your offer.
• Seller concessions. You can ask the seller for a credit toward your costs, which may help cover the fee. Loan programs limit how much a seller can contribute, so check with your lender.
• You pay some or all of it at closing. If the seller won't cover the full amount, the difference may come out of your pocket.
• A combination of the above.

What works best depends on the home, the seller, and your budget. If you're using a VA or other government-backed loan, ask your lender early how buyer-agent fees are handled under your loan.

Questions to Ask Before You Sign

1. How is your fee calculated, and is it negotiable?
2. If the seller covers your fee, do I owe anything?
3. If the seller covers only part of it, what would I pay?
4. How long does the agreement last, and how can either of us end it?
5. Does it cover one home, one area, or my whole search?
6. What exactly will you do for me from search to closing?

A good agent will answer these clearly and put the answers in writing.

Why It's Still Worth Having Your Own Agent

The rules changed how agents are paid, not what they do. Your agent helps you price an offer against real comparable sales, negotiate repairs after the inspection, keep the lender, appraiser, and closing attorney on schedule, and catch problems before they become expensive ones. In a fast-moving market, having someone in your corner from the first showing to the closing table still matters.

The agreement also works in your favor. It puts expectations, services, and costs in writing before you've spent a single Saturday touring homes.

Talk It Through Before You Tour

Have questions about buyer agreements or how your agent's fee would be paid on a specific home? A free buyer consultation is a no-pressure way to walk through it before you start touring. Book your free buyer consultation.

Ready to Make a Move?

The Embry Group at Crue Realty has helped hundreds of buyers, sellers, and investors navigate the North Alabama market. We're here to help you do the same.

Call or text: (256) 690-0340

Email: [email protected]  |  Website: embrygrouprealestate.com

Embry Group at Crue Realty  |  Huntsville, AL  |  (256) 690-0340  |  [email protected]