How I work, and how I'm paid.
Most agents hope you never ask this question. I'd rather answer it before you do. Here's exactly how I get paid, who's actually working for whom in a deal, and what it looks like to work together — in plain English, before you've signed anything.
How I get paid
There are three ways a deal can go, and the money works differently in each one. None of them involve you getting surprised at closing.
If you're buying new construction
The builder typically pays my commission directly, out of their marketing budget. It is not added to your price — builders price homes the same whether you bring an agent or not, which is exactly why walking in without one is leaving protection on the table for free. And even though the builder writes the check, I work for you. I've sat on their side of that table for years; I know the difference.
If you're buying resale
Buyer's agent compensation is negotiated. Sometimes the seller offers it as part of the listing; sometimes it's set in the buyer representation agreement you and I sign together. Either way, you'll see the exact number and how it's getting paid before you sign anything, and we'll talk through it until it makes sense. If a deal ever changed what I'd earn, I'd tell you before we wrote the offer.
If you're selling
My commission is set in our listing agreement — a number we discuss and agree on up front, covering what I do to market and negotiate your home and what we offer a buyer's agent to bring you a qualified buyer. It's on paper before the sign goes in the yard.
One more thing worth saying: if the honest answer to "should I do this deal?" is no, I'll say no. It costs me money to say that sometimes. It's also why people send me their friends.
Who actually works for whom
This is the part of real estate almost nobody explains, and it's where buyers get hurt — not because anyone's evil, but because every person at the table has a job, and it helps to know whose job is what.
The builder's on-site agent is friendly, helpful, and works for the builder. That was my job for years — I was good at it, and I can tell you exactly what that role can and can't do for you. They represent the builder's interests: price, contract terms, timelines, their financing.
The listing agent on a resale home works for the seller. Their legal duty is to get the seller the best outcome. Talking to them without your own representation means negotiating against a professional with nobody in your corner.
The lender gets paid when the loan closes. Most are honest; all of them have that incentive. It's why I'll always tell you to compare the builder's in-house financing against an outside quote — sometimes the in-house deal genuinely wins, and sometimes the "incentive" costs more than it gives.
Me — I work for you, in writing, with a fiduciary duty to your interests. My whole value is that I've done nearly every other job at that table, so nothing about how the other side operates is a mystery.
Working together, step by step
A real conversation
Call, text, or the contact form — you tell me where you are, I give you a straight read on your situation. No pitch. If the timing's wrong or you'd be better served waiting, I'll say so.
A plan that fits you
Buying: we get clear on budget, areas, new build vs. resale, and financing before you fall in love with anything. Selling: I show you what your home can actually get and exactly what I'd do to get it.
The paperwork, explained
Representation agreements, disclosures, contracts — you'll understand every document before you sign it. I've read the builder contracts from the builder's side; the fine print is where I earn my keep.
Negotiation and the finish line
I negotiate hard, keep you informed at every step, and stay on the details through inspection, appraisal, and closing day. Then I stay your resource after — tax protests, refis, "what's my house worth now" — for as long as you own the place.
What you can hold me to
Every number, up front
Commission, credits, incentives, and anything that touches my compensation — you see it before you sign, not at the closing table.
The truth over the deal
If a home, a contract, or a timeline isn't right for you, I'll tell you — even when saying so costs me the transaction.
No pressure, ever
No manufactured urgency, no "three other buyers are looking at it" games. Real deadlines exist in real estate; I'll tell you which ones are real.
Have a question about any of this?
Ask it. Understanding how this business works costs you nothing, and you'll get a straight answer either way.
