# Engaging a tenant-rep broker: what good looks like

> Engage a broker who represents only tenants in your specific submarket.

**Canonical URL:** https://classa.info/guides/tenant-rep-broker-engagement
**Page type:** guide
**Last updated:** 2026-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
**License:** CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info).

## TL;DR
- Engage a broker who represents only tenants in your specific submarket.
- Five years of recent submarket experience is the minimum credible bar.
- Confirm the conflict-of-interest policy in writing.
- Negotiate the engagement letter — fee structure, exclusivity scope, and termination.
- Insist on the side-by-side TCO at every shortlist round.

## FAQ
### How much does a tenant-rep broker cost?
In the US, typically nothing direct — the broker is paid out of the landlord's commission pool. In some EU markets, tenant-side fees are common (1–3% of rent value). Confirm explicitly.

### Can I run a search without a broker?
Technically yes; almost always a mistake. A broker pays for itself many times over through better lease economics, faster process, and fewer landlord-friendly traps in the lease.

---
Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/guides/tenant-rep-broker-engagement), updated 2026-04-01T00:00:00.000Z.