Just a couple of friendly reminders about cooperative compensation… It is not a listing brokers role to question or attempt to change the total compensation buyer’s agents may receive, or challenge what their services are worth. The listing broker’s sole concern is what, if any, their brokerage and/or the seller are willing to contribute based on a buyer’s request for their agent’s compensation. Anything else and you could find yourself interfering with the contractual relationship that a buyer’s agent has with their buyer client.

It’s totally appropriate for you to be clear up front if your brokerage is offering any compensation, and execute a cooperating broker compensation agreement for that amount. It’s also important that, by way of offer negotiations, you convey what the seller is willing to contribute based on the offer price and terms.

Buyer’s agent compensation is a conversation that you have with your seller initially when signing an exclusive right to sell agreement and again when a purchase and sale or offer is made on a property. Seller’s satisfaction with the offer is measured by the financial outcome and goals of the seller with all factors considered.

Note: It is also problematic to call around to other brokers, seeking to establish market averages for compensation. All compensation should be negotiated between each client and their representative.