Cooperating broker
The buyer's brokerage in a deal where the listing offers a split of the commission. Most MLS listings historically included a cooperating broker offer, though that's changing.
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Why a seller cares
The cooperating broker is the buyer's brokerage, and for decades the listing's offer of a split to them was how buyers' agents were paid. That offer no longer rides the MLS, so what a buyer's agent is paid is now in the offer itself.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
A buyer's agent from another brokerage brings an offer. Their compensation is written into the offer rather than promised on the listing.
| Then | Now |
|---|---|
| The listing offered a split to any cooperating broker | No compensation offer on the MLS |
| The split was the norm, rarely negotiated | Each offer names what the buyer's agent asks for |
| The seller paid both sides from one commission | The seller decides, offer by offer, what to pay the buyer's side |
Cooperating broker still means the buyer's brokerage. What has changed is how they are paid.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That the listing agreement still sets the buyer's agent's fee. It sets what your side pays your agent; the buyer's side is negotiated in the offer.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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