295: Why Buyer Agents Struggle to Get Paid

Hustle Humbly Podcast

Alissa Jenkins & Katy Caldwell

Entrepreneurship, Realestatepodcast, Realestate, Realtoreducation, Realtor, Business

4.9 • 809 Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Are you accidentally working for free? It sure seems like it! In today’s episode, we’re diving back into the world of buyer brokerage agreements and uncovering a sneaky trend: agents are getting their BBAs signed… and then slashing their own pay before closing.

Why are so many agents struggling to confidently collect the commission they put in writing? Is it a lack of confidence? A fear of rejection? Or are they skipping a crucial step in the process? Spoiler alert: it all comes down to the buyer consultation.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

Why agents are so quick to discount their commission
How recent shifts in the industry are exposing a lack of confidence
The critical mistake agents are making with buyer consultations
How listing agents have always done this differently—and what buyer’s agents can learn from them
The importance of transparency in how you get paid
The real way to make sure you’re worth what you charge
What brokers should be teaching their agents (but often don’t)

The reality is, if you’re afraid to charge your full fee, you might not be delivering enough value to feel like you earned it. But don’t worry, we’ve got practical solutions for you! Tune in to hear how to build confidence, deliver more value, and get paid what you deserve.

Need help with your buyer consultation? Grab our Buyer Brokerage Agreement Cover Letter to guide your conversations with clients: hustlehumblypodcast.com/bba.

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Key Quotes/Takeaways:

"If you’re not comfortable talking about money, you’re going to struggle in this business." – Alissa
"The key to confidently getting paid is knowing your value and communicating it clearly." – Alissa
"Brokers shouldn’t just train agents on getting paid more. They should train them on how to SERVE better." – Katy
"If you don’t feel like you’re worth what you’re charging, it’s time to step up your service." – Alissa

Products, People & Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Buyer Brokerage Agreement Cover Letter: hustlehumblypodcast.com/bba
Episode 232: Buyer Brokerage How To's

DEALS WEEK IS HERE, 3/31-4/4! GRAB THE DEALS AT HUSTLEHUMBLYPODCAST.COM/SPRING!

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Maybe your worth is not quite there, but you will get there if you keep looking for ways to serve.
0:13.8	Yeah.
0:14.8	If you don't have the luxury features of the luxury car you can't charge the luxury car price
0:21.9	i'm being told i'm worth it but i don't know what i'm doing yes yes i'm going to write that down
0:29.4	that is where the conflict is i am being told i am worth it hi y'all welcomeall. Welcome to Hustle Humbly.
0:38.1	It's Alyssa and Katie, and we are two top-producing realtors in the Baton Rouge market.
0:42.1	We work for two different companies where we should be competitors, but we have chosen
0:45.5	community over competition.
0:47.1	The goal of our podcast is to encourage you to find your own way in business.
0:50.8	So stop comparing yourself and start embracing your strengths.
0:54.6	Hi, Alyssa. Hey, Katie. Welcome to episode number 295. Should you get paid? Nah. No.
1:03.0	It doesn't seem like agents want to get paid if you ask me. Who needs it? Okay. I just do this because
1:09.0	I love people. I love people so much.
1:11.4	I want to look at houses and I would do it for free.
1:13.6	I would just work for free.
1:15.2	Yeah, I just give all my money away.
1:18.0	Yikes.
1:18.6	Okay, before we really get into, we're diving back into the world of the buyer brokerage.
1:24.6	Yes.
1:25.0	So we did a buyer brokerage how to episode. It was episode 232.
1:31.0	Correct. It would be a great one to go back and listen to. Yeah. And this one today is, you know,
1:40.5	this law and this agreement has been put into place for about eight months.
	...

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