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MythBusters: “No One Will Show Your House Without Offering Buyer Agent Compensation”
Welcome to the second installment of our MythBusters series. Today we’re tackling one of the most damaging—and unfortunately, persistent—industry tactics: the claim that no one will show your home unless you offer buyer agent compensation.
This tactic, often called seller steering, is both illegal and unethical. Yet, it still happens every day. Worse, this myth may be true – buyer agents may not show a seller’s home if they do not offer industry standard compensation. We do give you a trick in the blog to hopefully stop this tactic dead in its tracks, so keep reading until the end.
How This Myth Plays Out
Here’s the common scenario:
A seller sits down with their listing agent to go over the listing agreement. The agent brings up “buyer agent compensation”—the fee that sellers traditionally offer to buyer’s agents.
- Before the rule changes, sellers were required to pay compensation to the buyer agent. The industry quickly pushed that number into the 2.5%–3% range and kept it there for decades.
- Now, sellers are no longer required to offer buyer agent compensation at all. That should be great news for consumers.
But here’s the catch: many listing agents pressure sellers to stick with the “industry standard.” Sometimes they frame it as “marketing,” or they warn: “Your house won’t be shown if you don’t offer comp.”
That’s steering. It’s wrong. And it keeps commissions artificially high.
Why Do Agents Push This?
Simple: self-interest. Today’s listing agent may be tomorrow’s buyer’s agent, and they want that commission available for them too. Instead of putting the seller’s interests first—as they are legally required to do—they pressure sellers into paying more out of their own pocket.
How to Fight Back
The good news? You have tools to push back.
1. Add a Simple Clause
With the help of an attorney, add this six-word addendum to your listing agreement:
“Submit offer of comp with offer.”
This changes the game. Compensation becomes a negotiable term—just like price, inspection deadline, and how much, if any, the seller will pay for inspection items.
2. Consider Seller Concessions
Another option: offer a seller concession instead of upfront agent compensation. For example:
“Seller concession up to $10,000 with acceptable offer.”
This gives buyers flexibility. They can use the concession to cover agent fees or other expenses, and it puts control back in your hands.
How the Myths Combine
Here’s why this myth is so dangerous: when combined with the “seller pays” myth, it locks commissions right back at 2.5%.
- The buyer agent tells the buyer not to worry, “the seller pays.”
- The seller’s agent pressures the seller to offer 2.5%.
- Both sides agree, the cycle continues, and buyer agent commissions stay at 2.5%.
Result? Nothing changes, and consumers lose. Until you come along!
What You Can Do on the Buy Side
If you’re a buyer, negotiate your agent’s fee before signing. For example, agree to 1.5% instead of 2.5%.
Why does this matter?
- If the seller is offering 2.5%, but your agent agreed to 1.5%, that’s the max they can take.
- It also makes your offer stronger when the seller saves 1% on the buyer agent commission.
- Be careful, though: some buyer agents try to amend agreements later to match a seller’s higher offer. Don’t let them. It is a rule violation.
The Bottom Line
The “no one will show your house” line is nothing more than an intimidation tactic. Armed with knowledge—and a few smart legal protections—you can break the cycle, drive down commissions, and keep more money where it belongs: in your pocket.
Remember: you are on the front lines. Every time you push back against these myths, you help create a fairer, more transparent real estate market.
Good luck out there—and keep busting those myths!
