I'm taking this post from first time homebuyer sub and giving my thoughts on it.

Here's the summary:

• A realtor the buyer didn’t contact is requiring an exclusive representation agreement and a 2.5% buyer-agent fee before showing a home, which feels sudden and confusing.

• The buyer is questioning new rules around buyer-paid commissions, Vermont’s conflict-of-interest law, and whether involving two realtors is unnecessary or financially motivated.

• They want to know if they can represent themselves instead, and what value a buyer’s agent provides that a loan officer and real estate attorney wouldn’t.

Hello! I’m trying to buy a house. I have a pre-approval letter from my bank and am reaching out to realtors whose listings I am interested in. I got an email from a realtor that I did not contact but who I was passed along to from the listing realtor.

Now this realtor wants me to sign contracts that she is the only one who can represent me and that I’ll pay her 2.5%.

A lot of realtors will say that it's law to sign contracts first. The law was meant to add more transparency. You discuss contracts first, then go see homes.

I haven’t even met her in person and she said I have to sign these before she shows me the house. I was under the impression that the seller paid the realtors but I guess this is a new law that the buyer pays their own realtor.

This will all depend on the contracts that are signed. You may have a contract with the buyer that they're entitled to 2.5% of the purchase price.

Let's pretend you sign that contract.

Then that agent wants to write a contract for an offer on a house.

If you don't specify that the seller will pay the 2.5% realtor fee, then your realtor will come to you with his hand out, expecting you to pay the 2.5%

If you don't want to pay the 2.5% make sure you don't make any offers without the 2.5% paid for by the seller.

It's possible they'll try to push the purchase price up higher to account for the 2.5% realtor fee, so you could be paying for it, just in the long run over 30 years.

Here's another thought:

Going without being represented by a realtor can feel difficult. Like there's a club, and you can't get in without your buddy that has a club pass.

Also, in my state (Vermont) there is a “conflict of interest” law that a realtor can’t represent the buyer and the seller.

This is why this buyer was contacted by a separate realtor passed along by the listing agent.

I contacted the listing agent because I did not want two realtors involved.

In my experience, agents would prefer to deal with other agents. They both speak the same lingo. This is likely why this buyer's contact info was passed along to another agent.

My husband bought a house before we were married and there was a lot of fighting between the two realtors and it was quite awkward apparently. I am trying to avoid this.

Lawyers on opposite sides of lawsuits argue. Realtors on opposite sides of a deal will argue. The point is to keep you out of the arguing.

Would you rather do the arguing yourself? Or have someone argue on your behalf.

Did the listing agent just get this realtor involved so that they both would get paid?

They're probably chums. Depending on Vermont law, they could be part of the same brokerage, and you may sign a form acknowledging that both realtors represent the same brokerage.

Can I not represent myself?

It's possible, but there are 'systemic' barriers.

Also, if you think I need my own realtor, can you tell me what exactly they can do for me that I can’t with a loan officer and a lawyer?

Lawyers will review, draft, and explain contracts. Loan officers will structure your loan. Agents will negotiate on your behalf, and also explain contracts and processes.

Here's a separate post on buying a home without a realtor

Here's a post with my experience helping a buyer who went about it without a realtor.