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Why We Charge a Retainer to Help You Buy a House
Every other buyer's agent in Clark County will work with you for free up front and only get paid when you close.
So why do we ask for a retainer before we start?
Because "free until closing" isn't actually free — it just hides the cost, and worse, it quietly works against you. When an agent only gets paid if you buy, every month that passes without a deal turns into pressure: pressure to overlook the water in the basement, to talk you into the house that's good enough, to close something before the contract runs out. A lot of the complaints behind the NAR lawsuit came out of exactly that dynamic.
In episode 3 of Disclosures, Nick and Dave break down how the retainer fixes it.
When we're fairly paid for our time regardless of outcome, we can do the thing a good agent should be able to do: tell you not to buy. Re-sign the lease. Walk away. No hard feelings, no hidden incentive pulling the other direction.
We also lay out the full model for the first time — three tiers of buyer representation, what each one costs, who each one is for, and the honest tradeoffs (including the parts we're still working through, like making the retainer workable for first-time buyers).
If you've ever felt your agent get a little too eager as the clock ran down, this one explains why — and what a different model looks like.
The model, in plain numbers:
• Full Service — $15,000 flat (not a percentage), $3,000 retainer up front, credited toward the total at closing. We're with you for everything: search, showings, inspections, offers, negotiation.
• Limited Service — $9,000 flat, $1,500 retainer. Virtual buyer agency for confident buyers who tour on their own; you're paying for our judgment, negotiation, and contract protection, not our drive time.
• DIY Consulting — $450/hr, non-agency. A sounding board when you want to run the process yourself but check your thinking at the key moments.
Retainers are collected at signing and exist to keep our incentives aligned with yours.
Want to connect further?
Reach out directly: [email protected] | [email protected]
Book a strategy call: https://www.thetartanteam.com/book
More at thetartanteam.com
Timestamps:
00:00 Recording in person for the first time
01:12 Recap: what we covered in episode 2
02:39 The core problem with how buyer agents get paid
05:23 Why "free until closing" works against you
09:48 How this fueled the NAR lawsuit
14:17 The fix: a retainer (and where the idea came from)
19:24 Why the retainer protects you, not just us
23:47 The full model: three tiers and what they cost
31:23 The hurdle we're still working out (first-time buyers)
34:11 "That sounds expensive" — and the real math
41:38 The agent who tells you no
42:52 How to reach us
View all episodes
By Nick Aufenkamp and Dave Miller | The Tartan TeamEvery other buyer's agent in Clark County will work with you for free up front and only get paid when you close.
So why do we ask for a retainer before we start?
Because "free until closing" isn't actually free — it just hides the cost, and worse, it quietly works against you. When an agent only gets paid if you buy, every month that passes without a deal turns into pressure: pressure to overlook the water in the basement, to talk you into the house that's good enough, to close something before the contract runs out. A lot of the complaints behind the NAR lawsuit came out of exactly that dynamic.
In episode 3 of Disclosures, Nick and Dave break down how the retainer fixes it.
When we're fairly paid for our time regardless of outcome, we can do the thing a good agent should be able to do: tell you not to buy. Re-sign the lease. Walk away. No hard feelings, no hidden incentive pulling the other direction.
We also lay out the full model for the first time — three tiers of buyer representation, what each one costs, who each one is for, and the honest tradeoffs (including the parts we're still working through, like making the retainer workable for first-time buyers).
If you've ever felt your agent get a little too eager as the clock ran down, this one explains why — and what a different model looks like.
The model, in plain numbers:
• Full Service — $15,000 flat (not a percentage), $3,000 retainer up front, credited toward the total at closing. We're with you for everything: search, showings, inspections, offers, negotiation.
• Limited Service — $9,000 flat, $1,500 retainer. Virtual buyer agency for confident buyers who tour on their own; you're paying for our judgment, negotiation, and contract protection, not our drive time.
• DIY Consulting — $450/hr, non-agency. A sounding board when you want to run the process yourself but check your thinking at the key moments.
Retainers are collected at signing and exist to keep our incentives aligned with yours.
Want to connect further?
Reach out directly: [email protected] | [email protected]
Book a strategy call: https://www.thetartanteam.com/book
More at thetartanteam.com
Timestamps:
00:00 Recording in person for the first time
01:12 Recap: what we covered in episode 2
02:39 The core problem with how buyer agents get paid
05:23 Why "free until closing" works against you
09:48 How this fueled the NAR lawsuit
14:17 The fix: a retainer (and where the idea came from)
19:24 Why the retainer protects you, not just us
23:47 The full model: three tiers and what they cost
31:23 The hurdle we're still working out (first-time buyers)
34:11 "That sounds expensive" — and the real math
41:38 The agent who tells you no
42:52 How to reach us