Can I negotiate a lower commission if I bring my own buyer to the broker?

Yes — this is a common and reasonable point to negotiate before signing a listing agreement, since a broker generally does less work for a buyer you've already identified than for one they had to find, screen, and bring to you themselves. Some sellers negotiate a reduced commission, or a defined exclusion, specifically for named buyers or a category of buyer (family members, existing employees, or a specific company you've already been talking to) that's written into the agreement from the start.

This needs to happen before you sign, or at least before that buyer is formally brought into the process, rather than as an argument raised after a deal with your own buyer is already underway — by that point, the agreement's existing commission terms are what apply, and retroactively renegotiating is a much harder conversation. If you already know of a likely buyer when you're approaching a broker, name them explicitly during the listing negotiation and get the reduced or excluded commission in writing. A Treadstone business lawyer can help make sure that carve-out is clearly drafted rather than left open to dispute later.