Keller Williams NYCJonathan Answers · Choosing a buyer's agent
How do I choose the best buyer's agent in New York City?
Answered by Jonathan NormolleFounder, NextGen at Keller Williams NYC
The short answer
Choose the agent who gives you the most access and the fewest costs. A great New York buyer's agent searches every listing, not just their own brokerage's, gets you into private and coming-soon homes before StreetEasy, knows how to get a co-op board to say yes, and works with a closing attorney who can actually close. Then ask what they cover. At NextGen at Keller Williams NYC, your legal fees are covered and so is 20–50% of your move.
Five things to ask before you sign
- Do you search every listing? Not just your brokerage's, and including new buildings at launch.
- Can you get me in before StreetEasy? The best homes often trade privately, to buyers already in the room. Nearly one in five NextGen listings sells this way.
- Can you get me through a co-op board? Ask how many board packages they've built, and how they present bonuses, equity and income from abroad.
- Who is my lawyer? Deals die from bad lawyers. Your agent should work with a closing attorney who closes, every time.
- What do you cover? Most agents cover nothing. Ask anyway.
What NextGen does differently
One advisor searches every home in New York for you, with the reach of Keller Williams, the No. 1 real estate brand in America by sales and by transactions. Your lawyer is one of our partners at Movtady Law, one of the highest-ranked residential closing attorneys in the city, and the fee is covered. When you close, we cover 20–50% of your move. Jonathan Normolle works every deal himself.
Also asked
Does it cost anything to use a buyer's agent in New York?
Since 2024, buyers sign a written agreement with their agent that sets out how the agent is paid. In many New York deals the seller still covers it, but it depends on the agreement, so ask before you start.
Should my buyer's agent work at a big brokerage?
Reach matters more than size. Your agent should search every listing in the city and have access to homes before they go public. A large network helps with that.
What does a buyer's lawyer cost in New York City?
A residential closing attorney in New York City typically charges a few thousand dollars per deal. With NextGen, that fee is covered.
The NextGen Promise
Your legal fees, covered. 20–50% of your move, on us.
Buying or selling, at every price. We're the only brokerage that does it.