Note to Sellers: Your Flexibility with Buyer’s Agent Compensation Is Key to Maximizing Your Profit

When selling your home, your ultimate goal is simple: maximize the net proceeds from the sale. Every detail matters—pricing, marketing, staging, and negotiation—all of which should lead to the highest possible return. One element that often goes overlooked is the approach to buyer’s agent compensation. While recent changes in the real estate landscape may shift how compensation is handled and disclosed, the fundamental strategy remains the same: flexibility and communication can lead to a deal that benefits everyone involved.

Here’s why offering flexibility in buyer’s agent compensation can help you, as a seller, achieve your financial goals, and how skilled REALTORS® can solve the puzzle to bring all parties together for a successful sale.

1. Buyer’s Agent Compensation Is a Tool, Not an Obligation—Flexibility Is Key

In the past, sellers often included specific offers of compensation to buyer’s agents through the MLS as part of a strategy to make their listings more attractive to buyers. While recent changes to the NAR settlement mean this information is no longer shared publicly on the MLS, the reality is that compensation remains a negotiable tool—not an obligation.

Rather than publicly offering compensation, you now have more flexibility to communicate your willingness to entertain all offers, regardless of a buyer’s agent’s specific compensation requests. This approach allows you to keep your focus on what truly matters: the net profit from the sale of your home. If the deal makes sense for your bottom line, how the buyer’s agent is compensated becomes just another piece of the puzzle to be solved in negotiations.

2. It’s About the Net Profit, Not Just the Offer Price

At the end of the day, what truly matters is the net profit—what you take home after all expenses are paid. A high offer price doesn’t always translate to the highest profit, and that’s where flexibility in compensation comes into play.

When structuring the deal, your REALTOR® will focus on how to optimize the transaction to maximize your proceeds. Whether the buyer’s agent’s compensation is covered by the buyer, the seller, or negotiated into the deal, it’s all about solving the puzzle in a way that ensures your bottom line is the highest possible.

3. The Role of Buyer’s Agents in Closing the Deal

While it may seem counterintuitive to pay for a service that directly benefits the buyer, the truth is that buyer’s agents add value to the transaction, even though they are on the opposite side. Their role in guiding buyers through the process, calming nerves, and ensuring the deal progresses smoothly can ultimately lead to a more successful transaction for you, the seller.

Here’s why buyer’s agents are important:

• They bring qualified buyers to the table: A well-represented buyer is often more prepared, which reduces delays and complications.

• They help buyers navigate complex decisions: Buyer’s agents help their clients make sense of the process, leading to more confident and decisive buyers.

• They facilitate smooth negotiations: With their experience and insight, buyer’s agents can help mediate difficult conversations and keep deals on track.

While their fiduciary responsibility is to the buyer, a great buyer’s agent can help ensure the entire transaction stays on course, benefiting everyone involved.

4. Smart Negotiation: Structuring the Deal to Benefit All Parties

In today’s real estate market, the ability to structure a deal creatively is more important than ever. A skilled REALTOR® understands that compensation is just one piece of the negotiation process and knows how to find solutions that satisfy both you and the buyer. Whether it’s through concessions, adjusting the offer price, or covering closing costs, the goal is to create a deal where everyone wins, and you walk away with the highest possible net profit.

The recent NAR settlement underscores the importance of transparency and flexibility, giving sellers more control over how compensation is handled. Instead of locking yourself into rigid compensation structures, keep the lines of communication open and work with your REALTOR® to structure deals that benefit your financial bottom line.

5. Your REALTOR® Makes the Difference

Navigating these changes successfully requires a smart, savvy, and experienced REALTOR®. You need someone who understands the current real estate landscape, can negotiate effectively on your behalf, and knows how to optimize your net proceeds through creative deal structuring.

A skilled REALTOR® from a reputable local brokerage will not only help market your home to its full potential but will also leverage their knowledge to bring all parties together—buyer, seller, and agents—to secure the best possible outcome for you.

Final Word

When selling your home, your ultimate focus should always be on maximizing your net profit. Offering compensation to a buyer’s agent can still be a strategic tool, but it’s all about flexibility and keeping the door open to negotiations. How the deal is structured is less important than the final result: a smooth transaction where all parties feel satisfied, and you walk away with the highest proceeds possible.

Work with a skilled REALTOR® who understands how to navigate these changes, and you’ll be well on your way to closing the best possible deal for your home.