Do I need a written buyer agreement in Indiana, and do buyers pay commission now?

Straight answer

Indiana-licensed brokers need a written representation agreement with buyer clients. That rule sits in state law from House Enrolled Act 1068, effective July 1, 2024. The agreement must be in writing, show a definite expiration date, and you get a copy within three business days of signing.

On top of that, Realtor MLS practice changes from August 17, 2024 mean buyer-broker compensation is no longer advertised inside the MLS feed. Compensation stays negotiable. It must be clearly defined in your agreement. A flat fee, a percent, hourly, or even zero if that is what you both agree to. Not a vague range. Not “whatever the seller offers.”

So do buyers “pay commission now”? Under the buyer agreement, you are responsible for paying your buyer broker as the paper says. You can still ask the seller to cover all or part of that amount in the purchase offer, the same way you ask for closing-cost help. The request lives in the deal, not as a hidden MLS field.

When the paper comes out at Suite B

Browse listings online without signing. Call the shop with a real question without signing. Open houses you walk alone do not require that paper first.

Once you want a Realtor at Realest to represent you and tour MLS homes with you, including a virtual tour, the written buyer agreement comes first. It can cover a day, a weekend, or one house. We walk the form at 112 S. Main St., Suite B before you sign.

Typical pieces named out loud: who we represent, a real end date, the work (search, showings, offers, inspections, closing help), and how we get paid if you close. If a line does not match what we said, stop and fix it before you leave the office.

What changed after August 2024

MLS platforms stopped publishing offers of compensation from sellers or listing brokers to buyer brokers. Sellers can still agree to contribute toward a buyer broker fee. They just cannot advertise that offer inside the MLS feed the way many buyers remember.

We write what you agreed to in your buyer agreement first. Then we see what the listing side is actually offering off-MLS. If those two numbers do not match, we talk before you write the offer. Nobody should find that out at the closing table.

Illinois buyers touring Indiana

Indiana showings are Indiana license law. We are dual-licensed. Do not assume an Illinois form covers a Crown Point, Munster, or Valparaiso MLS tour. If you are comparing both sides of the line, start with Moving from Illinois to Northwest Indiana and the Illinois Learn shelf.

State forms differ. Clarity does not.

Checklist this week

• Browse and call first. Sign before you tour MLS homes with us.
• Read the expiration date out loud before you sign.
• Make sure compensation is a clear number or percent, not a range.
• Ask how seller or listing-broker contributions will be handled in the offer.
• Keep your copy. Confirm you received it within three business days.
• Call (219) 801-0432 if you want the shop walkthrough at Suite B.

Related

Ask Realest · Buying Process · Learn Buying · Buy with the shop · Down payment · USA deeper read on buyer commission · Contact

Ready to walk the paper before the tour?

Call (219) 801-0432 · Visit 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point · or use the Contact form.

Ask Realest chat on this site can answer live when the widget is on. Still prefer a human for offers, pricing, and relocation files. Call (219) 801-0432.

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Quick answers

Do I have to sign something just to look at listings online?

No. Browse and call first. The written agreement comes before we represent you and before we tour an MLS home with you.

Does a buyer agreement lock me into buying this week?

No. It names the relationship, the end date, the work, and how we get paid if you close. Read the expiration date before you sign.

Is there a standard buyer commission percent in Northwest Indiana?

No. Compensation is negotiable and not set by law. We will not invent a “typical” percent on this page.

Can a seller still pay my buyer broker?

Yes, through negotiation off the MLS and in the purchase agreement. Your buyer agreement still has to define what you owe if that contribution is short.