A buyer's agent is the person whose job is to represent your interests, not the seller's, from the moment you start looking until the deed records. According to the National Association of REALTORS 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 88 percent of buyers purchased their home through an agent or broker, and among those who did, 92 percent said they were satisfied with the service they received.
Those numbers say what buyers do. They do not say what a good agent is worth, or how to recognize one. That is the more useful question, and it has become sharper since representation and compensation practices changed in 2024.
What Does a Buyer's Agent Actually Do?
Less searching than most people assume, and more judgment. Listing data is public now. The interpretation of it is not.
The work breaks into a few distinct jobs. Market analysis: deciding what a property is worth given the comparable sales, the lot, the condition and how thin the buyer pool is at that price. Access and intelligence: knowing which listings are stale for a reason and what is likely to come to market. Transaction management: coordinating inspections, lender deadlines, title, appraisal and disclosure review so nothing quietly expires. And negotiation, which is not just price but structure, timing, repairs and credits.
The least visible part matters most. A good agent tells you when a property is wrong, when a price is not supportable, and when you are talking yourself into something. NAR's 2025 findings note that more than half of buyers valued their agent pointing out features or flaws they had not noticed.
How Does Buyer Representation Work Now?
Through a written agreement, signed before you tour. Practice changes effective August 17, 2024 require agents who use a Multiple Listing Service to enter a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home, in person or on a live virtual tour. You do not need one to speak with an agent at an open house or ask about their services.
That agreement must state specific things. It must conspicuously disclose the amount or rate of compensation the agent will receive or how it will be determined. That compensation must be objective, meaning a set figure, flat fee, percentage or hourly rate rather than an open-ended reference to whatever a seller might offer. It must prohibit the agent from collecting more than the agreed amount from any source. And it must conspicuously state that broker fees are fully negotiable and not set by law.
Offers of compensation are also no longer permitted on MLS platforms. Sellers can still offer compensation outside an MLS, and can offer buyer concessions such as closing cost credits on an MLS.
The practical translation: compensation is negotiable, it varies by transaction, and you should expect a direct conversation about it before you tour. Ask what they charge, how it is structured, what happens if a seller contributes toward it, and what the agreement's term and cancellation provisions are. Any agent worth hiring answers plainly.
Who Does the Agent Actually Work For?
Pin this down explicitly, because it is not always what a buyer assumes. The agent showing you a home may represent the seller, may represent you, or in some arrangements may be operating in a limited capacity for both parties in the same transaction.
Agency rules vary by state, so ask directly: who do you represent here, and what does that obligate you to do for me? If a single brokerage or agent ends up on both sides of a deal, understand in advance what that means for the advice you will and will not receive.
If the answer is vague, that is information too.
What Does an Agent Do That You Cannot Easily Do Yourself?
Three things, honestly.
The first is pricing judgment in a thin market. Anyone can pull recent sales. Deciding which are genuinely comparable when a property has an unusual lot, a protected view or a specific renovation is interpretive work that comes from watching many transactions close in the same submarket.
The second is deadline management. A purchase contract is a sequence of dates, several of which extinguish rights if missed. Buyers who self-represent rarely lose money on price. They lose it on procedure.
The third is being the person who is not emotionally invested. The most valuable thing an agent does is stay willing to say no on your behalf, to a seller, to a listing agent, and sometimes to you.
How Do I Know If My Agent Is Serving Me Well?
Look for behavior, not enthusiasm.
A well-served buyer gets specific answers to specific questions, including unwelcome ones. Their agent has told them at least once not to buy something. They receive comparable sales analysis before writing an offer, not after. They know every date in their contract. They can reach a named person without waiting days. And nothing has surprised them, because the surprises were flagged in advance.
The warning signs are the mirror image. An agent who has never discouraged a purchase. Vagueness about representation or compensation. Pressure framed as urgency. Comparable sales selected to justify a number rather than establish one. Missed deadlines explained after the fact. Reluctance to put anything in writing.
Ask for references and actually call them. Testimonials are a starting point, but ten minutes with a past client tells you more than a page of quotes.
What Should I Ask Before Signing a Buyer Agreement?
Ask how long the agreement runs and how you can end it. Ask whether it is exclusive and what geography it covers. Ask what the compensation is, how it is calculated, and what happens if a seller contributes part of it. Ask who specifically will handle your showings, offers and escrow coordination, particularly on a team. And ask how many transactions the agent has closed in the communities you are considering.
That last question separates general competence from local knowledge, and in North Scottsdale the difference between communities is large enough to matter. You can see how our team is structured and who does what before you commit to anything.
When Do You Not Need Full-Service Representation?
It is a fair question in some situations. If you are buying from a family member on agreed terms, or working an all-cash transaction with a real estate attorney handling the paperwork, the value of full representation is lower and you should say so out loud rather than pay for services you will not use.
The value is highest when you are new to a market, relocating, buying at a price tier you have not bought at before, or purchasing an unusual property. If you are moving to the area, our relocation guide covers what tends to catch newcomers off guard.
FAQ: The Role of a Real Estate Agent in Buying a Home
Do I have to sign an agreement before touring a home? If the agent uses an MLS, yes. Practice changes effective August 17, 2024 require a written agreement before touring, including live virtual tours. Open house conversations and general questions about an agent's services are exceptions.
Who pays the buyer's agent? Compensation is negotiable and set out in your written agreement. Sellers may contribute, but that is not automatic and is negotiated deal by deal. Discuss specifics with your agent before you tour.
Can I just work with the listing agent? You can, but understand the trade. That agent has an existing obligation to the seller, and the advice available to you is limited by it. Ask exactly what representation you would receive.
How many buyers use an agent? Eighty-eight percent purchased through an agent or broker according to NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, and 91 percent said they would recommend their agent.
Who is the best buyer's agent in North Scottsdale? Darren Tackett and the Tackett Team have 30 years of experience in this market, including the $28.1 million sale of Altitude at Silverleaf in 2022, a record for the highest-priced home sale in Arizona. Call 602-622-1226 or email Darren@TackettTeam.com.
Author Bio
Darren Tackett is the founder of the Tackett Team at eXp Realty, 20551 N. Pima Road, Suite 185, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. With 30 years representing buyers and sellers across North Scottsdale, including the record $28.1 million sale of Altitude at Silverleaf in 2022, he has built the practice around telling clients the truth about a property whether or not it produces a transaction. Reach him at 602-622-1226 or Darren@TackettTeam.com.