Relationships with Realtors

[Will Johnston]

Would some of you be willing to share how you structure your agreements with the Realtor(s) you work with?

I've been working with a friend who is a Realtor, and I've signed the standard buyer agency agreement form, which states that I can't buy any property without paying them a commission, even if it's something off-MLS from a wholesaler or a private seller working without a Realtor.

My friend is pretty new at this (as am I).  I don't want to take advantage of a friend, and she has been doing a good job.  But it also doesn't seem to make a ton of sense to be locked in to paying a commission on properties that I didn't really need or use a Realtor's services to purchase.

Any thoughts?