Compensation is always negotiable.  The seller decides what fee they are willing to pay for their broker’s services and how much that listing broker should offer a broker who brings a buyer to close the transaction. Compensation is always negotiable and consumers are encouraged to talk to their broker to understand and agree upon how they expect to be compensated.

The U.S. broker compensation model benefits consumers. The practice of listing brokers’ offering compensation to buyer brokers leads to brokers sharing their inventory with each other. In turn, that means sellers have access to the largest possible pool of potential buyers, and buyers have access to the greatest number of housing options in one place.

Compensation cannot be included as part of a mortgage. The vast majority of mortgage lenders do not allow compensation to be added to home loans. Listing brokers’ offers of compensation to buyer brokers gives first-time and low- and middle-income home buyers a better shot at affording a home and professional representation in the home-buying process. For many buyers, saving for a down payment is difficult enough, if buyers had to pay real estate compensation out-of-pocket on top of closing costs, it would push the dream of homeownership even further out of reach for countless people.