The NAR settlement changed everything about how buyer agents get paid. Since August 2024, sellers are no longer required to offer compensation to the buyer's agent — which means buyers are now directly responsible for negotiating and paying their own representation fees.
That shift created a once-in-a-generation opportunity for buyers who ask the right questions. Here are five that could save you tens of thousands of dollars at closing.
1. "What Exactly Will I Pay You, and How Is It Calculated?"
Most traditional agents still charge 2.5% to 3% of the purchase price. On a $750,000 home, that is $18,750 to $22,500. On a $1.2 million home, it is $30,000 to $36,000. The higher the price, the more you pay — even though the work involved is roughly the same.
Flat-fee brokerages like ShopProp charge a fixed amount based on price tier instead of a percentage. Buyer fees start at $1,995 for homes under $700K, with higher tiers for higher-priced homes ($3,995 for $700K–$1M, $4,995 for $1M–$2M, and $7,995 for homes over $2M). The difference between a percentage fee and a flat fee on a $1 million home is roughly $20,000 — cash that stays in your pocket at closing.
2. "Are You a Managing Broker or a Sales Agent?"
This question surprises most buyers because they have never heard the distinction. A managing broker holds the highest real estate license available in their state. They can supervise other agents, operate independently, and carry fiduciary responsibility directly to clients.
A sales agent, by contrast, works under a managing broker's supervision. That does not make them incompetent, but it does mean there is an extra layer between you and the person ultimately responsible for your transaction.
ShopProp is led by Rob Luecke, a managing broker with 19 years of experience and over 4,000 closed transactions. That is not a marketing line — it is a credential that matters when negotiations get complicated or a deal is at risk of falling apart.
3. "If the Seller Offers Compensation, What Happens to It?"
Some sellers still offer buyer agent compensation through the MLS. When that happens, a traditional 2.5% agent keeps the full amount — even if the seller offered 3% and the agent's agreement says 2.5%. The extra half percent vanishes into the brokerage.
With a flat-fee model, the math is transparent. If the seller offers 2.5% on a $1 million home ($25,000) and your flat fee is $4,995, the remaining $20,005 comes back to you as a rebate at closing. That is real money applied to your closing costs or received as cash back, depending on your state's rules.
4. "How Many States Are You Licensed In?"
If you are relocating — or comparing markets across state lines — working with a brokerage licensed in multiple states simplifies everything. You get consistent service, consistent pricing, and one relationship instead of three.
ShopProp is licensed in eight states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. That covers major metros from the Bay Area to Austin to Honolulu to Northern Virginia.
5. "Can You Show Me Your Actual Closed Transactions?"
Any agent can claim experience. Fewer can show a verified track record. ShopProp has closed over 4,000 transactions since 2007, including two luxury deals in 2025 that saved clients a combined $512,000 in commissions — a $10.2 million Atherton estate and a $5.5 million Honolulu waterfront property.
Those are not hypothetical savings. They are documented closings where buyers kept six figures that would have gone to percentage-based agent fees.
The Bottom Line
The post-NAR-settlement market rewards buyers who treat agent fees like any other negotiable closing cost. Ask these five questions before you sign a buyer representation agreement, and you will know immediately whether your agent is working in your financial interest or their own.
Run your own numbers with the ShopProp Savings Calculator to see exactly how much you would keep at closing versus a traditional percentage-based agent.
Rob Luecke is a managing broker and the founder of ShopProp, a flat-fee real estate brokerage operating in AZ, CA, CO, HI, MI, TX, VA, and WA since 2007.