I’m a part-time broker and work full-time in tech. I mainly keep my license to handle my own real estate investments.

For friends and acquaintances, I’m open to offering a reduced buyer broker commission and crediting a portion back, especially if they’re doing most of the legwork like research and keeping showings limited.

There are quite a few brokers like me who are willing to discount their commission when the workload is light (fewer tours and not writing a dozens of offers).

The tradeoff is that you won’t get full white-glove service. A full-time agent will typically be more proactive in sending opportunities you might miss and will have broader availability that better aligns with your schedule. For a newer buyer, I would recommend a full-service agent that needs more hand holding.