Buying a Richmond American Home? Keep Half the Realtor Commission
Richmond American is the one major Colorado builder that does not make your agent walk in with you. Register us online, confirm by email, and you can tour on your own schedule with the rebate still intact.
Does Richmond American pay buyer agent commission?
Yes, and their process is the most buyer-friendly of any large builder in Colorado.
They do not publish the percentage. Their broker policy says the commission is “the percentage set forth and as calculated in the purchase agreement or a written broker/agent cooperation document,” and it adds a detail worth knowing: “a Sales Associate is not an authorized representative of Richmond American.” A number quoted verbally in a sales office does not bind them. It has to be in the paperwork.
Pro tip: the buydown and the rebate are not an either/or
Buyers assume they have to pick one. They don’t. A builder’s rate buydown is a seller concession paid out of the sale proceeds. Our commission is a cost of sale the builder has already budgeted. They come off different lines, so taking the financing incentive does not reduce what comes back to you, and taking the rebate does not disqualify you from the buydown. Ask about both, in that order, and get the answer in writing before you sign.
Why Richmond American is different
Every other major builder here voids the commission if you tour before your agent is registered and present. Richmond American does not. From their own agent page:
“Once your client confirms by email, they can tour any Richmond American community—even when you’re unavailable—without risk to your commission.”
Their three-step flow is described as “Log in to register your client,” “Your client receives email & confirms,” then “Client tours our locations (with or without you!).”
In practice that means you can register with us in five minutes tonight and go look at models by yourself this weekend. For buyers who shop on their own time, which is most people, this is a genuinely better arrangement than the rest of the market offers.
Richmond American’s registration rules
| Rule | What the policy says |
|---|---|
| Agent on your first visit | Not required. Registration can be done online, at a sales center, or at a Home Gallery. |
| You must confirm by email | “All registrations shall require confirmation from the Purchaser within four (4) calendar days.” |
| How long it lasts | 30 days, renewable. Online re-registration is allowed once. |
| Where it applies | “Registrations shall be valid at all Richmond American communities in the state(s) where the Broker/Agent is validly licensed.” One registration, all 46 Colorado communities. |
| The 30-day lookback | Registration is void for any buyer who registered with Richmond American themselves “during the 30 days prior to being validly registered.” |
| The amount | Not published. Set in the purchase agreement or a signed cooperation document. |
Two things in that table do the damage, and they are not the ones people watch for.
The first is the four-day email confirmation. If you don’t click it, you are not registered, and the policy says plainly that Richmond American “shall not be liable for any failure of a Purchaser to confirm a registration.” The second is the 30-day lookback: if you gave a Richmond American sales office your email within the last month, registering now does not undo it. Those are both fixable if we know about them, which is why the first conversation matters more than it sounds like it should.
Sources: policy quotes from Richmond American’s broker co-op policy and agent resources page. Community counts and starting prices from their syndicated listings on NewHomeSource, since richmondamerican.com’s own community search does not publish them in a readable form. Read September 30, 2026.
Builder rules change. We’ll confirm before you go.
Registration requirements and commission terms change often, builders don’t always publish the current version, and what’s above may already be out of date. The Richmond American policy document still carries a 2014 date while the company changed owners in 2024, which is its own reason to check. Call us before you visit any sales office and we’ll contact them directly and confirm their current policy for you. No cost, no commitment.
Where Richmond American builds in Colorado
46 communities across six metro areas, the widest footprint of any builder in the state. Denver metro has 26 of them.
| Area | Communities | Prices from | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver metro | 26 | $399,950 | Tanterra, Chateau at the Meadows, The Apex at Cobblestone Ranch, Vista Pines at Crystal Valley |
| Colorado Springs | 7 | $374,950 | Jackson Creek, Palmer Village, Paint Brush Hills |
| Fort Collins & Loveland | 6 | $459,950 | Kinston at Centerra, Kitchel Lake, Fossil Creek in Windsor |
| Boulder & Longmont | 5 | $499,950 | Barefoot Lakes, Parkdale in Lafayette |
| Greeley | 1 | $415,950 | Vista West, Keenesburg |
| Pueblo | 1 | $315,950 | Villa Bella |
Counts and starting prices as listed on September 30, 2026.
A naming note that trips people up: the community you know by its neighborhood name is often listed under a collection name. The Meadows is sold as Chateau at the Meadows, Cobblestone Ranch as The Apex at Cobblestone Ranch, Crystal Valley as Vista Pines at Crystal Valley. Same places.
What the rebate looks like on a Richmond American home
| Purchase price | Builder pays us (2.5%) | Back to you at closing |
|---|---|---|
| $450,000 | $11,250 | $3,750 |
| $550,000 | $13,750 | $6,250 |
| $700,000 | $17,500 | $8,750 |
| $850,000 | $21,250 | $10,625 |
| $1,000,000 | $25,000 | $12,500 |
Examples only, assuming the builder pays a 2.5% co-op. Richmond American does not publish its rate, so the real figure is whatever is written into the purchase agreement. Our side is subject to a $7,500 minimum commission, which is what holds the two lowest examples below a straight half.
Incentives and financing
Richmond American runs incentives by region and does not publish Colorado figures on its public site. The campaign pages that are live name other metros. Their own agent material says only that “temporary rate buydowns or region-specific offers may also be available” and directs you to ask a sales associate.
Financing incentives route through HomeAmerican Mortgage Corporation, their in-house lender, based in Denver. Named programs include the Ready, Set, Save Event for closing cost savings. We ask for the current community-level offer in writing rather than working from a web page, because for this builder there isn’t one to work from.
How it works
- We register you online. Takes a few minutes. You’ll get a confirmation email from Richmond American.
- Click the confirmation within four days. This is the step people miss. Unconfirmed means unregistered.
- Tour on your own time. One registration covers all 46 Colorado communities for 30 days, and we re-register before it lapses.
- You get half back at closing. Credited at the closing table. Nothing up front, nothing owed if you don’t buy.
You’d be working with me, not a team. I’m Steve Novak, founder of EZ Agents. I handle the contract, the negotiation, the inspection and the closing on every file personally.
Top 1% Colorado Realtor, $200M+ closed, 150+ five-star reviews.
Richmond American Colorado FAQ
Can I really tour Richmond American communities without my agent?
Yes, once you are registered and have confirmed by email. Their own agent page says buyers “can tour any Richmond American community—even when you’re unavailable—without risk to your commission.” They are the exception among large Colorado builders, not the rule.
What if I already gave a Richmond American sales office my information?
If that was within the last 30 days, the policy voids a later agent registration. Tell us when and where and we’ll find out where you actually stand rather than guessing.
Who is Richmond American owned by now?
Sekisui House, a Japanese homebuilder, completed its acquisition of MDC Holdings in April 2024 for about $4.9 billion. The company was founded in Denver in 1972 and is no longer publicly traded.
What warranty do they offer?
Richmond American does not publish warranty terms on their website. Their warranty page is a request form only. We ask for the warranty document in writing before you go under contract, and you should read it.
How much does Richmond American pay a buyer’s agent?
They don’t publish it, and their policy specifically says a sales associate cannot bind them on the number. It has to be in the purchase agreement or a signed cooperation document. We get it in writing before you write an offer.
- Top 1% Colorado Realtor
- $1.5M+ rebates paid
- 150+ five-star reviews
- $10K+ average cash back
Get your Richmond American rebate estimate
Tell us which community you’re looking at and we’ll register you, confirm what they’re paying, and tell you what would come back to you.
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