There was an opinion piece published today on Inman News by Eric Bramlett that suggests that fears of a widespread shift in commission payments from sellers to buyers are overblown. Bramlett argues, “Sellers are primarily concerned with the net proceeds they’ll receive and the overall terms of the contract.” While I agree that many sellers will still “pay” the buyer’s agent commission, I don’t believe the traditional commission structure will endure. In fact, the St. Louis Association of REALTORS® is in the process of updating the forms that most of the St Louis area REALTORS®, including listing agreement. In this updated version, the seller will only be charged commission for the listing agent, with no provision for offering commission to a buyer’s agent. However, I expect that in many cases, buyers will negotiate for the seller to cover their agent’s commission as part of the overall deal—bringing more transparency to the process and putting the negotiation front and center.
As I’ve emphasized in prior articles about the NAR/Sitzer settlement, the real impact of these changes will be in how commissions are discussed and handled, not whether they are eliminated. This is a pivotal time for agents to educate their clients on the evolving commission landscape, ensuring buyers and sellers both understand who is paying for what and why. At MORE, REALTORS®, we’ve been preparing for this shift, and we’re committed to guiding our clients through these changes with clear communication and expert advice.
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