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What You Need to Know

In March 2024, in response to a pending lawsuit judgment against them, the National Association of Realtors® released a set of proposed policy and practice changes that will reframe the relationship between real estate professionals and buyers. To be clear, the industry’s fiduciary commitment to the best interests of clients hasn’t changed, but the way agents and buyer clients formalize professional relationships will.

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Changes to the Homebuying Experience

As a homebuyer, this proposed settlement means there will be some changes to your real estate experience:

1. Required Buyer Agreements

Prior to this settlement proposal, it was acceptable (though not widely practiced) for buyer’s agents to forge relatively informal, unwritten agreements with their clients regarding service. Following these proposed changes, buyers must sign a service agreement with a real estate professional in order to be shown homes. 

2. Buyer’s Agent Compensation

Prior to the proposed changes in the settlement, buyer’s agents were compensated via a cooperation agreement with the seller and seller’s agent facilitated by the multiple listing service. While this sort of cooperation is still allowed, the MLS is no longer allowed to coordinate it. Buyer’s agents will now be responsible for negotiating their own compensation with clients.

FAQ

As a homebuyer, these changes will require new, important conversations between you and your real estate professional. A buyer service agreement will formalize your agent’s fiduciary responsibility to you, further protecting your interests. It will allow the opportunity for real, transparent communication with your agent around compensation, offering you a clear understanding of the cost of services and how those services benefit you. 

These conversations will ultimately set buyers up for greater success in their transactions. More buyers will start the home search process with a clear understanding of their strategy, how their agent will support them, and what it will take to get to the closing table. 

Two major changes: First, compensation offers to buyer’s agents will no longer be displayed on the MLS, and the MLS won’t be allowed to facilitate commission cooperation between the buy and sell sides of transactions. Second, all buyers will be required to sign a buyer agreement with their agent outlining service terms, including commission requirements.

Yes. Luxury Presence has created a strategy guide for agents seeking advice on negotiating buy-side compensation. Get your copy of The Future of Buy-Side Compensation here

The best agents have shifted their thinking from the top line to the bottom line. They're obsessed with the client experience. They're taking action very quickly to level up the technology in their businesses because they understand it's the only way to deliver strong profitability and a world-class client experience.

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How I Work With Buyers

As my client, you can expect nothing but the highest level of service and counsel. I take my fiduciary commitment to you extremely seriously and believe that the best way to advocate for your best interests is through preparation. For each property my clients consider, I create a complete set of market research, potential pricing and offer strategies, contract negotiation tactics, and more.

Before the NAR lawsuit settlement proposal, some buyer’s agents were able to get away with doing the bare minimum. Thanks to assumed cooperation with the seller, they might get paid for simply showing up, unlocking doors, and pushing papers. 

While that was never my approach, it is now no longer the world we live in. As my client, you can rest assured that I will provide you with expert-level service and advice throughout our professional relationship.

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Testimonials

Read what our clients have to say about working with us.

"Kim has helped me in purchasing 2 homes and selling 1. She has worked hard to get me what I wanted, gave me good advice, and did an overall great job. Thank You, Kim."
"Kim has helped me in purchasing 2 homes and selling 1. She has worked hard to get me what I wanted, gave me good advice, and did an overall great job. Thank You, Kim."
Buyer & Seller
"Kim Tucker-Knotts knows how stressful the most important purchase of your life can be. She is knowledgeable, creative, and energetic. Kim knows the area so well and listens to what we need as a family. She is always available to talk and works tirelessly to help us find our home. I would recommend Kim to everyone!"
"Kim Tucker-Knotts knows how stressful the most important purchase of your life can be. She is knowledgeable, creative, and energetic. Kim knows the area so well and listens to what we need as a family. She is always available to talk and works tirelessly to help us find our home. I would recommend Kim to everyone!"
Julie O.
"Kim was just fabulous throughout the entire process of both selling my home and helping me find a great home in an area she doesn’t spend a lot of time in. She connected with a lot of local realtors and really provided strong insights into the areas and features of each home. Kim understands the entire home buying process including financing, purchasing, home improvements, and many other aspects that really make her insightful and a true confidant in the process. Really appreciate all her help and look forward to working with her again."
"Kim was just fabulous throughout the entire process of both selling my home and helping me find a great home in an area she doesn’t spend a lot of time in. She connected with a lot of local realtors and really provided strong insights into the areas and features of each home. Kim understands the entire home buying process including financing, purchasing, home improvements, and many other aspects that really make her insightful and a true confidant in the process. Really appreciate all her help and look forward to working with her again."
David C.
"Kim made the process of selling my home easy. She helped with staging the inside to help maximize the selling price potential and communicated well at the open house events. I would definitely work with Kim and Sotheby's again for my future housing needs. Thank you, Kim."
"Kim made the process of selling my home easy. She helped with staging the inside to help maximize the selling price potential and communicated well at the open house events. I would definitely work with Kim and Sotheby's again for my future housing needs. Thank you, Kim."
Darrell H.
"Kim is an excellent realtor covering Auburn, Newcastle, Penryn, and the general area. We met Kim during an open house that wasn't to our liking, but upon explaining our needs, she recommended a couple of other locations. One of them was absolutely perfect. Kim is responsive to emails, texts, and phone calls. Clear, consistent updates were provided. She helped develop a logical negotiation plan that proved successful. Our documentation was timely and accurate. The DocuSign process was painless. Lastly, we've relied on Kim's local knowledge heavily since the transaction closed. Where's a good cleaner? Vet recommendations, etc. Not only would I recommend Kim, but would use her again if or when we need real estate assistance."
"Kim is an excellent realtor covering Auburn, Newcastle, Penryn, and the general area. We met Kim during an open house that wasn't to our liking, but upon explaining our needs, she recommended a couple of other locations. One of them was absolutely perfect. Kim is responsive to emails, texts, and phone calls. Clear, consistent updates were provided. She helped develop a logical negotiation plan that proved successful. Our documentation was timely and accurate. The DocuSign process was painless. Lastly, we've relied on Kim's local knowledge heavily since the transaction closed. Where's a good cleaner? Vet recommendations, etc. Not only would I recommend Kim, but would use her again if or when we need real estate assistance."
Matt B.
"We needed a realtor asap at last minute and a pal recommended Kim saying "She will get you what you want". And so, a few texts, emails, and calls later, we were negotiating a house without even meeting in person. Luckily that home fell through and we met Kim in real life the day we toured our forever house. She's knowledgable, witty, friendly, wise, and will absolutely get you the house you want. I promise. She's amazing in all areas. She even found us our lender and gave us referrals for insurance and all the other things we needed. We still text and I consider her a friend. Use Kim and you won't be sorry. ( all written from my fanatics awesome and loving home). Thank you, Kim!"
"We needed a realtor asap at last minute and a pal recommended Kim saying "She will get you what you want". And so, a few texts, emails, and calls later, we were negotiating a house without even meeting in person. Luckily that home fell through and we met Kim in real life the day we toured our forever house. She's knowledgable, witty, friendly, wise, and will absolutely get you the house you want. I promise. She's amazing in all areas. She even found us our lender and gave us referrals for insurance and all the other things we needed. We still text and I consider her a friend. Use Kim and you won't be sorry. ( all written from my fanatics awesome and loving home). Thank you, Kim!"
Denise V.
"We are experienced buyers and sellers and have worked with many agents before. Kim is one of the best real estate agents I have worked with. Her knowledge and expertise set her apart from others. I was 8.5 months pregnant when we decided to purchase another home and sell our current one. Kim got it done in a matter of weeks! We got the new home for lower than asking and sold our home for close to asking! In this business, many people tend to oversell themselves and overpromise but Kim delivered! Would and have recommended her to our friends or family! Kim did an excellent job selling our old house in Sacramento and finding us a new house in Placer County. She has a lot of experience with country homes and we really appreciated all of her knowledge and insight. She did a remarkable job with all the negotiations and handled all the paperwork as well. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking to buy, sell, finance, or refinance a house."
"We are experienced buyers and sellers and have worked with many agents before. Kim is one of the best real estate agents I have worked with. Her knowledge and expertise set her apart from others. I was 8.5 months pregnant when we decided to purchase another home and sell our current one. Kim got it done in a matter of weeks! We got the new home for lower than asking and sold our home for close to asking! In this business, many people tend to oversell themselves and overpromise but Kim delivered! Would and have recommended her to our friends or family! Kim did an excellent job selling our old house in Sacramento and finding us a new house in Placer County. She has a lot of experience with country homes and we really appreciated all of her knowledge and insight. She did a remarkable job with all the negotiations and handled all the paperwork as well. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking to buy, sell, finance, or refinance a house."
J. Harmon
"Kim went above and beyond for us in both our buying and selling processes. She provided us with an almost stress-free transaction. We would definitely choose her again for any real estate needs."
"Kim went above and beyond for us in both our buying and selling processes. She provided us with an almost stress-free transaction. We would definitely choose her again for any real estate needs."
Leonard & Tiffany W.
"Kim is an excellent realtor! She took the time to listen to our interests or desires and made suggestions that were helpful and definitely fit exactly what we were looking for. Kim is quick to respond and works hard for you. She is extremely knowledgeable about the local areas, the selling process, the buying process, loans or financial services, and most importantly for us, the purchasing of land. We were constantly being told that our dream of buying property and building our own home was not possible, but Kim made that a reality and we are very grateful!"
"Kim is an excellent realtor! She took the time to listen to our interests or desires and made suggestions that were helpful and definitely fit exactly what we were looking for. Kim is quick to respond and works hard for you. She is extremely knowledgeable about the local areas, the selling process, the buying process, loans or financial services, and most importantly for us, the purchasing of land. We were constantly being told that our dream of buying property and building our own home was not possible, but Kim made that a reality and we are very grateful!"
Andrew H.
"Kim helped us in the process of finding our first home. She was incredibly helpful in the many challenges and took the time to explain each step to us as it was all new to us. She made the process so much smoother. She was professional, quick to respond, and very communicative. She is phenomenal in the negotiation process and ensures your needs are met. I absolutely recommend her to anyone looking for a realtor."
"Kim helped us in the process of finding our first home. She was incredibly helpful in the many challenges and took the time to explain each step to us as it was all new to us. She made the process so much smoother. She was professional, quick to respond, and very communicative. She is phenomenal in the negotiation process and ensures your needs are met. I absolutely recommend her to anyone looking for a realtor."
Amanda S.