If you’re buying or selling in Highland Haven, you’ve probably searched for real estate agent commission rates and gotten more sales pitch than a straight answer. I’m Robbie English, REALTOR and Broker at Uncommon Highland Lakes Realty, and I’d rather just tell you how it actually works, including what changed industry-wide in 2024 and how that plays out for buyers and sellers here.
Highland Haven sits on the eastern shore of Lake LBJ in Burnet County, about seven miles west of Marble Falls and roughly an hour from Austin. It’s a small market with a lot of lake-access and custom-built homes, and that mix changes what commission should actually be paying for compared to a standard subdivision listing.
TL;DR: commission rates in Highland Haven
- Commission has always been negotiated in Texas. There’s no set percentage required by law or by the MLS.
- Since the 2024 industry settlement took effect, buyer’s agents can no longer have their compensation posted on the MLS, and buyers now sign a written agreement with their agent spelling out that agent’s fee before touring homes.
- Most sellers still choose to offer buyer’s agent compensation as part of their marketing, but it’s a decision made listing by listing, not a fixed rule.
- What you’re paying for is pricing strategy, marketing, and negotiation, not just paperwork.
- The lowest rate isn’t automatically the best deal if it comes with weaker marketing or less negotiating leverage.
How commission actually works
In Texas, commission has always been negotiated between you and your agent rather than set by any outside body. What changed in August 2024 is how that gets disclosed and structured. Buyer’s agents can no longer post their compensation on the MLS, and buyers now sign a written buyer-representation agreement up front that spells out how their agent gets paid, whether as a percentage, a flat fee, or an hourly rate, before that agent shows them homes. On the listing side, sellers still decide, in writing, whether to offer compensation to a buyer’s agent as part of the marketing plan, and if so, how much. That decision affects how many buyer’s agents are actively showing your home, so it’s worth talking through rather than defaulting to whatever the last listing did.
What you’re actually paying for
A commission percentage by itself doesn’t tell you much. What matters is what’s behind it: how the home gets priced, how it’s marketed to the right buyers, how showings are managed, and who’s handling the negotiation once an offer lands. In Highland Haven, where a lot of a home’s value comes from lake access, dock rights, and lot orientation, pricing and marketing decisions have a real, measurable effect on what a home sells for.
Why the lowest rate isn’t always the best deal
I’ve seen sellers choose the agent quoting the lowest commission and net less at closing than they would have with stronger marketing and a sharper negotiator working their offer. A discount on commission is only a good deal if it doesn’t cost you more in sale price, timeline, or concessions during the option period.
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My approach in Highland Haven
I’ve worked this market for over two decades and train other real estate agents nationally on pricing and negotiation strategy. That experience goes directly into how I price, market, and negotiate for my Highland Haven clients, and I stay your point of contact from our first conversation through closing.
If you want a clear, specific breakdown of what commission would look like for your situation under the current rules, reach out and I’ll walk you through it in writing before you sign anything.
