Why Smart Sellers Focus on the Net - Not the Buyer Agent Fee

Since the NAR changes that took effect in August 2024, there’s been a lot of noise around buyer-broker fees. And while the headlines make it sound complicated, smart sellers know this: what matters most is the number you walk away with at the closing table.

Everything else is simply a lever to get there.

The Fee Is a Line Item. The Net Is the Goal.

In any sophisticated transaction - real estate included - professionals don’t fixate on individual costs in isolation. They focus on net proceeds.

A buyer-broker fee is not a penalty or a giveaway. It’s a tool. One that can:

    •    Expand your buyer pool

    •    Increase competition for your home

    •    Strengthen offers

    •    Reduce friction during negotiations

In many cases, strategically offering a buyer-broker fee can actually increase demand, which puts upward pressure on price - often more than offsetting the fee itself.

High-End Homes Require Incentives, Not Obstacles

At the luxury level, buyers are discerning, well-advised, and often represented. When a listing sends a clear signal that professional cooperation is welcomed, it removes hesitation and encourages engagement.

The opposite is also true.

If buyers or their agents perceive friction, or uncertainty around compensation, it can quietly limit showings, dampen urgency, or narrow your audience. None of that serves your bottom line.

It’s Negotiable. Always Has Been.

Buyer-broker compensation is not fixed. It’s a point of negotiation - just like price, terms, closing dates, and contingencies.

The key is to approach it strategically:

    •    What fee structure maximizes exposure?

    •    What attracts the strongest buyers?

    •    What creates leverage during negotiation?

When viewed through this lens, the conversation becomes less emotional and far more intelligent.

Why???

Sophisticated Sellers Play the Long Game

The best sellers don’t get caught up in headlines or hypotheticals. They focus on outcomes.

If paying a buyer-broker fee helps generate stronger offers, faster timelines, and a higher final sales price, then it’s not a cost. It’s an investment.

The only number that truly matters is your net.

Everything else is simply part of the strategy to get you there.