Q: Is it a requirement for a buyer to hire a real estate broker in order to buy a real estate property in Maryland?

A: Not true. But an agent or lawyer can be useful.

When the unrepresented shows interest in a residential property, the selling agent will usually try to convince the buyer to use a buyer's agent in the selling agent's own office.

The other common fallacy is that you must use only the standardized Maryland Board of Realtors form contract, with little or no changes. This is wrong. There are several provisions in the standard contract that only benefit the brokers and agents, and which are detrimental to the parties. It is the agents who fight to keep the language in the contract, against the best interests of their own clients.

A: I don't know who told you that, but it is incorrect. Even though selling brokers are usually paid by splitting the commissions earned by selling brokers, buyers can often negotiate a lower price if they avoid using a broker, especially in buyer's markets. I do think it is wise to have some professional help negotiating price and navigating closing, but I've frequently had clients who located property on the Internet or through personal connections and then retained a lawyer to contract and close the deal. Further, as Mr. Valkenet writes, the contract preferred by brokers in the GCAAR and MAR regions both contain clauses that should be struck out before signing, since they are written solely to serve the brokers. I wrote an article on that, and it can be read at: <https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/modifications-you-must-make-to-the-standard-gcaar-sales-offer>.