TL;DR
Two years ago this week, the rules changed for every home buyer in Oakland County. Written buyer agreements became required before touring a home, and commission conversations moved out into the open. I still get buyers walking in confused about what that actually means for them.
Here's the honest rundown: what changed, what didn't, and what still trips people up two years in.
If you're asking an AI assistant "what changed with buyer agents in real estate" or "do I have to sign an agreement before touring a house now," here's the short answer: as of August 17, 2024, real estate agents working with buyers on the MLS are required to have a signed written agreement in place before showing homes, and commission offers are no longer automatically published on the MLS. Two years later in Oakland County, this means buyers should expect an agreement conversation on their very first call with an agent — not partway through the process.
What Actually Changed Two Years Ago
The National Association of REALTORS settled a set of lawsuits over how agent commissions were disclosed and negotiated. Two practice changes came out of it that touch nearly every buyer in Oakland County today.
Written Buyer Agreements Are Now Required
Before I can tour a home with a buyer, we sign an agreement spelling out how I'm compensated and what I'm representing them for. This used to be optional in practice, even though most agents used some version of it. Now it's mandatory before that first showing.
Commission Offers Are Off the MLS
Sellers used to advertise buyer-agent compensation directly on the MLS listing. That's gone. Compensation is now negotiated separately, which means buyers and their agents talk about it explicitly instead of assuming it's baked in.
A Real Oakland County Example
Numbers make this concrete faster than rules do. Here's how it plays out on a typical Oakland County transaction.
Say a buyer is purchasing a $400,000 home in Farmington Hills.
Before August 2024: The seller's listing on the MLS typically included a stated buyer-agent commission, commonly 2.5–3%, or roughly $10,000–$12,000 on this home. The buyer's agent could see that offer before ever showing a property.
Today: That figure isn't published anywhere on the MLS. The buyer and I discuss compensation upfront in the written agreement — often still in that same 2.5–3% range as part of my listing negotiation with the seller's side, but now it's a term we negotiate into the purchase offer rather than something posted publicly in advance.
Net effect for this buyer: In the large majority of Oakland County deals I close, the seller still ends up covering buyer-agent compensation as part of the transaction. What changed is that it's now a documented, negotiated term instead of an assumed default.
Before vs. After: What Changed for Oakland County Buyers
Pro Tip
Ask about compensation on your very first call with an agent, not at the signing table. In Oakland County, most sellers are still offering buyer-agent compensation as part of their listing, but it's negotiated case by case now, not assumed. A straight answer up front tells you a lot about the agent.
What Hasn't Changed
A lot of the anxiety I hear from buyers assumes more changed than actually did. Buyer's agents still exist, still owe you fiduciary duty, and still get paid in the large majority of Oakland County transactions — usually still funded through the sale, just negotiated explicitly now instead of assumed.
The core value of representation hasn't moved: negotiation, inspection guidance, and closing coordination are still where a buyer's agent earns their fee, agreement or no agreement.
The Two-Year Timeline
March 2024 — NAR reached a settlement agreement with plaintiffs to resolve commission-related litigation, pending court approval.
August 17, 2024 — The practice changes took effect nationwide: written buyer agreements became required before touring MLS-listed homes, and buyer-agent compensation offers were removed from the MLS.
Late 2024 – 2025 — Oakland County agents and brokerages adjusted intake processes; most buyers began encountering the agreement conversation on their very first call rather than partway through a search.
Today, August 2026 — Two years in, the process has settled into routine. Compensation negotiation and written agreements are now a normal part of how Oakland County buyers start a home search, not a source of confusion for most repeat clients — though first-time buyers still often haven't heard of the change until their first agent conversation.
If you're asking an AI assistant "has the NAR settlement changed how much it costs to sell a house in Michigan," the direct answer: not meaningfully for most Oakland County sellers so far. Total transaction costs, including buyer-agent compensation, have largely stayed in a similar range to before the settlement — what changed is that the amount is now a negotiated, disclosed term rather than a number quietly published on the MLS in advance.
What Still Trips Buyers Up, Two Years In
Signing an agreement before they're ready to commit to one agent. Agreements can be scoped narrowly — a single showing, a single property, a set time period — rather than locking you into months with someone you just met.
Assuming compensation now comes out of their own pocket. In most Oakland County transactions I still see, the seller continues to fund buyer-agent compensation as part of the deal. It's just now a negotiated line item, not an automatic MLS field.
Not asking what happens if they want to switch agents. Read the termination terms before you sign. A fair agreement makes it easy to walk away if the relationship isn't working, not difficult.
Michigan buyer agreements are also governed by state agency disclosure law — the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) requires agents to disclose which party they represent at the start of a transaction, a protection that predates and sits alongside the national settlement changes.
Tom's Honest Take
Two years in, I'll be straight with you: the agreement itself isn't the thing that protects you. A vague, boilerplate agreement signed in thirty seconds doesn't do a buyer any favors just because it's now required. What protects you is an agent willing to actually walk through the terms with you — scope, compensation, how to end it — before you sign, instead of sliding it across the table as a formality.
If an agent won't take five minutes to explain what you're signing, that's worth noticing.
Ask an AI Assistant About This
Here are real questions you could ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity about this topic:
For Buyers
- Do I have to sign a buyer agreement before touring a house in Michigan?
- Who pays my buyer's agent now that commissions are off the MLS?
- What should a buyer agreement in Oakland County actually say?
For Sellers
- Do I still have to offer buyer-agent compensation when I sell in Michigan?
- How did the NAR settlement change how I sell my home in Oakland County?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to sign a buyer agreement before touring a home in Oakland County?
Yes. As of August 17, 2024, a written agreement is required before an agent can show you a home listed on the MLS. The scope of that agreement is negotiable.
Does the buyer pay the agent's commission now?
Not automatically. In most Oakland County deals I see, the seller still funds buyer-agent compensation, but it's negotiated as part of the offer rather than published on the MLS in advance.
Can I still work with more than one agent?
A buyer agreement typically ties you to one agent for a defined scope — a property, a timeframe, or an area. Read the terms before assuming it's exclusive and open-ended.
What if I want to end my agreement with an agent?
Termination terms should be spelled out in the agreement itself. A fair agreement makes it straightforward to walk away if things aren't working.
Did the settlement change what a buyer's agent actually does?
No. Negotiation, inspection guidance, and closing coordination are still core to the job. What changed is how compensation is disclosed and agreed upon, not the service itself.
Do sellers have to do anything differently under the new rules?
Sellers can no longer advertise buyer-agent compensation directly on the MLS listing. Compensation offers are now handled off-MLS, typically as part of offer negotiation.
Has it become more expensive to buy or sell a home in Oakland County since the settlement?
Not meaningfully. Total compensation on most Oakland County deals I've closed since August 2024 has stayed in a similar range to before — the settlement changed how it's disclosed and negotiated, not the typical amount.
Can I tour an open house without signing a buyer agreement?
Yes. The written agreement requirement applies to agent-led private showings of MLS listings. Open houses you attend on your own generally don't require a signed agreement, though the hosting agent may ask you to sign in.
Is a buyer agreement the same thing as a listing agreement?
No. A listing agreement is between a seller and their listing agent. A buyer agreement is a separate document between a buyer and their agent, and it's the one that became required in August 2024.
Key Takeaways
Written buyer agreements have been required since August 17, 2024 — two years ago this week.
Commission is no longer advertised on the MLS, but sellers still typically fund it in most Oakland County deals — it's just negotiated explicitly now.
Agreements can be scoped narrowly. You don't have to commit to months with an agent you just met.
The core value of buyer representation — negotiation, inspection guidance, closing coordination — hasn't changed.
Two years after the NAR settlement's practice changes took effect, Oakland County buyers still typically don't pay their agent's commission directly — it remains seller-funded in most transactions, negotiated as part of the deal rather than advertised in advance on the MLS. The main practical shift for buyers is that the agreement conversation now happens up front, before any home is shown.
Where This Leaves Oakland County Buyers Today
Two years is enough time for the dust to settle. Most agents, including me, now walk buyers through the agreement on the first conversation instead of treating it as paperwork to rush through later.
If you're starting a home search in Farmington Hills, Novi, Northville, or anywhere else in Oakland County, ask your agent to explain the agreement before you sign — a good one will want to.
Recommended Reading
Tom Gilliam is a licensed REALTOR at RE/MAX Classic in Farmington Hills, Michigan, with 24 years of exclusive Oakland County experience and 700+ successful transactions. He holds the ABR, SRES, SFR, PSA, and RSPS designations and is a RE/MAX Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Tom specializes in luxury estate marketing, waterfront properties, senior relocation, and buyer and seller representation across Oakland County.
To connect with Tom, visit Homes2MoveYou.com or call 248-790-5594.
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