Arizona guide

Arizona MLS Compensation Rules Post-NAR Settlement (ARMLS)

Since August 17, 2024, the MLS in Arizona (ARMLS) no longer shows what a seller will pay your buyer's agent.

Reading as buyer.

TL;DR

Since August 17, 2024, the in Arizona (ARMLS) no longer shows what a seller will pay your buyer's agent. You now sign a written buyer-broker agreement that spells out your agent's pay before you tour homes, and you can still ask the seller to cover part or all of that fee in your offer. If the seller agrees, the money flows through the deal at closing, but if they don't, you're responsible for the gap.

Before you start — 7 things to know

  • After the settlement took effect on August 17, 2024, Arizona's main (ARMLS) removed any field that shows how much the seller will pay a buyer's agent, so you can no longer shop by 'how much my agent gets paid' on the listing.

  • Before a buyer's agent in Arizona shows you a home, they must have you sign a Buyer-Broker Exclusive Employment Agreement (BBEA) that states in writing exactly how much they will be paid and who pays it.

  • The settlement does not stop a seller from paying your agent — it only stops the offer from appearing inside the . Sellers in Arizona can still offer to cover your agent's fee through other channels, like the listing agent's website, a flyer, or a direct phone call.

  • The most common way to get the seller to pay your agent in Arizona is to write it into your purchase contract as a seller concession, which the seller then uses to cover the fee owed under your BBEA at closing.

  • If the seller refuses to pay or only covers part of the fee, you (the buyer) are personally on the hook for the rest under your signed BBEA, so understand the dollar amount before you make an offer.

  • Arizona law (A.R.S. §32-2155) requires every form of agent compensation in your deal to be disclosed in writing to all parties, so any side deal or 'bonus' to your agent must show up on the closing statement.

  • Buyer-agent pay in Arizona is fully negotiable — there is no set rate, and federal antitrust law (the Sherman Act) actually forbids agents from agreeing among themselves on a 'standard' commission, so it's normal to ask for a flat fee, an hourly rate, or a percentage.

The timeline — step by step

  1. Before you tour any home with an Arizona agent, read and sign a Buyer-Broker Exclusive Employment Agreement (BBEA) that lists the agent's fee in plain numbers and how long the agreement lasts.

  2. When you find a home you like, ask your agent to confirm — outside the — whether the seller is offering to pay any buyer-agent compensation through the listing brokerage's website, flyer, or a direct call.

  3. When you write your offer in Arizona, include a seller concession line that asks the seller to credit enough money at closing to cover the agent fee in your BBEA.

  4. Negotiate the concession just like price — the seller can accept it, counter with a smaller credit, or refuse it, and you decide whether to pay the gap yourself or walk.

  5. Once both sides sign the contract, your lender reviews the seller concession to make sure it fits inside loan limits (for example, FHA caps concessions at 6% of the price).

  6. At the Arizona closing, the title or escrow company shows the agent compensation as a clear line item on your settlement statement, paid out of the seller's proceeds (if conceded) or your funds (if not).

Common questions

Do I have to sign a buyer-broker agreement before touring homes in Arizona?
Yes — under the settlement rules that took effect August 17, 2024, an Arizona agent who is an participant must have a written buyer-broker agreement (the BBEA) signed before showing you any -listed property.
Can the seller still pay my agent for me in Arizona?
Yes, the seller can still pay your buyer's agent in Arizona — the settlement just stopped that offer from being advertised inside the , so it now happens through a seller concession in the contract or through a direct offer from the listing brokerage outside the .
What happens if the seller refuses to cover my agent's fee?
If the seller refuses to cover your agent's fee, you (the buyer) personally owe the amount listed in your BBEA at closing, which is why it matters to lock in a fee you can actually afford before writing an offer in Arizona.
Is buyer-agent commission negotiable in Arizona?
Yes, buyer-agent pay in Arizona is fully negotiable — there is no legal or standard rate, and under the Sherman Antitrust Act agents are forbidden from agreeing with each other on what to charge.
Where will I see the agent compensation listed at closing?
At your Arizona closing, the title or escrow company breaks out every agent fee as a line item on the settlement statement, because A.R.S. §32-2155 requires all compensation in the deal to be disclosed in writing.

Glossary

2 terms
NAR — National Association of Realtors
The national trade group for real-estate agents. The 2024 NAR settlement is the legal deal that changed how buyer's agents get paid.
MLS — Multiple Listing Service
The shared database agents use to list and find homes for sale. Most homes you'll see online started here.

Sources

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