How do I verify a real estate agent's license and what do buyer agents charge?

The Arizona Department of Real Estate regulates salespersons and brokers and publishes a licence search; an active licence, the broker the agent works under and the complaint and disciplinary history are all public, and the department’s consumer pages explain what agents owe their clients [1]. Many agents also belong to the REALTOR association, which adds a code of ethics and the standard forms used across the state [2].

Since 2024, agents must sign a written agreement with a buyer before showing homes, and that agreement sets the compensation. Fees are negotiable; a percentage of the purchase price remains common, and whether the seller contributes is negotiated offer by offer, so ask how your agent is paid and what happens if the seller offers nothing [2]. Dual agency, where one agent represents both sides, is legal in Arizona only with written consent from both.

Beyond the licence, choose on recent transactions in the neighbourhoods and price range you want and on how they explain the contract to a buyer from abroad; the consumer finance regulator’s home-buying guides help you judge whether the advice you are getting is sound [3].