Last updated October 18, 2026
Usually still the seller, but it’s negotiated now, not automatic. After the August 2024 NAR settlement, sellers aren’t required to offer buyer-agent compensation and can’t publish it in the MLS. Many St. Louis sellers still offer it because it widens the buyer pool. If the seller doesn’t pay, the buyer’s written agreement decides what the buyer owes. What the settlement changed ↓
Two things. If you work with a buyer’s agent, NAR rules require a written agreement that spells out their compensation before they tour a home with you. And offers of buyer-agent compensation can no longer be made through the MLS, though most St. Louis sellers still offer it. What the settlement changed ↓
The current norm in St. Louis when sellers offer buyer agent compensation runs 2.5% to 3% of the sale price. The right amount depends on price point, market conditions, and property characteristics. In lower price ranges and slower market conditions, offering competitive compensation matters more for attracting qualified buyers. What to offer ↓
Buyers with signed representation agreements are contractually required to pay their agent if the seller does not. This creates a financial barrier for many buyers -- particularly first-time buyers who cannot absorb additional out-of-pocket costs. Sellers who offer no compensation may see their buyer pool narrow, particularly in lower price ranges. What it means in practice ↓
If you tour with a buyer’s agent, yes. NAR rules since August 2024 require a written agreement that spells out their compensation before they tour a home with you, and since August 28, 2025, Missouri requires the agreement to be signed before an agent provides brokerage services to you as your agent. Have the compensation conversation before you walk through the first door. If you’re buying ↓
The August 2024 NAR settlement changed how buyer agent compensation is communicated -- but the practical reality for most St. Louis sellers is less dramatic than the headlines suggested. Here is what actually changed, what did not, and what sellers need to know before they list.
Before the settlement, seller-offered buyer agent compensation was published in the MLS and was a standard part of how listings were marketed. After the settlement, two things changed:
What did not change: sellers can still offer to pay buyer agent compensation as part of the transaction, and many do.
In the St. Louis market, the practical effect has been limited. Most sellers continue to offer buyer agent compensation because it expands the buyer pool and reduces friction in the transaction. The conversation has shifted from an automatic MLS publication to a negotiated term, but the outcome in most transactions is similar.
Sellers who offer zero buyer agent compensation do see their buyer pool narrow. Buyers with signed buyer representation agreements are contractually obligated to pay their agent if the seller does not -- and many buyers, particularly first-time buyers, cannot absorb that additional cost on top of a down payment and closing costs. This reduces the number of qualified buyers who will submit offers.
Countering on commission can also cost you the buyer you already have. On a 2026 estate sale in Fenton, the sellers countered their only offer by refusing to pay buyer-agent compensation. The buyers were ready to walk. They stayed, paid it themselves, and still turned out to be the highest offer once others came in. How that sale played out →
The current market norm in St. Louis for buyer agent compensation, when offered by the seller, runs 2.5% to 3% of the sale price. On a $250,000 home, that is $6,250 to $7,500.
Factors that affect whether to offer, and how much:
Total commission in St. Louis post-settlement typically still runs 5% to 7%, structured as the listing agent's fee plus the buyer agent compensation. The way it is documented and communicated has changed; the overall cost to sellers in most transactions has not changed significantly.
Since August 2024, buyer agents must have a signed written representation agreement before showing a home. These agreements specify how the buyer agent will be compensated. Sellers interacting with represented buyers should understand that:
If you work with a buyer’s agent, you now sign a written agreement that spells out their compensation before they tour a home with you. Since August 28, 2025, Missouri also requires that agreement to be signed before an agent provides brokerage services to you as your agent. The compensation conversation that used to happen vaguely at the closing table now happens at the start.
Before you sign, ask what the agent charges, whether a seller offer covers it, what happens if the seller offers less, and how you can cancel. An agent who’s defensive about those questions is telling you something.
If a seller isn’t offering compensation, you can ask the seller to pay your agent as a term of your offer, structure the price to account for it, or pay what your agreement says. This is less common in St. Louis than national coverage suggests, but know your terms before you write the offer. On San Luis Drive in Fenton, my buyers paid it and were still all in at $323,000, $27,000 under their $350,000 budget. Read the San Luis lesson →
The cancellation clause matters more now. Because you’re signing a compensation agreement up front, make sure it includes a termination provision you can actually use.
What didn’t change: what your agent owes you under Missouri law, the Zillow lead model and the difference a prepared, local agent makes. The settlement changed the paperwork, not the quality of representation.
Some buyers, particularly investors or experienced repeat buyers, will approach sellers without representation. In these cases, no buyer agent compensation is owed to anyone. However, unrepresented buyers may negotiate harder, are more likely to be sophisticated about pricing, and remove the intermediary that often facilitates a smoother transaction process. There are legitimate reasons to work with an unrepresented buyer -- and reasons to be cautious.
Missouri allows dual agency -- where one agent represents both the buyer and seller in the same transaction. It requires disclosure and the consent of both the buyer and the seller, and the agent then works within limits for both sides: they can’t tell the buyer you’d take less, or tell you the buyer would pay more, without that party’s consent. The commission structure in dual agency transactions is negotiable.
For sellers
In most transactions, no -- not significantly. Total commission in St. Louis still typically runs 5 to 7 percent. The settlement changed how compensation is communicated and documented, not the underlying economics of a transaction that requires agent representation on both sides.
Yes. Sellers can still agree to pay the buyer’s agent, and that’s now a term negotiated in the offer instead of a number published in the MLS. Written buyer agreements ↓
No. When a buyer comes in without an agent, no buyer-agent compensation is owed to anyone. Unrepresented buyers can be sophisticated about price and may negotiate harder, so there are reasons to welcome them and reasons to be careful. Unrepresented buyers ↓
Yes, with disclosure and the consent of both the buyer and the seller. The agent then can’t share either side’s negotiating position without that party’s consent. Dual agency for buyers →
For buyers
It created more transparency and negotiability. Commission structures have shifted somewhat but haven’t collapsed. The bigger change is that buyers who work with an agent now agree to compensation before touring, which opens a direct conversation about value.
You have options: ask the seller to pay your agent’s fee as a contract term, structure your offer price to account for it, or know exactly what you owe under your agreement. The key is knowing your agreement terms before you make an offer, not under deadline pressure. If you’re buying ↓
What percentage does the agent charge? Is it covered by a seller offer, or are you responsible for any gap? What happens if the seller offers less than the agreed amount? And how do you cancel if the relationship isn’t working? None of those questions is rude. Seven questions for any agent →
This is one piece of the St. Louis seller decision process. Keep comparing your options before you sign anything.
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Grew up in South St. Louis, lived in Dogtown for 6 years, now in South County. You'll find us at Wellspring on Lindbergh on Sundays. I'm not selling you a house — I'm showing you how to think about buying or selling a house.