DUFFY Realty of AtlantaBuyer Agreements · Understand Before You Sign
Understand Your Buyer Agreement Before You Sign

Know the fee, the services and what happens if the seller pays less.

Many real estate professionals must enter into a written buyer agreement with you before touring a home. The agreement should state the services, compensation and terms clearly. If seller-paid compensation is lower than the fee you agreed to, you may be responsible for the difference unless the transaction is negotiated another way.

Buy With DUFFY See DUFFY Finder Fee

Buyer Representation

Representation should protect the buyer without trapping them in confusion.

The right home still needs clear compensation, careful contract review and a buyer who understands the agreement before signing.

Bright home interior — Buyers still want the right house.

DUFFY buyer check proof — The compensation model has to be clear.

DUFFY contract proof — The paperwork matters.

The buyer agreement is now one of the most important documents to read before touring.

Offers of buyer-agent compensation are no longer displayed in the MLS. Seller-paid compensation may still be available and can be addressed outside the MLS or negotiated in the purchase agreement.

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.

The safest starting point is simple: understand the services, the fee and the exit terms before you sign.

How DUFFY Approaches Buyer Representation

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.

Get In Fast1.5% Buyer FeeFinder Fee Clarity

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.

A written agreement can create clarity. The problem is signing before you understand the fee, the scope and what could be due at closing.

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

Compensation

What exactly am I agreeing to pay?

The amount or rate should be clear, specific, and not open-ended.

Seller shortfall

What if the seller pays less?

Ask whether you owe the difference and how that would appear at closing.

Exclusivity

Am I locked in?

Ask if the agreement is exclusive, how long it lasts, and what happens if you find a home another way.

Scope

Which homes does this cover?

DUFFY’s model is more flexible: we represent you on what DUFFY shows you.

Services

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.

Exit

How do I get out?

Understand termination, carryover periods, and whether the brokerage can claim a fee later.

Ask Questions Before You Sign.

The new paperwork can put buyers in a position they were not used to: deciding whether to buy a home while also deciding whether to pay a buyer-agent fee gap.

DUFFY explains it plainly. Our 1.5% model lowers the risk of that gap and may create the Finder Fee when seller-paid compensation is higher than our fee.

If you have questions, call us. We will explain it again. DUFFY explains the agreement in plain English so you can decide whether the relationship and the fee make sense for you.

Questions Buyers Ask About Written Agreements

What changed for buyers after the NAR settlement?

MLS participants working with buyers generally must have a written buyer agreement before touring a home. That agreement must clearly state how the buyer’s agent will be paid.

Can a buyer owe money at closing if the seller does not pay the full buyer-agent fee?

Yes. If your buyer agreement says your agent is owed 3% and the seller-paid buyer compensation is only 2.5%, you may be responsible for the missing 0.5% unless the deal is negotiated differently.

What is DUFFY’s buyer representation fee?

DUFFY’s buyer representation fee is 1.5%, not an automatic 3%.

Does DUFFY require an exclusive buyer agreement for every home?

DUFFY’s model is designed to be more flexible. DUFFY represents you on what DUFFY shows you and helps you understand the agreement before you move forward.

Why should buyers call DUFFY before signing with another agent?

Because the buyer agreement can control what you owe, how long you are bound, whether you are exclusive, and what happens if seller-paid compensation is lower than your agent’s fee.

Buyer Representation Should Protect You—and the Money Should Be Clear.

DUFFY’s 1.5% buyer fee comes with clear agreement terms, fast access, offer strategy and protection through the purchase.

Buy With DUFFY See Finder Fee

Buyer Protection

See The Buyer 24/7 Protection Timeline

DUFFY’s crown-jewel buyer roadmap helps you investigate the house, neighborhood, money, offer, and contract before regret gets expensive.

See Buyer Timeline

Proof

See Real DUFFY Buyer Checks

Real clients, real checks, and years of proof that DUFFY’s buyer model is not a theory.

See The Proof

See How DUFFY Works

See the process DUFFY has refined for Atlanta buyers and sellers since 2002.

Explore the process, the proof and the fee before choosing an agent.