In Washington, the buyer's agent was traditionally paid out of the home's sale proceeds — but since the August 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is now negotiated directly between you and your agent and written into a Buyer Brokerage Agreement before you tour homes. That gives buyers more control over the cost than ever — and many are choosing flat-fee agents to keep it low.
在华盛顿州，买方经纪人过去通常由房屋成交款支付 —— 但自 2024 年 8 月 NAR 和解后，买方佣金现在改为由你和经纪人直接协商，并在看房前写入 Buyer Brokerage Agreement（买方代理协议）。这让买家比以往更能掌控这笔费用 —— 越来越多人因此选择 Flat Fee（固定收费）经纪人。
2024 年之前是怎么运作的How it worked before 2024
Previously, the seller typically offered a buyer-agent commission (often 2.5%–3%) advertised through the MLS. It looked free to buyers, but it was baked into the home's price — meaning buyers ultimately paid for it through a higher purchase price.
过去，卖方通常会通过 MLS 提供买方佣金（常见为 2.5%–3%）。对买家来说看似「免费」，但这笔费用其实已经计入房价 —— 买家最终还是通过更高的成交价为它买单。
2024 年改变了什么What changed in 2024
After the National Association of Realtors settlement (effective August 2024), two big things changed:
- Buyer-agent compensation can no longer be advertised on the MLS.
- Buyers must sign a written agreement with their agent — specifying the agent's fee — before touring homes.
In short, compensation is now an open negotiation between you and your agent, not a fixed number the seller posts.
在 NAR 和解（2024 年 8 月生效）后，有两个重大变化：
- 买方佣金不再能在 MLS 上公开标示。
- 买家在看房之前必须与经纪人签署书面协议，明确经纪人的费用。
简而言之，佣金现在是你与经纪人之间的公开协商，而不是卖方预先标出的固定数字。
现在到底由谁支付？So who actually pays now?
There are three common outcomes, and you agree on the fee up front either way:
- Seller concession — the seller agrees to cover some or all of your agent's fee.
- You pay your agent directly — per your written agreement.
- A combination — a concession offsets part, you cover the rest.
Because the amount is set in advance, a lower agent fee directly benefits you — if a seller offers a concession above your flat fee, the difference can be credited back toward your closing costs.
现在有三种常见情况，而无论哪种，费用都是事先约定好的：
- 卖方让步（Seller Concession） —— 卖方同意支付你部分或全部的经纪人费用。
- 你直接支付经纪人 —— 按书面协议执行。
- 两者结合 —— 让步抵一部分，其余由你承担。
由于金额事先确定，较低的经纪人费用会直接让你受益 —— 如果卖方提供的让步高于你的固定费用，差额可抵入你的过户费用（Closing Costs）。
Buyer Brokerage Agreement（华州法律）The Buyer Brokerage Agreement (WA law)
Washington's RCW 18.86 requires a written services agreement before representation begins. The default term is 60 days, and it spells out the services provided, the fee, and the type of agency relationship (exclusive or nonexclusive). Read it — it's where your cost is defined.
华盛顿州法律 RCW 18.86 要求在代理开始前签署书面服务协议。默认期限为 60 天，其中明确服务内容、费用，以及代理关系类型（exclusive 独家或 nonexclusive 非独家）。务必仔细阅读 —— 你的费用就定义在这里。
为什么 Flat Fee 现在更划算Why flat fee makes sense now
Since you're negotiating the fee anyway, why pay a percentage? On a $1.3M Eastside home, a 2.5% commission is $32,500. A flat $2,999 service does the core work — writing and negotiating a competitive offer, contract review, counter-offers, and closing support — for a fraction of that. You compete just as hard and keep the difference.
既然费用本来就要协商，为什么还要按比例支付？以一套 $130 万的东区房屋为例，2.5% 佣金就是 $32,500。而固定 $2,999 的服务同样完成核心工作 —— 撰写并谈判有竞争力的 Offer、合同审查、还价、过户协助 —— 只需其中一小部分费用。你照样全力竞争，省下的钱留给自己。
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules and market figures change — confirm current details with your broker. Shi Hao Liu is a licensed WA real estate broker (License #26003789) with Kelly Right Real Estate.
本文为一般性信息，不构成法律建议。规则与市场数据会变动，请向你的经纪人确认最新情况。Shi Hao Liu 为华盛顿州持牌房地产经纪人（License #26003789），挂牌于 Kelly Right Real Estate。