but, I am just guessing.

if you don't sign with the realtor and handle the transaction your self.

If someome made an offer before you signed, you might be able to negotiate a reduced commission to the agent to handle the tranaction. But sometimes transactions don't complete, and you might have to start over. So for that reason the agent might not consider a reduced fee.

and as I recall, in the contract we signed with our realtor there was a clause that we could identify a potential buyer who stepped up before the property went on the market. If we sold to that person (without using the realtor's expertise), we wouldn't have to pay the commission. But if the realtor did all the work, including handling the documents for the sale, then I think you have to pay the fee.

Worth checking.

covered under this agreement whether or not it came (the offer) before the signing w/ the RE agent. Before you sign, you should ask the RE agent you're signing with about this, but I think they'll tell you regardless, the fee is required (the RE agent's fee) on a possible buyer before the whole RE agreement was signed.

Otherwise, RE agents would never get paid, since 'all of the buyers' came to us before we got w/ the RE agent' stuff would happen.

I seem to recall that you can negotiate a different tier commission though if you tell the RE agent first prior to signing with the RE agent, i.e., instead of 6%, the RE agent gets 3% or something like that, but it's got to be that specific buyer and none other. It's been a couple of years since I went through this process and I can't 100% remember but I had the same scenario you have happen too. I didn't mind paying since I didn't know all of the local real estate rules/laws/etc. that need to be complied with (the inspections and so forth), and we paid a lower rate commission too (I think 6% vs. 8% prevailing rate).

GOOD LUCK to you too!!!

you tell the potential buyer to talk to your realtor to make an offer. You will save yourself a lot of trouble and frustration by using the expertise of a licensed realtor. For example, I'm in the process of buying a house in Dallas, and lo and behold the house straddles 2 lots, one of which is not owned by the seller and wasn't disclosed in the initial contract. This snafu was caught by the title company and missed by the appraiser. My realtor is managing getting this problem sorted out.

Here's a tip: You pay for a licensed home inspection BEFORE you put the property on the market. That way, you can fix any problems. Offer to let the buyer accept the inspection, rather than shell out $300 to do an inspection.

They just look at what is physically there. They don't conduct the record searches that show title problems.

I spent over 25 years in the title business, so I know what I'm talking about. But I do agree with your advice about getting a good agent. Every real estate closing is its own set of miracles, and having someone knowledgeable in your corner can help get the job done.

In the listing agreement you write in the potential buyers name as an exclusion and usually a time frame for them to purchase.

Offering a reduced listing fee to an agent to handle any exclusions is also subject to local realtors laws/ rules/companies.

It may have changed but it used to be allowed.

then if it doesn't go through, then you're not out. That's in the contract.

I think you can not sign, but that would be unethical and you would always have a taint.

If there is no contract with a realtor, then there is no guarantee of fees. If the prospective buyer is willing to use a real estate attorney and you both agree on that attorney, then have a contract drawn up and a good faith payment transacted.
On the other hand, "strong interest" isn't really worth much.

... of a realtor offering to do the detail work for an excluded client and charging a fixed fee?

Or get an exclusion from the realtor for that potential buyer.

"For Sale By Owner" or FSBO sales aren't tricky but you need a dedicated real estate attorney to walk you thru the process. You can potentially save thousands of dollars in commission.

I've had family members who sold this way - a neighbor came up and offered to buy so they did a private sale

Good luck!