Buyer's Agreement Guide | David Weiss Real Estate Agents

Before you sign

Before you sign anything, here is an overview of why this needs to be signed by a a buyer & an a real estate agent.

California law, updated in 2024, now requires a signed agreement before any agent can show you a home. On the paperwork you may see it called the Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation Agreement; you don’t need the acronym. What it does is simple: it turns “an agent happy to help” into your agent, accountable to you. That relationship comes with a fiduciary obligation — the highest duty the law recognizes, the same standard that holds a trustee or an attorney to the people they serve. In plain terms: I’m legally bound to put your interests ahead of my own.

WHAT THIS AGREEMENT ACTUALLY DOES

Three things, no more.

01

Who I work for

You, and only you, for the term we agree on.

02

How long

Up to 90 days, and it does not auto-renew.

03

How I get paid

The rate is set up front, in writing, with nothing tucked away for later.

WHAT “REPRESENTING YOU” MEANS

The moment you sign, six legal duties kick in.
The law holds me to every one.

Loyalty

Your interests are top priority.

Confidentiality

What you tell me stays with me, never the seller.

Full Disclosure Review

I will help assist with understanding the disclosures, HOA, neighborhood, & current market insights.

Following Your Direction

You make the final decisions.

Strategic Offer & Negotiation

Advocate the contract terms, price, contingencies while protecting the buyers behalf.

Transaction Tracking

Coordinate with lenders, title, escrow, inspectors to keep transaction on schedule.

WHO PAYS ME

In most deals - not you.

Most of the time, the seller covers my fee through a credit at closing.

If a seller won't cover my fee, we'll talk it through before you ever write an offer—never a surprise at the closing table.

Signing costs nothing. A fee only applies if and when you actually buy & agree to all terms.

This matters most with new construction: the builder's agent works for the builder. I'm the one on your side of the table.

Common Questions

No. 90 days at most, and it does not auto-renew. If it isn't working, either of us can ask for a release or if we need more time, we can renew accordingly.

It covers houses I email, text or call you about and/or houses you find on your own, open houses. We agree on the specific counties and cities we agree on together, in writing. Within that footprint, any home you buy during the term — including coming soon, active, off-market and for-sale-by-owner.

We will review talk about it. Neither of us wants to hold you to something that isn't working. We work together and if not a good fit, we will review a solution or cancel.

Yes — and it matters most there, because the builders are not on your side. I will assist in getting you upgrades and best options.

Yes. Required across California since August 2024, for every agent, before showing any home.

No. The agreement is exclusive. That exclusivity allows me to dedicate my full attention and resources to your home search instead of dividing my efforts across competing buyer relationships.

ONCE YOU'RE IN CONTRACT

The work that begins after your offer is accepted
— where representation matters most.

Disclosures

I read every disclosure in the packet and give you the simple version — what's a genuine red flag, what's routine, and what's verified clean.

Inspections

I order and weigh the right reports, from the right licensed professionals, so nothing about the home is taken on faith.

Negotiation

I negotiate on your behalf — price, terms, credits, and repairs — always with your interests ahead of my own.

A Couple More Questions

Is the fee set by law?

No. Commission is 100% negotiable — never fixed by the state or a real estate board. Ours is agreed in writing, up front, before you commit.

Can I still go to open houses on my own?

Yes. You never need a signed agreement to visit a public open house — be cautious of any agent who tells you otherwise. Just let them know you're working with me, and I'll step in on anything you love.

Why David Weiss

I live here, and I chose it for my family. I raised my kids through Vista Grande Elementary. I'm in Brookside, just a short walk from downtown—the kind of family neighborhood you're looking for. This is my town and my community—one I've called home for more than 30 years, not a territory I drive into to sell a house.

Experienced and tech-forward. Years of closed deals and hard negotiations—paired with the newest technology and AI tools, so you get sharper analysis and faster answers than the agent down the street.

I find homes other buyers never see. Alongside Compass's off-market network, I run my own outreach—targeted letters to owners on the exact streets you want, plus expired listings and quiet would-be sellers. A nine-channel search that surfaces homes before they ever reach Zillow.

Contact Us

Most of the hesitation buyers feel comes down to four worries. My whole process is built to take all four off your plate.

01

“What if I lose it?”

I get you in early—often before a home ever reaches Zillow—so you're ahead of the crowd instead of racing it.

02

“What if there's something better out there?”

I search every channel, so when you say yes, it's a confident yes—you've actually seen what's out there, not just what an app surfaced this week.

03

“What if I overpay?”

You get a real, data-backed valuation on the specific home, built from recent neighborhood sales—a defensible number, not a Zestimate guess.

04

“What if something's wrong with it?”

I read the entire disclosure packet before you do and hand you a plain-English summary: what's a red flag, what to keep an eye on, and what's verified clean. A briefing, not a binder.

The Compass Advantage

Me — and the network behind me.

Compass is the country’s leading independent brokerage, and behind me sits its full network of top agents. Your criteria and quiet seller leads move across that network instantly, so a home that fits you can surface before it’s ever public. It’s reach and hyper-local knowledge working together — the whole network, plus an agent who knows these streets.

Two Compass programs put you in front of homes
before the public ever sees them.

PRIVATE EXCLUSIVES

Homes listed quietly, inside the network.

A home offered only within Compass — off Zillow, off Redfin, off every public portal. You can tour it, and buy it, with no crowd to bid against.

COMING SOON

A head start before the open market.

A home being readied to list. You get in first: walk it, read the disclosures, and shape your offer days or weeks before it goes public.

What I Ask From You

01

A clear picture of what your needs & wants are. Price Range, Fixer Upper or what if the house only needs basic updating or are you only looking for complete remodel houses only?
What size sq ft? Bedroom Count, Bathrooms?
1 Story or 2 Story? If 2 story, how important is a bedroom & bathroom on the main level?
Lot Size? Backyard Space? Pool?
Homes near Schools, Parks or possibly further away on a hilltop with a view.
Does the front door need to face a certain direction?
Lets review all of the above & discuss anything else.
02

Financing or Cash?
Do you need to sell before you buy?
Proof of funds — you’re financing with a lender you already know, so a current pre-approval letter is all I need. It lets me speak for you credibly on off-market homes, where a seller wants to know a buyer is real before they open the door.
03

A defined time frame, so I can go all-in on your search asap!
Looking forward to showing you homes!

Questions about anything in here?
Ask me before you sign — that’s exactly what I’m here for.

Contact Us

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Your Buyer Agreement, in Simple Terms