Why Business Jet Buyers Should Never Pay a Seller's Commission

Most business jet transactions still work the way real estate did decades ago: the broker representing you is paid by the seller. That arrangement sounds harmless until you look at the incentives it creates.

The conflict hiding in plain sight

A broker paid on commission by the seller is financially rewarded for closing at the highest price, as fast as possible. Even a broker acting in good faith is structurally pulled toward the seller’s interests every time a negotiation gets difficult. This isn’t a matter of ethics — it’s simple incentive design.

Buyers rarely notice this until they’re deep into a transaction and realize their “advisor” has been quietly steering them toward aircraft that pay the biggest commission, not the aircraft that best fits their mission.

The buyer-side alternative

An independent, buyer-side advisor is compensated directly by the buyer, through a transparent fee tied to the value of the aircraft being acquired — not by a commission from whoever happens to be selling. That single change in who pays realigns every incentive in the transaction:

• Market research is done to find the best aircraft, not the best-paying one
• Negotiation is adversarial toward the seller, not collaborative
• Technical due diligence has no reason to be softened

What to ask any broker before you start

Before working with anyone, ask directly: “Who pays you, and how much?” If the answer involves a percentage of the sale price paid by the seller, you are working with someone whose incentives are not fully aligned with yours — even if they are honest and competent.

Business Jet Dealer works exclusively for buyers. We are paid by you, through an advisory fee based on the aircraft’s value, and we never accept commissions from sellers. It’s a structural difference, not a marketing claim.