Legal · NAR settlement

How buyer-agent compensation works on TurnkeyDoor.

The 2024 NAR settlement changed how real estate commissions work. Here's exactly how that affects FSBO sellers and buyers using TurnkeyDoor.

The bottom line

Buyer-agent compensation is negotiable. It is never required. If you're a FSBO seller on TurnkeyDoor, you may offer cooperative compensation, decline entirely, or negotiate per-transaction. If you're a buyer, you may bring your own buyer's agent under a written Buyer Broker Agreement, or you may contact the seller directly without an agent.

What changed in August 2024

On August 17, 2024, two significant changes took effect under the National Association of Realtors settlement of Burnett v. NAR and related cases:

  1. Cooperative compensation can no longer be required in MLS listings. Sellers and listing brokers cannot use the MLS to offer compensation to buyer's brokers. Whether to offer such compensation is now a separate, optional negotiation.
  2. Buyers must sign a written Buyer Broker Agreement (BBA) before touring a home with a buyer's agent. The BBA must specify the buyer-agent's compensation in writing.

What this means for FSBO sellers on TurnkeyDoor

  • You list directly. No MLS, no IDX, no listing-agent commission.
  • You decide whether to offer cooperative compensation to buyer's agents. Common options: 0%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, or per-transaction negotiation. Our getBuyerAgentCommission MCP tool surfaces the disclosure.
  • Buyers without an agent can contact you directly via the platform's showing scheduler. No BBA required for unrepresented buyers.
  • If a buyer brings their own agent, that agent's compensation comes from a written BBA between the agent and the buyer — not from your listing.

What this means for buyers using TurnkeyDoor

  • You can browse and contact FSBO sellers directly without engaging a buyer's agent.
  • If you want a buyer's agent, you must sign a written BBA with that agent before they tour a property with you. The BBA spells out your agent's compensation.
  • The seller's listing on TurnkeyDoor will state whether the seller is offering cooperative compensation. If yes, your buyer's agent may negotiate that compensation as part of your transaction.
  • You can negotiate any of these terms.

What TurnkeyDoor doesn't do

  • We don't act as a real estate broker. We don't represent sellers or buyers in transactions.
  • We don't draft, modify, or pre-fill BBAs. If a buyer's agent brings a BBA, that agent's brokerage owns the form.
  • We don't condition use of the platform on a buyer signing a BBA.
  • We don't transmit listings to the MLS. Owner-uploaded only.

The DOJ-responsive piece

The Department of Justice has open antitrust scrutiny of post-NAR-settlement industry practices. Settlement compliance is not an antitrust safe harbor. We design our platform with that in mind:

  • Buyer-agent compensation is presented as optional, never required, on every relevant page.
  • Unrepresented buyers have a fully functional path to contact sellers — they are not steered toward agents.
  • We do not coordinate with other platforms on buyer-agent compensation rates, terms, or practices.
  • This page is updated when the DOJ issues new guidance or when the NAR settlement is materially modified.

Last reviewed

May 6, 2026 · TurnkeyDoor · This is not legal advice. Consult your own attorney for transaction-specific guidance.

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