Who pays Realtor fees in Florida?

The short answer: read the agreements, not a percentage chart

Compensation is negotiable and is not set by Florida law. A seller can choose whether to offer buyer-broker compensation, and a buyer can ask for that payment in a purchase offer. Neither choice guarantees a specific result.

The purchase offer and any separate compensation agreement determine whether the seller pays a buyer broker directly or gives another negotiated credit. The closing statement should match the final signed documents.

Four common payment paths

1. Seller pays the listing brokerage only. The buyer arranges payment of any buyer-broker fee under the buyer agreement.
2. Seller pays both brokerages through separate agreements. The amounts are negotiated and should be documented, not assumed from an old listing convention.
3. Listing brokerage pays a buyer brokerage. The seller's listing agreement and authorization control that brokerage's payment obligations.
4. Buyer requests a seller contribution in the offer. The seller can accept, counter, or decline the proposed economics; financing rules and the lender's treatment should be checked.

Florida Realtors' listing-agreement form expressly states that a seller may, but is not required to, compensate a buyer's broker. It also says commissions are fully negotiable. The form is an example of how choices are documented, not the only possible contract.

What buyers should ask before touring

• What services does the buyer broker provide, and for how long does the agreement last?
• Is compensation a fixed amount, percentage, hourly fee, or another objectively determinable amount?
• If the seller or listing broker pays part of the fee, how is the buyer's obligation reduced?
• What happens if the seller offers nothing or if the desired home is outside the agreement's scope?
• How do any seller contributions interact with the lender's financing rules?

NAR's consumer guide says written buyer agreements are required for many professionals before an in-person or live virtual tour. It also explains that simply asking questions at an open house does not itself require signing such an agreement. Brokerage and MLS circumstances can matter, so read the actual document before signing.

What sellers should ask before listing

• What specific marketing, pricing, showing, and negotiation services are included in the listing fee?
• Does the listing agreement authorize any payment to a buyer broker, or will that be decided per offer?
• How will offers with different prices, seller credits, and brokerage-payment requests be compared on a net basis?
• What are the expiration, cancellation, protection-period, and earned-fee terms?

Compare the entire offer rather than rejecting or accepting it because of one compensation line. The Florida seller closing-cost calculator lets you enter the exact negotiated brokerage amounts alongside deed tax, payoff, title, and concessions. It does not assume a standard commission.

Compensation is separate from representation

Florida law permits transaction brokerage or single agency, and it presumes transaction brokerage unless a single-agent or no-brokerage relationship is established in writing. Who pays a fee does not, by itself, answer which duties a licensee owes. Ask for the brokerage relationship disclosure and clarify whom each professional represents.