What Does a Buyer's Agent Actually Do, and How Does the Agent Get Paid?

A buyer's agent works for you through the whole purchase, and the pay is written down before you ever walk into a home. If you're wary of agents, that's a fair place to start, so let me lay it out.

I'm a Home Buying Realtor in Franklin, WI. Here's what I do, how the pay works, and what to ask any agent you're thinking of hiring.

• Explains each step so you know what's coming before it happens
• Finds homes that fit your list and shows them to you
• Tells you what a home is likely worth, using recent sales
• Writes your offer and negotiates it
• Keeps track of the deadlines in the contract
• Works with your lender, the inspector, and the title company so nothing gets missed
• Tells you the truth, including when I wouldn't buy a certain home

That last one matters most to me. If I don't think a house is right for you, I'll say so.

Before I take you into a home, you and I sign a buyer agency agreement. It puts in writing what I'll do for you, how long the agreement lasts, and how I'm paid. It doesn't come up in our first conversation. It comes up before your first showing, and I go through it with you line by line.

Compensation is negotiable. It isn't set by law.

Here's the part to read carefully: if the seller's side offers less than what's written in your agreement, the difference can fall to you. That's one reason I want you to see it in writing before you start looking, not at the closing table.

1. What exactly will you do for me?
2. How are you paid, and who pays?
3. What happens if the seller pays less than the agreement says?
4. How long does the agreement last, and what if I want out?
5. Will I get all of this in writing before I look at a home?

If an agent can't answer those clearly, keep looking.

Talking with me costs nothing. You can ask questions long before you're ready to sign. I'd rather you understand the agreement than sign it because I asked.

You should feel comfortable asking me anything, and I should be easy to reach. If you send a text, I answer. Fit matters as much as the numbers, because we'll talk a lot over the next few weeks, and you want to feel at ease doing it.

If you're in Franklin and want to understand how it works before you pick anyone, call me. I'm a Realtor in Franklin, WI, and a Franklin WI real estate agent who answers the phone. I'll answer every question, including the awkward ones about money. No pressure.

See how I sell homes in Franklin and how I help buyers in Franklin. I'm Rich Barnes with Realty Experts, and I answer the phone: 414-899-8146.