My Buyer Broker

Interview scorecard

The case files

Twelve Guides, Filed in Three Drawers

Start with choosing an agent, then read up on the agreement, then what good help looks like once you are house hunting.

File 01Choosing an Agent · 4 minHow to Choose a Buyer’s Agent You Can TrustWhere to find candidates, what experience actually matters, how to check a license and record, and how to make the final choice before you sign a buyer agreement.File 02Choosing an Agent · 4 minQuestions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent Before You SignA printable interview list grouped by experience, how they work, pay and the agreement, and conflicts of interest, with notes on what a strong answer sounds like.File 03Choosing an Agent · 4 minHow to Check a Real Estate Agent’s License and Disciplinary RecordWhere to look up a buyer’s agent’s license, what the record tells you, how brokers and sales agents differ, and what to do if you find a complaint or discipline.File 04Choosing an Agent · 4 minRed Flags When Hiring a Buyer’s AgentWarning signs to watch for during the interview and the first weeks of working together, from vague pay terms to pressure on budget and inspections, and what to do if you spot them.File 05The Agreement · 4 minBuyer’s Agent vs Listing Agent: Who Works for WhomThe difference between the agent who represents you and the one who represents the seller, what happens when one person or brokerage is on both sides, and how to protect yourself when you call the agent on the sign.File 06The Agreement · 4 minBuyer Agreements and Agent Pay ExplainedWhat the written buyer agreement is, when you have to sign one, what it must say about compensation, how the seller can still help pay, and how to change or leave an agreement.File 07The Agreement · 4 minDual Agency Explained: Who Your Agent Represents, and What Changes When It’s Both SidesSeller’s agent, buyer’s agent, dual agent and intermediary: what each owes you, what a dual agent may not reveal, and what to ask before you agree to one agent working both sides.File 08The Agreement · 4 minFirst-Time Buyer? How to Work Well With Your AgentWhat to expect from a buyer’s agent on your first purchase, how to set up the relationship, what to share and what to keep in mind about pay, and how to get the most out of each stage.File 09Working Together · 4 minWhat a Good Buyer’s Agent Does at a ShowingHow a strong agent prepares before a tour, what they point out inside and outside the home, the questions they ask on your behalf and how they help you compare homes afterward.File 10Working Together · 4 minHow a Buyer’s Agent Helps You Write and Negotiate an OfferFrom pricing the offer with comparable sales to choosing contingencies, requesting seller-paid compensation or concessions and handling counteroffers, here is what your agent should do and what stays your decision.File 11Working Together · 4 minYour Buyer’s Agent and the Home InspectionHow your agent helps you book an independent inspector, what they do on inspection day, how they turn the report into a repair request or credit, and when walking away is the right call.File 12Working Together · 4 minWhat Your Buyer’s Agent Does Between Contract and ClosingThe behind-the-scenes coordination in the final weeks: deadlines, the lender and appraisal, the Closing Disclosure, the final walk-through and the closing table, plus what is your job and what is theirs.

Interview scorecard

Ask Every Agent the Same Twelve Questions

Type the agents’ names, then mark each answer: a check for clear and specific, a question mark if unsure, a cross if it worried you.

✓ good answer? not sure✕ poor answer

Experience

01

How many buyers have you represented recently, and in which neighborhoods and price range?

Specific numbers and areas close to where you are looking.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
02

Can I speak with two recent buyers you worked with?

Offers names without hesitation.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
03

What do you know about these neighborhoods that a listing site would not show me?

Particular streets, common inspection issues, how fast homes have been selling.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C

Pay and the agreement

04

How are you paid, and what exactly will the written agreement say?

A clear amount or rate in writing, not a range or “whatever the seller offers”.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
05

How long does the agreement last, and how can either of us end it?

A length you are comfortable with and clear exit terms.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
06

What happens if the seller offers to pay part of your fee?

Explains it cannot push your agent’s pay above the amount in your agreement.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C

Loyalty

07

Whom will you represent, and what happens if I want to buy one of your own listings?

Explains the agency rules in your state and that you can say no to dual agency.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
08

Do you receive anything from the lenders, inspectors or title companies you recommend?

A straight answer, and more than one name for each.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
09

Is your license active, and which broker supervises you?

Gives the license number and the broker’s name so you can check them.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C

How they work

10

Who will show me homes, and how quickly do you usually reply?

A realistic answer and a named backup when they are busy.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
11

Tell me about a deal that nearly fell apart. What did you do?

A specific story in which the buyer’s interests came first.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
12

What would you do if the inspection turns up problems or the appraisal comes in low?

Talks about contingency deadlines, asking for repairs or a credit, and renegotiating or walking away.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
Agent A0
Agent B0
Agent C0

Your marks stay in this browser only. The hints describe what a strong answer usually includes; they are not legal requirements, and rules differ by state. More in Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent Before You Sign.

How hiring an agent works

Hiring a Buyer's Agent, Clause by Clause

Five parts of the relationship, set out like the agreement you will be asked to sign, with a note in the margin on what each one means for you.

1. Who the agent works for

A buyer's agent represents you. A listing agent represents the seller and is expected to pass on what you say about your budget. State rules describe each role, and in some states one agent can represent both sides only if both buyer and seller agree. Ask every candidate whom they will represent, and how they would handle it if you wanted to buy one of their own listings.

2. Interview before you sign

Talk to two or three agents. Ask about recent buyers they have helped in your area and price range, call a couple of references, and listen for specific answers rather than general reassurance. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also suggests checking your state's licensing agency for any disciplinary action before you choose.

3. The written agreement

Since August 17, 2024, agents who use a Multiple Listing Service must have a written agreement with you before touring homes, in person or live online. It must state the pay as a clear amount or rate, such as a flat fee, a percentage or an hourly rate, and it must say that fees are fully negotiable and not set by law. You do not need one simply to visit an open house on your own or to ask an agent about their services.

4. Who pays the agent

Under the agreement you are responsible for paying your agent as agreed. You can still ask the seller to pay some or all of it, and sellers can offer that outside the listing service or offer concessions such as help with closing costs. The agreement must also stop your agent from receiving more, from any source, than the amount you agreed.

5. Working together to closing

A good agent prepares you for showings, helps you price and write the offer with contingencies that protect you, keeps the inspection and appraisal deadlines in view and walks you through the closing papers. Keep communication in writing, ask questions early and speak up if something does not feel right. If it is not working, read the agreement's terms for changing or ending it.

BuyerAgent

Questions

What Buyers Ask About Buyer's Agents

You askDo I have to sign an agreement before an agent shows me a house?

AnswerIf the agent uses a Multiple Listing Service, yes: since August 17, 2024 a written agreement is required before touring a home, in person or live online. You do not need one to visit an open house on your own or to ask an agent about their services.

You askCan I negotiate the agent's fee?

AnswerYes. Broker fees and commissions are fully negotiable and not set by law. You can also negotiate the services, the length of the agreement and how it can end.

You askCan the agreement say the agent gets whatever the seller offers?

AnswerNo. The pay must be objective, such as $0, a flat fee, a percentage or an hourly rate, and it cannot be open-ended or a range.

You askWill I have to pay my agent out of pocket?

AnswerNot necessarily. You are responsible for paying as the agreement says, but you can ask the seller to cover some or all of it, and sellers can offer concessions such as help with closing costs.

You askWhat is dual agency?

AnswerIt is one agent representing both buyer and seller. Where it is allowed it needs the consent of both, and the agent then may not reveal, for example, that you would pay more than your offer. In Texas the role is called an intermediary and requires each party's written agreement.

You askHow do I check an agent's license?

AnswerUse the free lookup on your state real estate regulator's website. It shows whether the license is active, the supervising broker and, in many states, any discipline. ARELLO also runs national verification and disciplinary databases.

You askCan I get out of a buyer agreement?

AnswerYou and your agent can agree to change it, and many agreements set out how either side can end it. Read those terms before you sign, and ask an attorney if you are unsure.

You askShould my agent choose my inspector and lender?

AnswerRecommendations are fine, but you choose. Ask whether the agent receives anything from the companies they suggest, and compare a few options; buyers who shop for their own providers often save money.