When you say "keep the 3%" do you mean take it off the price of the home? The answer is almost always no if the property is listed with another agent. You would have to deal with the listing agent to contract the home and in reality the Realtor would be in a situation where he would represent neither side but facilitate the transaction. To be honest there is far more to a Real Estate transaction then you realize. Negotiation is a big part of it, but you also must know that there is a lot of things that you do not know because you are not trained in the profession. A wise lawyer once said, a man who represents himself has a fool for a client. If you are looking for a good deal, there are plenty out there but they go fast and since we see them first, it would benifit you to employ the services of a trained professional. We are here to protect your interest....

I might have an answer for you. If you want to buy without a realtor, I can sell you a house with about $10k built in equity already. It's in Converse. Go to the web link below to see the photos and then call me so I can explain how you can save the 3%, actually much more than that!!!!

No, and you would possibly even pay more. The seller is committed to pay the full commission to the broker regardless of whether the buyer is represented or not--and you would not be represented. You cannot therefore use your lack of representation to leverage a lower cost.

Unfortunately NO. You cannot be compensated due to the fact that you are not a licensed realtor....If you don't use a realtor...the total 6% or wahtever the seller has agreed to pay their listing agent is simply NOT "split" with a buyer's agent....Therefore ...get representation to help you, it costs YOU nothing...

Yep, if someone bought my home w/o using a realtor, I would give the 3% to them, what difference does it make to me? If I find a buyer and bring them to the deal, I pay only a 2% commission. So there is more money to go to closing costs, lowering the price or? I have already “spent” that money on commissions in my head, so I don’t care who gets it. i just want to sell my house. I actually have 2 prices on my home. One for the standard 2 realtor deal, and one for those who go through me and use my realtor.

One realtor can do everything, to me the reason to use your own realtor is for negotiations in price. if you have a person like me who will show you openly the situation, why use a 2nd realtor?

In general though, most of the time i would use my own realtor because seller usually tries to save every cent. But in this market, you can ask for the moon.

Unfortunately no...The seller's agent pays his agent an agreed commission and IF there is a buyer's agent, then the listing agent would split that. Therefore, the seller who is doing the paying doesn't really save anything to pass along to you....However, you MAY get a better "deal" if buying from a builder that does not have to pay a realtor??

no. in most states, only licensed agents can receive a commission

If the seller is using an agent, that seller and agent have already agreed on a commission. Generally, the seller has agreed to pay the commission whether there is only one Realtor involved or whether there's a Realtor representing the seller and another representing the buyer. That's the agreement between the seller and the agent.

Your agent would be receiving a share (in your question, 3%) from the commission paid by the seller. If you don't have an agent, the seller's agent keeps it all. (Well, some probably goes to the agent's broker. But the point is, it all stays on that side.)

So you wouldn't be able to keep that 3%. And the cost to the seller would be just the same, whether you were represented by an agent or not.

Gilbert... do you work for a 501 (c)(3)? ... wait they even don't work for free.... huh.. please explain how yall can forfeit your commissions? Is SABOR and TAR letting you off the hook for dues? ok.. I'll figure it out somehow! :)

I know this may be a bit too late, but we can help you search for a home through our local MLS, our agency allows us to forfeit our commission and use it towards your closing. Give us a call 210 521-6264 Simplysold San Antonio

A true story ....A buyer thought he could at least get the list price down for 3% or more if he went negotiating on his own. Unfortunately he only knock down about 1% and seller's agent made additional 0.75% to help him write up the contract!

The offer of compensation is made by the listing broker to cooperating broker members of the MLS. So if you don't use an agent the listing agent gets the full commission. Why not use an agent to represent your interests? It doesn't cost you any more.

Interesting question Tran To:

I've just recently run into someone whom believes that they are doing themselves a favor by representing themselves as a buyer, doing all the work and then are expecting to be able to lower their offer by 3% because they are "saving" a commission? This wouldn't be you now would it? :) Just kidding... I'm sure it's not!

I'm sure that person is going to bad mouth me and say "all Realtors" are slime because I took the time to "try" and educate them, but I guess there are such stubborn people in this world that believe they are professionals and experts in real estate that I should probably not waste my time with them? But since you are most certainly not them by seeking out advice on this forum.. here's the bottomline:

Buyer's whom believe they can do it all themselves, refuse representation and still "think" they are saving the buyer's commission are usually my BEST friend as a listing agent! I can sit back, protect my seller's interests up and down and STILL collect the FULL COMMISSION that was agreed to initially in the listing agreement! THERE IS NO SAVINGS TO THE BUYER HERE!! JUST MORE HEADACHES & WORK!!

My opinion is obviously... GET A REALTOR.. as a buyer it's already being paid for by the seller... WHY NOT USE IT? It's sort of like refusing FULL insurance coverage on a rental car that they have already included in the price whether you use it or not... if you still refuse it and the rental rate is still the same... then I'd have to ask... "are you feeling ok?" :) Best of luck.

Tran,

No, you cannot keep the 3%. It belongs to the seller. It only goes to the buyer's agent when the sale is successful. It is part of the deal and has nothing to do with the buyer.

You are ill advised to go it alone. There are many areas within and during a transaction a real estate agent is invaluable to a buyer.

Please consider using a local professional to assist you in your purchase.

Good luck!

Dominick Dina
Christian Realty San Antonio

There are many home buyers that make attempts to get a home "discounted" by representing themselves. The commission paid to the listing agent by the seller has nothing to do with you, and you'll be hard pressed to find an agent that is willing to do twice the work, at double the liability, for the typical 3% that they would have earned if you were buying with an agent. If the agent does agree to cut his commission in 1/2, then be aware that the only agent involved in the transaction that you're involved in is being a bit foolish. Additionally, the danger in this is that you have nobody that is able to represent you in the transaction. This will OFTEN result in additional costs to you, that may typically be picked up by the seller. Remember, while the seller's agent is required to be honest and ethical in his dealings with you, the buyer, his allegiance will ALWAYS be with his client, the seller. Also, you don't have someone that can show you comparison properties, make judgements as to your sales price vs. what the property is worth, and provide assistance with the contract as items of issue come up (they always do during the contract stages). Because representation is free, it's very foolish to turn down this service. In what may be one of the largest transactions of your life, as the saying goes, often the cheap becomes more expensive. Give me a call at 210 521 0068, and I'll be happy to give you a bit more information on how I can save you money in this transaction.

Only a realtor can be paid the 3% do you know anything about contract law? Do you know all the legal procedures the Texas requires in order to sale a property? Do you know the market value of the property? Do you have an inspector? Do you have a title company? JUST A FEW ITEMS... this is only the start. AND DO YOU HAVE E & O insurance if something goes wrong you have an attorney who can represent you?
http://www.lynn911.com

If the 3% is considered a commission then NO, non-licensed people cannot collect a commission except for attorneys. If you are buying a FSBO and they are offering 3% to a buyer's agent, then you may be able to ask for a reduction in price in that amount but you cannot collect it as cash.

If the house is already listed with a Realtor, the seller has already agreed in writing to a specific amount to pay their agent and that agent in turn will offer a portion of it to any agent that brings a buyer. If you don't want to be represented, then that listing agent will get the whole commission.

Why would you not want to have someone represent you?

Naima