If you are buying a home in Utah Valley, the first document a Realtor hands you is no longer the purchase contract. Since August 17, 2024, an agent working with you must get a written agreement signed before you tour a home together. This page explains what that agreement is, what the national settlement requires it to say, and how the buyer's agent gets paid in Utah now. We read the National Association of Realtors' settlement FAQ, the Utah Association of Realtors' Utah FAQ, and the UAR president's 2024 commentary on October 20, 2026.
This is a plain-English explainer, not legal advice. For how to choose and vet an agent, read our guide to choosing a real estate agent in Utah Valley.
What changed on August 17, 2024
The National Association of Realtors settled the commission lawsuits in 2024. Its practice changes took effect August 17, 2024. Two matter to buyers:
- A written agreement before touring. An MLS participant "working with" a buyer needs a signed written agreement before the buyer tours a home.
- No compensation offers in the MLS. Listings can no longer advertise, in the MLS, what the seller will pay a buyer's agent.
Why Utah buyers notice less of a change
Utah was already there on the first point. Adam Kirkham, then president of the Utah Association of Realtors, wrote in August 2024 that "Realtors working in Utah have had signed written agreements with buyers for more than two decades." What changed in Utah is the timing: the agreement now happens "right at the outset, before a buyer views a home," instead of later in the process.
The Utah Association of Realtors "strongly encourages" its Buyer-Broker Agreement form for this.
What the agreement must say about money
Under the settlement's rules, the compensation in a buyer agreement must be:
- Objectively ascertainable: a stated dollar amount or rate, not "whatever the seller offers."
- Not open-ended.
- A ceiling: the agent may not receive more than the agreement states, from any source.
NAR's FAQ says commissions are "not set by law" and are "fully negotiable," and the UAR Buyer-Broker Agreement states the same.
The three ways a Utah buyer's agent is paid
The Utah Association of Realtors lists three, which Utah buyers were already using before the settlement, alone or combined:
| Route | How it works | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Seller pays through the listing broker | The seller authorizes the listing broker to share compensation with your agent | Ask early whether the seller has offered anything; it is no longer in the MLS listing |
| You pay your agent directly | You pay your brokerage the amount in your agreement | This adds cash you need at closing, on top of closing costs |
| Seller concession | You ask, in your offer, for the seller to pay some or all of your agent's fee | It is part of the price negotiation and can weaken a competing offer |
If the seller's contribution is less than your agreement promises your agent, the agreement says who covers the difference. Read that clause before you sign.
What to negotiate before you sign
- The amount or rate, and whether it changes by price range.
- The term. How long the agreement lasts.
- The scope. All of Utah County, one city, or one property.
- How to end it, and what happens if you buy a home you found on your own.
- Representation. Whether the brokerage could also represent the seller (limited agency, which Utah permits with written consent from both parties; our agent guide explains it).
Where this fits in buying a home
The agreement is step one. Our buying a home in Provo guide covers the rest: pre-approval, the offer, the due-diligence deadline and closing. If cash is the obstacle, see down payment assistance in Utah. If you are still deciding whether to buy at all, see our rent vs buy guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to sign an agreement before a Realtor shows me a house in Utah?
Is this new in Utah?
What must the agreement say about compensation?
Who pays the buyer's agent in Utah now?
Can sellers still offer to pay buyer agents?
Can I negotiate the buyer agent's fee?
Can I sign an agreement for just one house?
How do I check that an agent is licensed in Utah?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- NAR settlement FAQs, National Association of Realtors. Checked October 20, 2026.
- NAR lawsuit settlement: Utah FAQs and resources, Utah Association of Realtors. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Guest opinion: what national real estate changes mean for homebuyers and sellers in Utah, Standard-Examiner (Adam Kirkham, Utah Association of Realtors). Checked October 20, 2026.
