DUFFY Realty of Atlanta
Before you sign a buyer agreement, know who pays the gap.
After the NAR settlement changes, buyers are expected to sign written buyer agreements before touring homes with many agents. That agreement can make you responsible for your agent’s fee if the seller does not pay enough to cover it.
Before the settlement changes, buyer-agent compensation was commonly shown in the MLS. Now, seller-paid buyer compensation is handled differently and may be addressed in the offer and negotiation.
The old MLS compensation field changed. The buyer agreement became the thing to read.
That means the buyer agreement matters more than ever. If your agreement says your agent is owed a certain amount, and the seller is not willing to pay all of it, the missing amount may become your problem at closing.
It is complicated. It is also simple: read the number before you sign.
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You found it. DUFFY helps you get in fast and buy it smarter.
Most buyers search online first. DUFFY built around that reality with fast access, a 1.5% buyer fee model, non-exclusive representation where appropriate, and protection before the offer gets emotional.
The buyer gap example
Your buyer agreement
Your agent’s agreement says the agent is owed 3%.
Seller-paid compensation
The seller is only willing to pay 2.5% toward buyer-agent compensation.
The gap
You may have to pay the missing 0.5% at closing unless the deal is negotiated another way.
The problem is not signing an agreement. The problem is signing one before you understand the math.
DUFFY's buyer fee is 1.5%, not an automatic 3%.
DUFFY has done buyer representation differently since 2002 because buyers have been finding homes online for years. Our fee for buyer representation is 1.5%. If seller-paid buyer compensation is higher than DUFFY’s fee, that difference can become the DUFFY Finder Fee to you.
What buyers should ask before signing
What exactly am I agreeing to pay?
The amount or rate should be clear, specific, and not open-ended.
What if the seller pays less?
Ask whether you owe the difference and how that would appear at closing.
Am I locked in?
Ask if the agreement is exclusive, how long it lasts, and what happens if you find a home another way.
Which homes does this cover?
DUFFY’s model is more flexible: we represent you on what DUFFY shows you.
What do I get for the fee?
Door opening is not the whole job. Ask about strategy, offer writing, negotiation, contract protection, lender work, and closing support.
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