Who pays an agent when you buy a new-launch condo?

Before a new-launch condo appointment in Singapore, ask each person who is advising you whom they represent and whether you have agreed to pay them. A developer's sales team, an agent who introduced the project and an agent you appoint to act for you may have different roles. “The buyer never pays” and “the fee is always 1%” are too broad to rely on. Put the role, service and any commission in writing for your transaction.

Who is acting for you?

CEA's guide to engaging a property agent, opened on 11 October 2026, says to verify that an agent is registered, discuss and document commission, and check whether GST is included. It says commission rates are not fixed and can be negotiated. It also says an agent must only represent one party in a transaction and cannot collect commission from both sides. These principles matter even when a showroom feels informal. Ask who the client is before sharing personal financial documents or treating a salesperson's suggestion as independent advice.

CEA describes its Prescribed Estate Agency Agreement as a recommended way to set out the agency's duties, commission and conflicts. Read the clauses, including any exclusivity period, before signing. If an agent says “our help is free to you”, ask them to write who pays the agency, whether any referral fee or other benefit arises, and whether you owe anything if you later choose a different unit or project. Do not assume one project's arrangement applies to another.

Which questions belong in a buyer's one-page record?

For each person involved, write: name and registration details; agency or developer affiliation; who they represent; the services they will perform; whether the buyer signs an agreement; who pays any commission; the amount or calculation method; GST treatment; and declared referral fees or conflicts. Keep a copy of the written answer. CEA's buying-or-selling guidance is an official path for the consumer side of a property transaction. URA's home-buyer guide separately reminds buyers to check an agency and agent's status and understand costs before committing.

Here is an illustrative situation, not a real sale: a buyer meets Agent A at one showroom and later asks Agent B to compare three projects. Agent B offers a written scope for research and viewings. The buyer should ask whether either engagement is exclusive and whether a fee could arise if they buy through the other route. A verbal assurance at a viewing is weaker than an agreed written record. This example does not answer who must be paid; the actual agreements and roles do.

What should you do before paying a booking fee?

Keep the agent question separate from the property decision. URA says a developer must give mandatory project and unit information before accepting a booking fee, and describes the Option to Purchase and later Sale and Purchase Agreement stages. Ask for those documents and a realistic financing check. Do not pay because an agent says the unit will vanish while your role and fee questions remain unresolved. If there is a disagreement about what an agreement requires, consult a qualified lawyer rather than asking an editorial article to interpret your contract.

Use the home research brief to state your needs, the project comparison to record claims, and viewings guides to prepare the showroom visit. You may send NewLaunchGuru a question for editorial coverage with the stage you are at, but we do not appoint an agent or promise representation. We would ask for separate permission before sharing an enquiry with any business partner.

Common questions