House purchase through agent, now contract terminated

As sellers, we had a binding period of 6 months in the brokerage contract. This means we would have had to pay a fee after termination if we sold to a prospective buyer who came through the broker within 6 months after effective termination. I do not know what the prospective buyers had in their contract.

We have not signed anything. I know, for example from banks that offer real estate, that before sending the exposé, they send a cancellation policy which I had to sign.

Again: According to general opinion, setting a checkmark in an online form sent by the broker and submitting it is equivalent to signing. Possibly also if he writes you an email and explicitly asks you to confirm the obligation to pay commission in a reply email. At least the latter was not the case, as I understand your statements.

Because I have to pay a fee to the broker in any case, since I had contact with the broker concerning the property?

If what you wrote to us is exactly true—and you have not overlooked anything—I cannot see that you would have to pay a commission. But:

All in all, I now understand it as meaning that it does not financially benefit me at all that the seller no longer has a broker?

That could still be correct if the owner now has to pay 7.14%. Just ask the owner what exactly is in his contract, whether your name is on the list, and what exactly applies to these names. Then please get back here. It is always very important to report how the story continued/turned out.

Yep, that is the agent's task. Which 3.57% are known? How did the agent react to your viewing appointment? Every reasonable agent has something like this confirmed in writing – and there is also something about the commission in it. Commissions in the plural? Definitely towards the seller. It usually takes about a year after termination before the agent is no longer allowed to hold out his hand. Maybe the agent simply did not perform? Should have achieved a higher purchase price or done whatever else. Reasons for termination can be varied. has already written enough about this.

Which 3.57% are known? How did the agent react to your viewing appointment? Every reasonable agent has something like this confirmed in writing – and there is also something about the commission in it.

We contacted him via Immo, had email contact, had the viewing, and then I received the exposé a day later, without prior signature or clicking a confirmation button. So no, I did not provide a signature.

That could still be correct if the owner now has to pay 7.14%. Just ask the owner what exactly is stated in his contract, whether your name is on the list, and what exactly applies to these names. Then please get back here again. It is always very important to also report how the story continued/ended.

I will do that. I have to see how things continue with the house, if it continues at all. That it is no longer being handled through an agent, I learned from him and not from the seller. Thanks very much to everyone for the information about it

I often have contact with real estate agents. You will have to pay. It is undisputed and understandable that you contacted the agent and came to the viewing appointment through him. You also explicitly confirm that you are aware of the 3.57 in this case. What the seller agreed with the terminated agent is irrelevant to you.

P.S. Recently terminated agents have an eagle eye on these properties and often monitor them for months/years. Agents are not stupid. It regularly happens that interested parties find each other through agents, are not in a hurry, and try to save the agent’s fee this way.

Yes, of course I am aware of the broker fees. I just find it really annoying how things are going right now. Because the way it looks, I am stuck and have to pay fees if I were to buy the house. Another interested party will now naturally be better off because they weren’t interested in the house during the time the broker had it. I find that a bit unfair. They wouldn’t have needed to get a broker at all, they could have just tried directly from the private owner. I am really interested in the house and now, of course, I am much more financially involved in the matter than a future interested party. And only because I was basically interested in the house too early. A bit of an unfair system, but what can you do. I can’t be responsible for the seller’s decision.