By Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader, Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief. Licensed in Maryland and Virginia.
Fair question, and one people are asking more since compensation rules changed across the industry in 2024.
The perception is that agents open doors and fill out forms. Let me tell you what the job actually consists of, and then you can decide whether it is worth it.
What Changed in 2024
Briefly, because it matters to how you read the rest of this.
Buyer agent compensation is no longer published on the MLS. It is negotiated separately between the buyer, their agent, and sometimes the seller.
Buyers now sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes, spelling out what the agent will do and how they are paid.
The practical effect: you should now have an explicit conversation about what your agent does and what it costs. That is a good change. Ask the question directly, of me or anyone else.
For Buyers
Finding houses is the smallest part of the job. You can see everything on Zillow. That is not what you are paying for.
Getting you in fast. Maryland REALTORS reported an 8 day median time to contract in Anne Arundel County for June 2026. In some submarkets it is faster. If a house lists Thursday and you cannot see it until Sunday, you lost it. Someone has to be available to get you in same-day.
Telling you what is wrong with a house. Photos hide a lot. Foundation issues, a bad roof, moisture in the basement, an addition that was never permitted, a neighbor’s situation you would not notice on a walkthrough.
Knowing what things are actually worth. Not the Zestimate. What comparable homes have actually settled for on that street, adjusted for condition, so you do not overpay by $30,000 or lose a house by underbidding by $5,000.
Local knowledge that is genuinely hard to get. In this corridor: whether a community pier right conveys with the deed, which side of a school attendance boundary an address falls on, whether the property is on public sewer or septic, whether the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area limits what you can build.
Writing an offer that actually competes. Price is one term. Earnest money, inspection posture, settlement flexibility, appraisal gap language, and financing type all matter, and knowing which levers to pull for a particular seller is experience.
Reading the inspection report and negotiating it. Sorting real defects from cosmetic noise, and knowing what to ask for and how.
Managing everything between contract and closing. Lender coordination, title issues, appraisal problems, HOA documents, deadline tracking. This is where deals fall apart and it is mostly invisible when it goes well.
For Sellers
Pricing. The single highest leverage decision in your entire sale, and the one that decides whether you get multiple offers or sit for three months.
Telling you what to fix and what to leave alone. Most sellers are about to spend money on the wrong things. An hour walking your house saves thousands.
Preparing and marketing it. Professional photography, accurate and specific listing copy, and launch timing. Going live Thursday instead of Monday concentrates showings into one weekend, which is how multiple offers happen instead of one at a time.
Vetting offers. The highest offer is frequently not the best one. Financing type, earnest money, contingency posture, and whether a buyer actually has the cash they claim all determine whether you close.
Running your net sheet. What you actually walk away with after transfer taxes, commission, payoff, prorations, and credits. A higher offer with a big closing cost credit can net less than a lower clean one.
Negotiating the inspection. This is where more deals die than anywhere else.
What It Costs and How to Evaluate It
Ask directly. What do you charge, what does it include, and how are you paid on this transaction.
Then evaluate it the way you would any professional service. Is this person going to make or save me more than they cost?
For a seller, that is a pricing question and a negotiation question. For a buyer, that is a question about whether they can get you into the right house at the right number without you overpaying or missing something expensive.
A good agent should be able to answer that with specifics, not enthusiasm.
When You Might Not Need One
I will be honest about this.
If you are buying from a family member at an agreed price, or selling to a neighbor who already wants it, you may need a title company and an attorney more than an agent.
If you have bought and sold many times, know your market cold, and have the time to manage the process, you have more options than a first-time buyer does.
Where I would not go it alone: new construction, where the builder’s representative works for the builder. Anything involving an estate, a divorce, or multiple decision makers. Waterfront in this county, where the value drivers are technical. And any competitive situation where you will be one of several offers.
What to Ask Any Agent
- How many transactions have you closed in the last twelve months?
- How many in my specific area and price range?
- What do you charge and what does it include?
- What would you tell me to fix before listing, and what would you skip?
- What do you think my house is worth, and can you show me the comps?
That last one is the tell. Anyone can name a number. Ask them to defend it with actual comparable sales.
My Answer
I have closed more than 350 homes over the past five years across the Baltimore to Annapolis corridor. That is the experience I bring, and I am happy to have a direct conversation about what I do and what it costs before you commit to anything.
Reach out to Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty.
Quick Answers
What does a buyer’s agent do?
Gets you into homes quickly in a fast market, tells you what is wrong with a property, determines what it is actually worth from comparable sales, writes an offer that competes on more than price, negotiates the inspection, and manages the 30 to 45 days between contract and closing.
Do I have to sign an agreement with a buyer’s agent?
Since 2024, buyers generally sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes. It spells out what the agent will do and how they are compensated. Read it and ask questions before signing.
How are real estate agents paid now?
Compensation is negotiated rather than published on the MLS. It may come from the seller, from the buyer, or a combination. Ask any agent directly what they charge and how they are paid on your specific transaction.
Can I buy a house without an agent?
You can. Be aware that in a new construction purchase the builder’s representative works for the builder, and in a resale the listing agent works for the seller. Without your own representation, you are the only party in the transaction without someone on your side.
What should I ask before hiring an agent?
How many transactions they closed in the past year, how many in your area and price range, what they charge, what they would fix or skip on your house, and what they think it is worth with the comparable sales to support it.
Compensation practices and agreement requirements changed across the industry in 2024 and vary by brokerage and transaction. Market figures reflect Maryland REALTORS Housing Statistics, June 2026.
I am Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader of Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief, licensed in Maryland and Virginia, and I have closed more than 350 homes over the past five years across the Baltimore to Annapolis corridor. My team serves buyers and sellers throughout Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and the surrounding markets, with deep experience supporting military, veteran, and Department of Defense families.
443-347-6692 | [email protected] | TACMD.com
Smile more,
Adam Chubbuck
