Daily Real Estate News  |  August 12, 20087 Because qualified buyers are at such premium in today's market, the Long Island Board of REALTORS® has scheduled 14 three-day courses this year for practitioners who want to be certified buyer representatives - up from nine courses two years ago.

Real estate professionals considering taking the buyer's agent path aren't required to have special training, but certification can improve the chance of success.

Here are some ground rules to iron out before signing on as a buyer's agent:

• What is the buyer-agent's commission? Will it be negotiated with the seller's agent and wrapped up in the price of the house?

• How will any disagreements over commission and other contract terms be settled?

• What research will the buyer's agent do on each house?

• How long will the buyer's agent contract last?

• Is there a nonrefundable retainer fee to the agent or broker for signing the contract?

• If a deal is struck on a house that the buyers find on their own, is the buyer's agent owed anything?

• After the contract expires, what is the agent owed if there's a closing or deal on a house first shown by the buyer's agent during the contract period? How long after the contract expires will the buyer be responsible for paying agent's commission if such a deal is reached?