• 🧠 61% of Realtors feel positive about working with builders. This shows a good starting point.
• ⚠️ 24% of agents said unclear or unfair commissions frustrate them most when working with builders.
• 🧠 One-third of Realtors said communication often broke down with builder reps.
• ⚠️ 39% of agents look for inventory on the MLS. But many builders still do not use this tool.
• 💊 When builders show respect and talk with agents often, buyers trust more and deals close faster.

Realtors and Builders: A Relationship with Big Effects

There is often stress when a Realtor goes into a builder’s sales office. They bring clients ready to buy, but the onsite rep gives a careful smile. Both sides want the same thing: to sell a home. But what should be a strong partnership often feels like a fight. In growing markets like Las Vegas, new construction is key to meeting housing demand. So, how builders and Realtors work together is more important and harder than ever. Steve Hawks, who is among the top agents in the country, has seen the best and worst of this relationship. And he is not alone.

Agents Want to Work with Builders—But Things Need to Get Better

More real estate agents see working with home builders as a good business chance. A recent 1000WATT survey found that 61% of Realtors feel "somewhat" or "very positive" about working with builders. This good feeling comes from real benefits, like these:

• ✅ Good builder deals, such as help with closing costs or bonus commissions (27%)
• ✅ Less waiting for inspections compared to selling used homes (13%)
• ✅ Builder reps who are sometimes easier to work with than agents selling existing homes (28%)

In places like Las Vegas, new home construction is needed to meet demand. So, builders and Realtors working together is not just easy. It gives them an edge over others. Neighborhoods like Summerlin, Skye Canyon, and Henderson often have new construction making up over 30% of homes for sale.

But even so, many agents get upset about how builders and agents work together. When what each side expects does not match, trust quickly goes away. And so do possible deals. To make builder and Realtor relationships better, both sides need to be clear, steady, and open.

Commission Confusion: The Main Agent Complaint

Realtors connect builders and buyers ready to buy. But when payment rules change too much, people stop working well together. The 1000WATT survey found that 24% of agents said unclear commissions were their biggest problem in builder sales.

Examples of commission confusion are:

• 💰 Agents finding out during a sale that the builder changed how much they will pay
• 💰 Commissions suddenly cut for popular homes without telling anyone first
• 💰 Hard to understand or secret bonus rules that make agents wait for money

In housing markets that change a lot, like Las Vegas, builders cannot always keep up with buyer interest. So, changes in commission rates are normal. But sudden changes, told to no one, break trust. This makes Realtors feel surprised and used.

Steve Hawks puts it well: “All we want is to know what to expect—right away. It is not about making a lot of money. It is about being fair and professional.” Agents should not need to solve a puzzle to know how much they will get paid when they bring good clients who are ready to buy.

For builders and agents to work well together, builders must have commission rules that are:

• Clearly written in all ads
• Always updated on every listing site
• Kept, no matter the time of year or how many buyers are interested

Trust is not something you can change. And it starts with always acting professional.

Communication Problems: How Deals Quietly Die

Imagine showing a buyer to a builder, setting up a tour, and showing interest. And then hearing nothing for days. For 33% of Realtors in the survey, this lack of talk happens too often.

When builders and agents stop talking, things can slow down. Buyers might also start to doubt. Agents talk about problems like these:

• 📪 Not getting updates often about when lots are for sale, price changes, or building delays
• 🚫 Builder reps talking straight to clients, skipping the agent
• ❓ Not knowing who to talk to when sales problems come up

In busy, growing new communities like Cadence, Inspirada, and Tule Springs, just one talk delay can mean a lot is lost, costs change without warning, or a buyer just leaves.

Builders do not need more money for ads to fix this. They need better ways of working that put quick, clear agent talk first. Each Realtor has many possible clients over time, sometimes hundreds. Not updating them makes it harder to work together later.

Builders who do well:

• Give agents specific reps to talk to often
• Use one system to keep everyone up to date
• Give timelines, key steps, and models in ways agents can show buyers

Clear talk is the easiest way to make builder and Realtor ties better. And it helps right away.

Make It Simple to Work Together

For a great agent-builder team, getting good information is key. A Realtor cannot help a buyer feel sure if important things like floorplans, if a lot is open, or prices are hard to find. Or if they are behind login screens.

The 1000WATT research shows that 39% of agents say the MLS is still their main place they look for builder homes. When builders do not list homes on the MLS, they cannot be seen by one of the best ways to sell homes.

To make things smoother, builders should:

• 🛠️ Make sure all homes, even those ready to move into fast, are on the local MLS and updated.
• 📄 Give flyers and tools for buyers (like online tours and price calculators) in ways everyone can use.
• 🔍 Do not use special words or ad talk. Give facts agents can use to show clients.

As Steve Hawks says, “Get your listings on the MLS, or you are hidden from the main source of buyers.” Adding value means helping your buyer succeed. This also means giving agents tools and clear information.

Respect: Often Gone, Always Seen

Money deals and talk tools are important. But respect is the feeling that keeps builder and agent ties strong. Sadly, many Realtors say they feel more like just someone needed for a deal, not true partners.

They say things like:

• “Builders only value us when they need us—most often when sales are slow.”
• “We are treated like rivals, not people they work with.”
• “After a sale closes, it is like they forget we were involved.”

Steve Hawks says: “Builders who treat agents with respect at all times—even when they do not ‘need’ us—build loyalty. This helps them in all market times.”

When the Vegas real estate market slows and deals are needed to sell homes, builders rely a lot on their agent contacts. But without respect and talk all year, those contacts get smaller or go away.

Professionalism from both sides should not change with the market. Builder Realtor relationships do well when thanks and notice are steady, not just when needed.

Be Present Where Agents Work

Builders who want to build lasting home builder agent cooperation must become a part of the local real estate world. This means doing more than just ads. They need to talk with agents where agents work.

Good builders often:

• Go to local office meetings to share news about new projects
• Hold online talks about building trends, buyer loan updates, or new homes
• Give tools agents can put on their websites. These include maps of communities they can click on and up-to-date listings.

In Las Vegas, companies like Pardee Homes have made agents loyal. They do this by often updating MLS listings and joining local real estate groups. Hard-working agents, who handle many client requests each day, like to see this. Agents recommend builders they think about often.

Agents Are Not Just Go-Betweens—They Are Trusted Helpers

It is time builders change how they think about one harmful false idea. This is the idea that Realtors are just people who move papers. In truth, agents are teachers, helpers, explainers, and guardians. For first-time buyers, investors from other states, or rich clients, how they feel about their agent decides 90% of how comfortable and sure they feel.

When builders skip or do not value Realtors, they are not just insulting a sales partner. They are breaking the main source of buyer trust. This is true in markets with a lot of competition, like Lake Las Vegas or The Ridges. There, clients may look at many builder homes before choosing. A respected agent with good facts can guide them clearly to one home over another.

That word of support can make or break a deal.

Realtors are not blockers. They are trusted experts who can explain building schedules, understand builder guarantees, and help when costs rise without warning. Builders who respect the Realtor’s role make agents more loyal. They also make buyers happier.

When Agents Pull Back, Buyers Walk Away

When an agent is treated badly today, it means a lost chance tomorrow. For example, if a Realtor had a bad time with a builder—like late payments, lost contracts, or talk problems—they are less likely to tell others about that builder again.

And it does not matter how nice or fairly priced the home is.

When Realtors hesitate, buyers pull back. That effect is very bad in Las Vegas, where:

• 🎲 About 40% of sales in some areas depend on buyers from other states.
• 💼 Investors from California or Arizona often decide to buy only because their Realtor told them to.

If your builder’s name makes the agent sound unsure, clients will notice. Trust builds up, either good or bad.

Why Builders and Agents Working Together Is Very Important in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a housing market that changes fast and has big risks. Things that change a lot, like what investors do, job growth in the area, and limited land, mean sales must be quick and smooth. In new parts of North Las Vegas, Southwest Valley, and Southern Highlands, used homes sell fast. This makes new construction projects more important.

So, agents are not just channels. They are very important for speeding up sales.

Realtors give builders:

• Early ideas about what buyers want as things change
• A way to reach buyers ready to buy
• Good ties that make sales happen faster

Builders and agents working together is not just helpful. It is needed. Every week wasted by bad talk or bad commission rules means a lost deal. And a buyer likely goes to another builder.

Great Relationships Last Longer Than Any Market

Builders who want long-term returns need to think past sales targets for one season. Those who make real, steady connections with local agents build a pool of good people that lasts through slow markets.

The best builders:

• Let agents see new homes first, before the public.
• Start programs where agents get paid for sending buyers or are rewarded for being loyal.
• Ask their best agents for ideas and work with them on ads.

As Steve Hawks says, “I have worked with builders who now call me first when a buyer does not go through. That is how trust works. And it is why I keep sending them new clients.”

In markets that go up and down, like Las Vegas, those relationships are not just helpful. They are key to lasting success.

Simple Ways Builders Can Make Relationships Better Today

Making builder Realtor relationships better does not need huge spending changes. Even small changes in how they work can lead to much better feelings and teamwork.

Start here:

• ✅ Show all Realtor commissions openly and clearly. No doubt.
• ✅ Give one builder contact to each real estate office or sales team.
• ✅ Match their home listings with the MLS every week.
• ✅ Hold talks with their best agents to get ideas at least every three months.

Respect, clear facts, and simple ways of doing things are better than fancy new ads. Show agents that working together matters. Then they will always be there for you.

What Agents Truly Want Builders to Do

Give Realtors the tools and clear facts they need, and they will become your best salespeople. If agents could make a wish list for builders, it would likely have these things:

• 📌 Normal, trusted commission plans—updated right away
• 📌 Current MLS listings with price and availability changes shown right away
• 📌 Floorplans that fit today's living, not just for squeezing in many homes
• 📌 Quick handling of papers and contracts, with no legal confusion
• 📌 Real relationship building—even when the builder does not ‘need’ help

Fix the Split, Sell More Homes

Realtors and builders are not rivals. They are two sides that work well together for the same goal: helping happy buyers find a new home. When they work together, sales move faster, with more sales, and with fewer hard deals. In fast-growing markets like Las Vegas, what buyers want often changes. So, both sides must agree to respect each other and have clear ways of working.

Start closing the gap by being steady, talking often, and having real partnership. Then the good results will come—today, and for years to come.

Citations

1000WATT. (2025, September). What Realtors really think about working with builders. Retrieved from https://1000watt.net