A buyer presentation shows a buyer how buying works, what it will cost and how you’re paid, so they can decide whether to hire you. Since August 17, 2024, most agents need a written buyer agreement before touring a home with a buyer, so that decision now comes before the first showing. Cover nine parts, state your fee plainly and leave more time for their questions than for your own story.
Why agents present to buyers now
It used to be common to show a buyer a few homes first and sort out the paperwork later. NAR settlement practice changes that took effect on August 17, 2024 ended that for agents who take part in a REALTOR®-affiliated MLS, which is most agents, and some states have since written the requirement into law. A written buyer agreement comes before touring a home, and it must state a specific fee. Talking with a visitor at an open house doesn’t need one.
That means the buyer is asked to hire you before seeing a single home with you. They need enough information to say yes or no. The presentation gives it to them, and it’s where they learn what they’re signing. This is general information. State rules and broker policy vary, so check with your broker.
What to cover, in order
- Their goals: start with questions, not slides. Ask why they’re buying, when and what matters most. A buyer questionnaire sent ahead saves time here.
- The buying process and timeline: walk through the steps from pre-approval to closing and how long each one tends to take in your area.
- The local market in numbers: show prices, how fast homes sell and how much competition there is for homes in the areas they named.
- Money: explain pre-approval, cash to close and the monthly payment at their price.
- How you search and tour: say how you find homes, how quickly you can show one and how you’ll stay in touch.
- Writing a competitive offer: explain price, contingencies, deposit and timing, and how you help them choose terms.
- What you do after acceptance: cover inspections, the appraisal, deadlines and the closing.
- How you’re paid and the agreement: give your fee, who may pay it and what the agreement says.
- What happens next: name the next step, such as signing, a lender conversation and a date for the first tour.
How long it should take
Aim for 20 to 30 minutes of presenting inside a first meeting of 45 to 60 minutes. Those times are a suggested format, not a rule. If you run long, cut slides, not questions. A buyer who has bought before may want the short version: goals, money, fee, next step.
The presentation is one part of a longer first meeting. How to run a buyer consultation covers the rest.
What to bring or send
- A one-page fee handout: what you charge, who may pay it and a dollar example.
- A cost-to-buy sheet: the cost-to-buy sheet prints an estimate of cash to close and monthly payment at a price in a ZIP code.
- Local market numbers: one page is enough. The ZIP market profile gives you a one-page snapshot of a ZIP code.
- A sample agreement: a blank copy of the buyer agreement you use, so they can read it at home before signing.
Email these the day before if you can. Buyers who have read them arrive with better questions.
How to talk about your fee
Tell the buyer at the start that you’ll explain how you’re paid, and answer right away if they ask sooner. When you get there, say the number yourself, in dollars at their price. Then cover three points:
- Who pays: a seller may agree to pay some or all of your fee, but no seller has to.
- What happens if a seller offers less: explain the choices before it comes up on a real home.
- It’s negotiable: the agreement must say fees are fully negotiable and not set by law, so say it out loud too.
You’ll find sample wording in how to explain your commission to buyers.
Try it: “How I’m paid” handoutPrint a one-page “How I’m paid” handout with a dollar example.Mistakes to avoid
- Talking about yourself for 20 minutes: your sales record matters less to the buyer than their own questions. Keep your background to a minute or two.
- Jargon: say “the deposit you make with your offer”, not “EMD”. If you must use a term, explain it once.
- Hiding the fee until the end: if the buyer first hears the number when the agreement is on the table, it looks like you hoped they wouldn’t ask. Bring it up yourself.
- Promising outcomes: you can’t promise a price, a winning offer or a closing date. Describe what you will do.
- Saying your services are free: agents may not describe their services as “free” unless they will receive no compensation from anyone.
Next, read how to run a buyer consultation for the full first meeting, or how to get buyer leads to meet more buyers.
Common questions
What should a buyer presentation include?
Cover the buyer’s goals, the buying process and timeline, local market numbers, money, how you search and tour, writing an offer, what you do after acceptance, how you’re paid and the next step.
How long should a buyer presentation be?
About 20 to 30 minutes of presenting inside a first meeting of 45 to 60 minutes is a workable format. That’s a suggestion, not a rule, so leave room for the buyer’s questions.
Can I tell buyers my services are free?
No, not if you will be paid by anyone. Under the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, agents may not describe their services as free unless they will receive no compensation from any source.
Updated October 2026. General information for real estate professionals, not legal, tax or financial advice. Prices, platform rules and program terms change, so confirm them at the source.