How do I protect my commission on a new build?

You can likely recover this, but you need to act today — not next week. Most builders have a process for disputed registrations, and your existing relationship with the buyer is your strongest leverage.

Most production builders require agent registration on or before the buyer's first visit to pay co-op. That's their policy and it exists for a reason — builders need to know who's involved from day one. Some builders keep an exception or change process, so it is always worth asking — but most published policies do not provide for adding an agent after the fact, and the answer is specific to that builder and often that community. Ask what it says rather than assuming. Your buyer walked in casually — they didn't go there to buy without you. The on-site sales consultant registered them as unrepresented, which is standard procedure. This isn't adversarial — it's how the system works when an agent isn't present.

Run your own number before you make the call: whatever your buyer representation agreement says your fee is, applied to a $490k home, is what's actually at stake here — not a rule of thumb. Every day you wait, the on-site sales consultant builds more rapport and the registration becomes harder to dispute. If your buyer signs a purchase agreement as unrepresented, you're likely locked out entirely.

Have your buyer call the sales office and say: 'I have an agent I've been working with — I'd like them registered on my file.' Then call the on-site sales consultant yourself, introduce yourself professionally, and ask to be added. Bring your signed buyer representation agreement. If the on-site sales consultant pushes back, ask to speak with the sales manager. Be respectful — you're asking them to update a record, not accusing them of anything. Going forward: brief every buyer before they visit any model home. One sentence: 'If you visit a new community, give them my card at the door or I may not be able to represent you there.'