Do Texas home sellers have to pay the buyer’s agent commission?

No. After the 2024 NAR settlement, Texas sellers are not required to pay a buyer’s agent. Any compensation a seller offers a buyer’s agent is optional, fully negotiable, and must be agreed to in the purchase contract itself. There is no standard or fixed rate, and the decision about whether to offer anything at all is yours to make with your listing agent.

This is one of the most common questions I get from sellers right now, and the short answer is simpler than most people expect: you are not on the hook for a buyer’s agent fee unless you agree to it. What changed in 2024 is how that decision gets made and documented. Let me walk you through what actually shifted, and what it means for you as a seller in Killeen-Temple.

What the 2024 NAR Settlement Actually Changed in Texas

Before August 2024, many MLS systems allowed listing agents to post an offer of buyer-agent compensation directly on the MLS. The NAR settlement ended that practice. Offers of buyer-agent compensation can no longer be communicated through MLS listings.

That does not mean sellers can’t offer to cover a buyer’s agent. It means the offer has to happen outside the MLS, typically through the purchase contract or a separate agreement. The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) updated its standard forms to reflect this shift, and the way compensation now flows is through the contract negotiation itself.

Here is what that looks like in practice:

• A buyer’s agent and their client agree on compensation in a separate buyer representation agreement before touring homes.
• When the buyer makes an offer, they can ask the seller to contribute toward that fee as part of the contract terms.
• The seller can accept, reject, or counter that request, just like any other term.
• If agreed upon, the seller-paid buyer-agent compensation is documented in the purchase contract and disbursed by the title company at closing.

The listing fee you pay your own agent is a separate conversation entirely, set in your listing agreement. These are two distinct costs. Broker fees are fully negotiable and are not set by law.

For a deeper look at how the TREC contract handles seller obligations, my guide to reading the TREC contract as a seller walks through the key sections you’ll actually be signing.

How This Plays Out in the Killeen-Temple Market

Understanding the rule is one thing. Knowing how it plays out in your specific market is where the real decision-making happens.

According to FRED economic data, the Killeen-Temple median listing price was $289,000 in July 2026, the most recent monthly figure available. Median days on market sat at 72 days that same month, per FRED’s days-on-market series. The All-Transactions House Price Index for Killeen-Temple came in at 331.82 in Q1 2026, the latest quarterly reading available as of August 2026.

Seventy-two days on market is meaningful context. That is not a frenzied seller’s market where buyers are waiving everything to compete. It is a market with negotiation room on both sides, which means the question of whether to offer buyer-agent compensation is a real strategic decision, not a formality.

Directional data from CMA Scope’s Killeen-Temple market snapshot showed roughly 21.8% of active listings carrying a price reduction in July 2026. That kind of figure suggests sellers are competing for buyers, not the other way around. When inventory sits and price cuts happen, the terms you offer matter.

The buyer pool question

Here is the practical reality I walk through with every seller who asks me this: if a buyer has signed a representation agreement that requires their agent to be compensated, and your home offers nothing toward that fee, the buyer has to cover it out of pocket. Many buyers, especially first-time buyers and military families using VA loans, are already stretching to cover their own closing costs. A home that requires them to pay their agent on top of that becomes a harder sell.

That does not mean you automatically offer to cover it. It means the decision should be based on your market position, your home’s condition, and what comparable listings are doing. That is exactly the kind of analysis I run for my clients before we set any listing terms.

What the market data tells you about your leverage

Source: FRED Killeen-Temple median listing price; FRED days on market; FRED house price index; CMA Scope (directional).

In a market where homes are averaging over two months to sell and more than one in five listings is cutting price, the sellers who are moving homes are often the ones making the overall package more attractive. That can mean pricing, condition, concessions, or some combination. Buyer-agent compensation is one lever among several.

Making the Decision: What to Consider Before You List

There is no universal right answer here. What I tell sellers is that the decision should come from your numbers and your timeline, not from a default assumption in either direction.

Reasons you might choose to offer buyer-agent compensation

• Your home has been sitting or is in a price range with strong competition from other listings.
• Your most likely buyers are VA or FHA borrowers with limited cash reserves for additional fees.
• You want to maximize the number of agents actively showing your property.
• You are on a PCS timeline and need to close by a specific date, which means you can’t afford to filter out buyers over a fee dispute.

Reasons you might choose not to

• Your home is in strong condition, priced competitively, and generating solid early interest.
• Your buyers are likely to have strong cash positions and can handle their own agent costs.
• You have negotiated other concessions into the deal and the overall package is already seller-favorable.

The National Association of Realtors continues to track how these dynamics are playing out nationally, but local conditions are what actually drive your outcome. The only way to know where your specific home sits in this market is to look at your comparable sales, your days-on-market risk, and your net proceeds after all terms are factored in.

For a full picture of what sellers typically encounter at the closing table in Texas, my post on closing costs for Texas sellers covers the categories you’ll want to understand before you list.

Every situation is different, and the only way to know what makes sense for your home is to run through the specifics together. That is exactly the kind of pre-listing conversation I have with every seller before we agree on any terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Texas sellers have to offer buyer-agent compensation after the 2024 NAR settlement?

No. Texas sellers are not required to offer any compensation to a buyer’s agent. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, offers of buyer-agent compensation can no longer be posted on the MLS, and any amount a seller chooses to contribute must be negotiated and documented in the purchase contract itself. The decision is entirely voluntary and fully negotiable.

Can a buyer ask the seller to pay their agent in Texas?

Yes. A buyer can include a request for seller-paid buyer-agent compensation as part of their offer. The seller can accept, reject, or counter that term just like any other contract term. If both parties agree, the amount is written into the contract and disbursed by the title company at closing.

How does buyer-agent compensation get written into a Texas purchase contract?

Under the updated TREC contract forms, buyer-agent compensation that a seller agrees to pay is included as a specific line item in the contract. It is separate from the listing commission the seller owes their own agent. The title company handles the disbursement of both at closing based on what the signed contract specifies.

What changed in Texas real estate forms after the NAR settlement?

TREC updated its standard residential contract forms to accommodate the new compensation framework. The most significant practical change is that buyer-agent compensation is now negotiated through the offer and contract process rather than pre-disclosed on the MLS. Buyers are also now required to have a signed buyer representation agreement before touring homes with an agent, which means compensation expectations are set earlier in the process.

Are buyer-agent fees still negotiable in Killeen and Temple?

Yes, completely. Broker fees and commissions are not set by law and have always been negotiable in Texas. The 2024 settlement reinforced this by removing any MLS-based default. In the Killeen-Temple market, with a July 2026 median of 72 days on market, whether and how much to offer is a real strategic decision that depends on your home’s position in the current market, not a fixed obligation.

The bottom line: you are not required to pay a buyer’s agent in Texas, but the choice you make will affect who shows up to buy your home. In a Killeen-Temple market where homes are averaging over two months to sell, that is a decision worth making deliberately, with current data and a clear view of your net proceeds.

If you want to talk through how to structure your listing terms before you go live, reach out and we’ll go through the numbers together.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Stephen Harris is a Texas Associate Broker with the Good Life Team at All City Real Estate, Ltd. Co., licensed and regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). This article is general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your own figures and contract terms with your attorney, tax advisor, lender, or closing officer.