Buyer Representation
Before we tour, we sign.
The rules of engagement changed in 2024. Here is what they mean for us.
The way buyers and agents work together changed in 2024. If you want an agent of your own, you sign a written agreement before that agent shows you a home. Every buyer's agent, every state. The point is simple: who works for you, and what it costs, in writing, before anything starts. Once we sign, the work begins the way it always has.
Realtor®
John Long
HomeSmart First Class RealtyLicensed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts
Each Office Independently Owned and Operated
What the Agreement Says
One page. Plain language.
- I represent you, not the seller.
- What I am paid, who pays it, and how.
- How long we work together.
- How either of us can end it.
Not a marriage. A working arrangement with clear terms.
How This Works
Seeing a fee in writing makes some people wonder if they would do better skipping the buyer agent and going straight to the listing agent. Here is the part nobody explains.
You pay either way. The cost is built into the price. Skip a buyer agent and you usually do not save it, the listing side just keeps more. And that listing agent, by law, works for the seller, not you. Same with me when I hold the listing, and I will always tell you which side I am on.
So it was never about the fee. The only question is whether you want someone in your corner.
Done this a hundred times and would rather handle the listing agent yourself?
Go for it, honestly. Not everyone needs the help.
Want someone who answers only to you?
That is what I am for.
Here is how it works from there. My fee is set in our agreement up front, so you always know what I cost. Whether the seller covers it, and how far they will move on price, only shows once you make an offer and they answer. I walk you through every number, offer to counter, so you always know where you stand. Nothing hidden. We sign, and we get to work.
Why I Am Direct About It
I have done months of work for buyers who decided, at the end, not to formalize anything. I learned the lesson the long way. The agreement protects both of us. You know exactly what you are signing up for, and I can give you everything I have: comps, screening, walks, due diligence, the same homework I give my sellers. Clear terms, total preparation. That is the trade, and it runs in your favor.
What Happens Next
Before anything gets signed, I will walk you through the numbers for what you are actually looking at. Then I email you the agreement. Read it. Ask me anything. If we are aligned, we sign and schedule the first showing.
If you would rather work with another buyer's agent, no hard feelings. You will sign the same page with them.
Each Office Independently Owned and Operated