We are thinking about selling our home on our own. If a buyer comes in with a Realtor do we still have to pay their agent the 3% commission?
That depends on whether you choose to “cooperate” with agents or not. If you do not, agents will not bring buyers to your house. If you do cooperate, some agents will bring buyers, but if their client makes an offer and closes the deal, they will expect to earn a commission. A three percent commission is customary, but you can attempt to negotiate, too.
Before an agent brings a client to your house, they will probably stop by and ask you to sign a “one time show” agreement. This prevents you and the buyer from negotiating directly in an attempt to not pay the agent’s commission.