Compensation & transparency

How I get paid
— plainly.

No fine print, no asterisks. Here's exactly how Realtor compensation works in 2026 — what's changed, what hasn't, and what it actually means for you whether you're buying, selling, or both.

The short version

If you only
read this much.

No. 01
There's no set commission — every fee is negotiable, and we'll put whatever we agree on in writing before any work starts.
No. 02
If you're buying, you and I sign a written agreement up front that spells out what I'll be paid and who'll pay it.
No. 03
If you're selling, you decide whether to offer compensation to the buyer's agent — and we talk through what that means for your bottom line.
No. 04
Initial conversations and consultations are always free. You don't owe me a dime to figure out if we're a good fit.
Two scenarios

How it works in practice.

Compensation depends on which side of the table you're on. Here's what to expect either way — and what we'd put in writing before working together.

If you're buying

You and I sign a buyer agreement first.

As of August 2024, every buyer who tours a home with a Realtor must sign a written representation agreement first. The agreement spells out the services I'll provide and the compensation I've earned — in dollars or as a percentage.

Here's how that compensation typically gets paid:

  • The seller pays it — most common. The seller offers compensation to the buyer's agent as part of the deal, and it comes out of the seller's proceeds at closing.
  • The seller pays part, you pay the rest — if the seller's offer doesn't cover what we agreed to, we negotiate the gap into the offer or you cover the difference.
  • You pay it directly — rare, but possible. If a seller isn't offering anything, we'd discuss it before writing an offer.

You'll always know what you're committing to before you commit to it. No surprises at the closing table.

If you're selling

You decide what to offer.

When we list your home, we'll talk through two separate decisions: what I'll be paid as your listing agent, and whether you want to offer compensation to a buyer's agent to encourage offers.

A few things to know:

  • Both fees are negotiable. There's no industry-standard rate, despite what you may have heard. We'll talk through what's competitive in the Triad and what makes sense for your home.
  • Buyer-agent compensation is optional — but in most markets, including Winston-Salem, offering it broadens your buyer pool. We'll weigh the tradeoffs together.
  • Whatever you offer is communicated outside the MLS — directly between agents, not on Zillow or the listing itself.

Every dollar is itemized in your listing agreement and again on the settlement statement at closing.

What changed in 2024

The rules shifted.

A class-action settlement involving the National Association of Realtors changed long-standing practices around how buyer's agents get paid. Here's the plain-English version.

August 2024

Buyer-agent comp left the MLS.

Before: sellers advertised buyer-agent compensation directly on the MLS, visible to all agents. After: that info is communicated agent-to-agent, off-MLS. The number itself didn't go away — just where it lives.

August 2024

Written buyer agreements became required.

Any Realtor working with a buyer must now have a written representation agreement signed before showing a single home. The agreement spells out compensation in dollars or as a clear percentage — not "whatever the seller offers."

Ongoing

Negotiation is more common — and that's a good thing.

The settlement was a forcing function for transparency. Buyers and sellers ask better questions about what they're paying for. I welcome that. The conversations are clearer now than they've ever been.

Common questions

What people actually ask.

Is the commission really negotiable? +
Yes. There's never been a "standard" or set rate — that was always a misconception, and the 2024 settlement made it explicit. Whatever we agree to gets put in writing before I do any work. If you've heard a number floating around, don't assume it applies to you.
Do I have to sign anything to just look at houses? +
Yes — to tour a home with me, you'll sign a buyer agreement first. It can be a short, narrow agreement (one specific house, one specific day) or a broader one (full search). We'll pick what makes sense. Until you sign, the initial conversation, consultation, and neighborhood tour are still free.
What if the seller isn't offering buyer-agent comp? +
We talk about it before writing an offer. There are usually three options: ask the seller for a concession to cover it, fold the cost into the offer price (so it's financed with the mortgage), or you pay it out of pocket. Each has tradeoffs and we'll weigh them against your budget and the home.
As a seller, do I have to offer buyer-agent compensation? +
No. It's optional. But in Winston-Salem and most U.S. markets, offering some compensation tends to attract more showings and stronger offers — most buyers are working with their own agent and budget around the home price. Not offering anything narrows your buyer pool. We'll model it both ways before listing.
Can I see the math before I sign anything? +
Always. Whether you're buying or selling, I'll walk you through a net-sheet or a buyer-cost worksheet that shows every line item — my fee, the other agent's fee, closing costs, taxes, prorations, the works. You see the bottom-line number before any agreement gets signed.
What does the consultation cost? +
Nothing. The first conversation, the buyer or seller consultation, the coffee — all free. Representation agreements (and any compensation tied to them) come later, only if we decide we're a good fit.
Still have questions?

Ask me anything.

I'd rather over-explain than leave anything murky. Call, text, or send a note — I'll walk you through your specific situation.

Send me a note → Call 336.934.2428 ↗