Do Southlake sellers have to pay the buyer's agent commission in 2026?

No — there is no Texas law or MLS rule that requires you to pay the buyer's agent. Since the 2024 NAR settlement took effect, buyer-agent compensation is fully negotiable, is no longer published in NTREIS MLS listings, and can be paid by the buyer, the seller, or structured as a seller concession — all according to what's agreed in the contract. Whether or not to offer it, and how much to offer, is a strategic decision that affects your showings, your buyer pool, and ultimately your net proceeds.

What the NAR Settlement Actually Changed for DFW Sellers

Before March 2024, the rules governing NTREIS — the regional MLS covering Southlake, Colleyville, and Keller — required listing brokers to make a blanket offer of compensation to buyer brokers directly in the MLS. That rule is gone.

Under the NAR settlement, REALTOR®-owned MLSs nationwide, including NTREIS, eliminated the cooperative compensation field from MLS listings. Listing agents may no longer publish a specific buyer-broker compensation offer within the MLS listing details. Any compensation arrangement now has to be negotiated and documented outside the MLS — in the listing agreement, a separate written offer, or the buyer representation agreement.

Here's what that means in plain language for a Southlake seller: the old default is gone, but the option to fund the buyer's agent is very much still on the table. You just have to choose it deliberately, and document it in the contract.

According to the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), brokers can be paid by either the buyer or the seller — or both — and payment of compensation does not by itself determine whom the broker represents. Texas REALTORS® guidance confirms that sellers can still choose to fund buyer-agent fees through the listing side; they simply can't broadcast that offer inside the MLS anymore.

One more thing worth understanding: broker fees and commissions are fully negotiable and not set by law. There is no standard, typical, or customary rate. TREC explicitly states that brokers may not collude to fix compensation. What you agree to pay your listing broker — and what, if anything, you offer toward the buyer's agent — is between you and your agent, set in your listing agreement.

How NTREIS Listings Signal Compensation Now

In practice, many DFW listing agents in 2025 and 2026 began using seller concession language and private remarks to signal a seller's willingness to help with buyer costs. You'll see listings in Southlake and Colleyville that note something like "seller willing to consider concessions for buyer closing costs with acceptable offer" — which experienced buyer agents read as a signal that compensation is negotiable.

High-end listings in Southlake's luxury segment often involve detailed written side agreements clarifying how the buyer's broker will be paid from seller proceeds, even though the specific amount never appears in the MLS. This is the new normal for the Timarron, Carillon, and Monticello markets.

What Happens If You Don't Offer Buyer-Agent Compensation

This is the question I get most often from sellers right now — and I want to give you an honest answer rather than a reassuring one.

You can legally list your Southlake home and offer nothing toward the buyer's agent. But there are real trade-offs.

Fewer Showings — At Least Early On

Buyer agents working in Southlake, Colleyville, and Keller use NTREIS data filtered by school district, subdivision, and price band. When compensation isn't clearly documented or customary, many agents will call the listing agent before scheduling a showing to verify how they'll be paid. That extra step adds friction — and friction at the showing stage costs you time on market.

Industry reporting from Inman and HousingWire confirms this pattern nationally: buyer agents prioritize showing homes where their compensation is clear and assured, and may deprioritize listings where it requires separate negotiation on every transaction.

In a more balanced market — which is exactly where DFW sits in mid-2026, with more inventory than in 2021–2022 — buyers have choices. A listing that creates uncertainty for their agent is easier to skip than it used to be.

Buyer Affordability in Today's Rate Environment

Realtor.com's 2026 housing forecast projects mortgage rates averaging in the low-to-mid 6% range this year. At those rates, most buyers are already stretching their budgets. National consumer surveys published by NAR show that many buyers still expect their agent's fee to be "built into the price" or paid from seller proceeds at closing — and are genuinely surprised when asked to pay their agent separately.

That surprise matters most in Keller's move-up and entry-level segments, where first-time buyers have limited cash reserves. It matters less in Southlake's luxury tier, where corporate relocation packages sometimes include buyer-agent fee coverage — making those buyers less sensitive to whether the seller contributes.

According to First American's June 2026 Home Price Index, Fort Worth recorded approximately 6.1% year-over-year appreciation in the starter-home tier as of May 2026 — the second-highest among tracked starter-home markets nationally. That's encouraging for sellers, but it also means starter-home buyers are already paying more than they were a year ago. Asking them to self-fund their agent on top of that is a real ask.

The Seller Concession Path

Here's the mechanism many DFW sellers are using instead of a direct buyer-agent payment: seller concessions. The Texas One to Four Family Residential Contract allows buyers to request that the seller pay a portion of the buyer's closing costs, up to a negotiated amount. Depending on lender guidelines — which vary by loan type (conventional, FHA, VA) — those concessions can sometimes be applied toward the buyer's broker fee.

The practical effect: a buyer who is responsible for their agent's fee may negotiate for additional seller concessions to offset that cost. You're not "paying the buyer's agent" in the traditional sense, but your net proceeds are affected either way. This is exactly why I tell every seller I work with: the question isn't just whether you offer buyer-agent compensation — it's how the total package affects what you walk away with.

Any payment of a buyer's broker fee must also comply with CFPB/RESPA guidelines and be properly disclosed on the Closing Disclosure. Your Texas title company — licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance — will itemize all disbursements, including any broker compensation paid from seller proceeds.

For context on how the broader DFW market is trending right now, my post on what sellers can control in North Texas real estate walks through the factors that move the needle — and compensation strategy is one of them.

How I Advise Southlake Sellers on This Decision

I'm not going to tell you there's a universal right answer here, because there isn't. What I will tell you is that this decision should be made strategically — not by default, and not by copying what a neighbor did six months ago.

Here's the framework I walk my clients through:

• What does your buyer pool look like? A Timarron executive home attracting corporate relocators is a different situation from a Keller move-up home where the buyer is a local family stretching their budget. Relocation buyers often have agent fees covered by their employer; local move-up buyers usually don't.
• How is inventory in your price band? In a balanced or buyer-favoring market, friction points cost you more. In a tight seller's market, buyers will tolerate more. I look at current NTREIS data for your specific neighborhood and price range before recommending anything.
• What's your pricing strategy? I tell every seller I work with: pricing a home to meet the market rather than test it is what gets it sold. If you're pricing aggressively, you have more room to negotiate on compensation. If you're at the top of the range, adding friction on the buyer-agent side is a compounding problem.
• What does your net sheet actually look like? This is where I run real numbers — not blog estimates. The only way to know whether funding buyer-agent compensation makes sense for your situation is to model it against your expected sale price, your carrying costs, and your timeline. That's a conversation, not a formula.

According to USA TODAY's mid-year 2026 housing analysis using NAR data, home prices in the South — where Texas sits — were essentially flat year-over-year as of mid-2026, up only about 0.2%. That regional softness means Southlake and Colleyville sellers are competing in a market where buyers have more leverage than they did two years ago. Realtor.com's updated 2026 forecast projects national existing-home sale prices rising only about 1.2% for the year. In that environment, presentation and pricing matter more than ever — and so does removing friction for buyers and their agents.

For a broader picture of where the North Texas market stands heading into the second half of 2026, see my post on what buyers and sellers should know about the current North Texas market.

The bottom line: not offering buyer-agent compensation is legal, and in some situations it's the right call. But it's a decision with real consequences for your showing traffic, your buyer pool, and your timeline. Make it with full information — not by assumption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still have to pay the buyer's agent if I'm selling my house in Southlake in 2026?

No Texas law requires you to pay the buyer's agent. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is fully negotiable — it can be paid by the seller, the buyer, or structured as a seller concession, all according to what's agreed in the contract. TREC is explicit that there is no legally fixed rule mandating seller payment. Whether you choose to offer it is a strategic decision, not a legal obligation.

What happens if I list my Colleyville home but don't offer any compensation to the buyer's agent?

Your listing can still sell — but you may see more friction early on. Buyer agents who can't see a clear compensation arrangement in the listing often call the listing agent before scheduling showings to verify how they'll be paid. That extra step can slow early showing activity, and in a balanced market where buyers have choices, some agents may simply prioritize other listings. Homes in Colleyville with unclear compensation terms tend to sit longer than comparable homes with straightforward terms, according to local brokerage reports.

Can buyers in Keller pay their own agent instead of the seller paying at closing?

Yes — buyers in Keller (and anywhere in Texas) can pay their own agent directly, either outside closing or through a separate written agreement. The challenge is that many buyers, especially first-time and move-up buyers without relocation benefits, have limited cash reserves and may find this difficult at mid-6% mortgage rates. Buyers in this situation often negotiate for seller concessions to offset the cost, which affects the seller's net proceeds even if the seller isn't paying the buyer's agent directly.

How did the NAR settlement change MLS rules in DFW — are buyer-agent fees still shown on listings?

No — buyer-agent compensation is no longer displayed in NTREIS MLS listings. Under the NAR settlement, REALTOR®-owned MLSs eliminated the cooperative compensation field, and listing agents may no longer publish a specific buyer-broker compensation offer in the MLS. Any compensation arrangement must now be negotiated and documented outside the MLS — in the listing agreement, a separate written offer, or the buyer representation agreement. Texas REALTORS® has issued guidance to members on how to handle these arrangements under the new rules.

Can we use seller concessions in Texas to cover the buyer's agent fee?

Potentially, yes — depending on the loan type and lender guidelines. The Texas One to Four Family Residential Contract allows buyers to request that the seller pay a portion of their closing costs, and in some financing structures those concessions can be applied toward the buyer's broker fee. Conventional, FHA, and VA loans each have their own rules around allowable concessions and what can be paid by the seller. Verify the specifics with your lender and confirm any such arrangement complies with CFPB/RESPA guidelines and is properly disclosed at closing.

Will agents still show my Southlake house if there's no buyer-agent commission offered?

Some will, some won't — and the ones who do may add a step before scheduling. Buyer agents in Southlake and Colleyville who can't verify compensation upfront often contact the listing agent first, which creates friction and can delay early showings. In a more balanced market with more inventory than 2021–2022, buyers and their agents have more choices. Listings with clear, documented compensation terms — whatever the structure — consistently generate more showing activity than those with ambiguous terms, according to local brokerage reports and national industry surveys from Inman.

The rules around buyer-agent compensation have changed, but the goal hasn't: get your home in front of the most qualified buyers, with the least friction, at the best possible price. How you structure compensation is one lever in that strategy — and it's worth getting right.

If you're preparing to sell in Southlake, Colleyville, or Keller and want to talk through what makes sense for your specific situation, I'm happy to run the numbers with you. Schedule a consultation and we'll build a strategy that reflects your market, your timeline, and your goals.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Amy Spock is a licensed real estate broker in Texas, regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission. This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Commission rates and compensation arrangements are negotiable and not set by law. Readers should confirm their own transaction costs, tax obligations, and financing terms with their attorney, tax advisor, lender, or escrow/closing officer.