Buyer Broker Agreements: What Tampa Bay & Pinellas County Homebuyers Should Know
By Sean Ellman, REALTOR® – CENTURY 21 Beggins Enterprises
The real estate world has seen some major updates recently, and one of the biggest changes affecting buyers in Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay area is the new requirement for Buyer Broker Agreements before an agent can show homes listed in the MLS.
This might sound like a big shift — but the purpose is simple: clarity, transparency, and a better understanding of who represents whom in the homebuying process.
Why Buyer Broker Agreements Are Now Needed
In the past, buyers often viewed homes with an agent without ever signing anything. Even though the agent was helping the buyer, the relationship wasn’t always clearly defined in writing.
Before the industry changes, sellers typically offered compensation that covered both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. This was standard practice, and it allowed buyers to receive professional representation without paying their agent directly in most cases.
Now, buyer representation is still absolutely available — and sellers can still choose to offer compensation to the buyer’s agent — but the structure has changed in a few key ways.
What Changed?
1. Buyer Broker Agreements are required for MLS home showings
Before an agent can show you properties listed on the MLS (even for the first time), a written Buyer Broker Agreement must be signed. This ensures you and your agent have a clearly defined working relationship.
2. The MLS cannot display offers of compensation to buyer brokers
In the past, MLS listings included a field showing how much the seller was offering to pay a buyer’s agent. This field no longer appears in the MLS.
This doesn’t mean sellers can’t offer compensation — they absolutely still can — but it is no longer advertised on the MLS itself.
3. Compensation is now discussed directly between the buyer and their agent
Since compensation isn’t displayed in the MLS, the Buyer Broker Agreement outlines how the buyer’s agent may be paid.
If the seller offers compensation, that can still cover the buyer agent’s fee.
If not, the buyer and agent will discuss options ahead of time so there are no surprises.
What a Buyer Broker Agreement Really Does
Buyer Broker Agreements are not meant to complicate the homebuying process — they’re designed to simplify it. They:
Clarify the working relationship between you and your agent
Outline what services the agent will provide
Explain how compensation may work
Ensure transparency before touring MLS homes
In busy markets like St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Seminole, Largo, and across Tampa Bay, having everything in writing helps eliminate confusion and creates a smoother experience from the very first showing.
A More Transparent Homebuying Experience
The goal of all these changes is to give buyers a clearer understanding of representation and compensation. Even though the process looks a little different now, buyers still have full access to professional representation — and sellers can still choose to cover those costs.
At the end of the day, the Buyer Broker Agreement simply puts the relationship in writing before the home-touring process begins, ensuring clarity for everyone involved.
Buying in Pinellas County or Tampa Bay? I’m Here to Help.
Whether you’re considering a waterfront condo, a single-family home, or an investment property anywhere in Tampa Bay, I’m here to guide you with straightforward, personal, and transparent service.
Sean Ellman
REALTOR®, CENTURY 21 Beggins Enterprises
📞 727-717-0440
📧 SeanEllman@c21be.com
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