What does a buyer's agent actually do for you? A buyer's agent represents your interests, not the seller's, from the first showing through closing. In Texas that means helping you find and evaluate homes, pricing and writing your offer, negotiating repairs and terms, and managing every contract deadline, all under a written agreement that spells out services and pay.
That last part is new. Since January 1, 2026, Texas law has required a written agreement between a buyer and any license holder who performs brokerage services for them on residential property. Buyers still overwhelmingly choose representation: according to the National Association of REALTORS 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, released November 4, 2025, 88 percent of buyers purchased through an agent or broker, and 91 percent said they would use their agent again or recommend them.
What does a buyer's agent do from search to closing?
Here is the typical scope when our agents represent a buyer at The Agency Dallas, and what a buyer's agent should be doing for you with any firm:
- Clarify the search. Translate your budget, commute, school, and lifestyle priorities into a realistic list of neighborhoods and price points.
- Find the inventory. Track new listings, coming-soon homes, and private or off-market opportunities that fit.
- Tour and evaluate. Flag condition issues, floor plan tradeoffs, drainage concerns, HOA and MUD obligations, and resale considerations.
- Price the offer. Pull comparable sales and recent pending activity so your offer reflects the market, not just the list price.
- Write and negotiate the contract. Use the TREC promulgated forms and the right addenda, and negotiate price, option fee, earnest money, closing date, and seller concessions.
- Run the option period. Coordinate inspections, help you decide what to ask for, and negotiate repairs or credits before the option period ends.
- Keep financing and appraisal on track. Work with your lender on deadlines and respond if the appraisal comes in low.
- Shepherd the file to closing. Monitor title commitment and survey review, HOA documents, and final walkthrough, then confirm the numbers on your closing disclosure.
If you want the full sequence in order, our guide to the step-by-step process for buying a home in Texas lays it out, and our post on the option period in a Texas contract covers the most time-sensitive stretch.
What changed for buyers after the NAR settlement?
Two national practice changes took effect on August 17, 2024, as part of the National Association of REALTORS settlement of commission litigation, as summarized by Florida Realtors and NAR's own consumer materials:
- No compensation offers in the MLS. Listing brokers and sellers can no longer advertise an offer of compensation to buyer's agents through the MLS, and the MLS removed those fields.
- Written buyer agreements before touring. Agents who are REALTORS working with a buyer must sign a written agreement with that buyer before touring a home, in person or virtually. NAR says compensation in that agreement must be clearly defined (a flat fee, a percentage, an hourly rate, or zero) and cannot be open-ended.
Sellers can still choose to pay some or all of a buyer's agent's compensation, and buyers can ask for it in their offer. NAR's consumer guide notes that services, the length of the agreement, and compensation are all negotiable. Our deeper explainer on how real estate commissions work in Texas after the NAR settlement covers the money side in detail.
What does Texas law require before an agent shows me a home?
Texas went a step further than the national rules by putting a written agreement into state law. Senate Bill 1968, passed in the 2025 legislative session, added Section 1101.563 to the Texas Occupations Code, effective January 1, 2026. According to the Senate bill analysis and TREC's guidance:
- A license holder who performs any act of real estate brokerage for a prospective buyer of residential property must have a written agreement with that buyer.
- The agreement must be in place before showing any residential property, or, if nothing is shown, before presenting an offer on the buyer's behalf.
- The agreement must state the services provided, a termination date, whether it is exclusive or non-exclusive, whether the license holder represents the buyer, and the amount or rate of compensation and how it is determined.
- It must disclose in conspicuous language that broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.
- Failing to have the required agreement is grounds for TREC discipline, including suspension or revocation of a license.
The same bill eliminated subagency references from the license act and updated the Information About Brokerage Services (IABS) notice, which TREC lists with a January 1, 2026 effective date.
What is a showing-only agreement?
Texas also created a non-representation option under Section 1101.562. TREC explains that an agent may sign a showing-only agreement with you, but that agreement must be non-exclusive and last no more than 14 days. Under it, the agent can confirm size, price, and terms, but cannot give opinions or advice about the property or perform other brokerage services. Texas REALTORS publishes a form for this purpose (TXR 1508, Unrepresented Customer Showing Form), according to a January 2026 summary from Independence Title.
Does this apply at open houses?
Usually not if the host works for the listing brokerage, since TREC says that agent only has to disclose that they represent the owner. If the host is from a different brokerage and does not represent the seller, TREC says they must provide the IABS and sign a written agreement with you before the showing, even if you already have a representation agreement with another broker.
What duties does a buyer's agent owe me under TREC rules?
When a broker represents you, Texas Occupations Code Section 1101.557 requires them, at a minimum, to inform you of material information they receive about the transaction, including any offer, and to answer your questions and present offers to or from you. TREC's 2026 guidance adds that a representation agreement may limit services, but it cannot waive the minimum duties owed to a client under existing law and rules.
Beyond those minimums, expect your agent to put your interests first, keep confidential information (such as your top price) private, and disclose conflicts. If one brokerage represents both buyer and seller, TREC's IABS notice explains that the brokerage can act as an intermediary only with the consent of both parties, and the duties change. Read the IABS notice your agent provides; it explains these roles in plain terms.
What should I look for in the buyer representation agreement?
Before you sign, read for these points and ask questions about any you do not understand:
- Term and termination. How long does it last, and how can either side end it?
- Exclusivity. Is it exclusive, and is it limited to a geographic area or property type?
- Services. What exactly will the agent do, and is anything excluded?
- Compensation. What is the amount or rate, who pays it, and what happens if the seller offers more or less than the agreed amount?
- Protection period. If you buy a home you toured after the agreement ends, do you still owe a fee?
- Intermediary consent. Are you agreeing in advance to intermediary status if you buy one of the brokerage's own listings?
For complex situations, such as a trust purchase or a dispute with a previous agent, talk to a real estate attorney before you sign.
Why does it matter in North Texas specifically?
Dallas-Fort Worth buyers face local wrinkles: older homes that call for careful inspection, builder contracts on new construction, and suburbs with layered HOA, MUD, or PID obligations. Relocating buyers also lean on their agent to explain Texas forms and timelines. Our posts on what to ask at a home inspection and how long it takes to close on a Dallas home go deeper on those stages.
For buyers working with The Agency Dallas, a buyer's agent conversation starts with the agreement itself: what we will do, for how long, and how compensation works, in writing, before the first showing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sign a buyer agreement just to see a house in Texas?
For residential property, yes. Since January 1, 2026, Texas law requires a written agreement before a license holder shows you a home. It can be a full buyer representation agreement or a showing-only agreement that is non-exclusive and lasts no more than 14 days. The exception is an open house hosted by the listing brokerage, which represents the seller.
Is the buyer's agent commission set or standard?
No. Texas law now requires the agreement to state, in conspicuous language, that broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. NAR's guidance also says compensation must be clearly defined, such as a flat fee, a percentage, or an hourly rate. You can negotiate the amount, and you can ask the seller to cover some or all of it.
Who pays the buyer's agent after the NAR settlement?
It depends on the deal. Offers of compensation can no longer appear in the MLS, but sellers may still agree to pay a buyer's agent, often negotiated as part of the offer. Whatever the seller does not cover, the buyer agreement determines what you owe. Ask your lender how any seller-paid amount fits within your loan program's concession limits.
What is the difference between a showing-only agent and a buyer's agent?
A showing-only agent under Texas Section 1101.562 can open the door and confirm a home's size, price, and terms, but cannot give opinions, advice, or other brokerage services. A buyer's agent represents you, advises on value and condition, writes and negotiates your offer, and owes you the minimum client duties under Texas law, which an agreement cannot waive.
Can I work with more than one buyer's agent?
You can if your agreements are non-exclusive, but read each one carefully. Exclusive agreements usually mean you owe compensation to that broker if you buy within the terms, even through someone else. Overlapping agreements can leave you owing two fees. If you are unsure about an existing agreement, ask the broker for a copy and consult an attorney.
What happens if I want to end my buyer agreement?
Look at the termination section. Texas requires every agreement to state a termination date, and many include a way to end it early by written notice. Some contain a protection period that applies if you later buy a home the agent showed you. Talk with the broker first, and if the terms are unclear, get advice from a real estate attorney.
