Am I still on the hook for commission if I find my own buyer?

Possibly, and this is one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of a listing agreement. Many agreements are exclusive, meaning the broker is entitled to commission on any sale that closes during the listing term — including one you arranged yourself — unless the agreement specifically excludes buyers you introduce independently. Some sellers assume that finding their own buyer automatically avoids the fee; the agreement's actual wording is what controls, not that assumption.

If commission on self-found buyers matters to you, it needs to be addressed before you sign, not after you've already found someone. A carve-out clause can specify that buyers you name up front, or introduce entirely outside the broker's efforts, are excluded from commission, sometimes at a reduced rate rather than a full exclusion. Once you've signed without that language, retroactively arguing you shouldn't owe commission is a much harder position, and disputes over "who actually caused the sale" are common when a self-found buyer overlaps with the broker's own marketing efforts. Have a Treadstone business lawyer review your existing agreement, or negotiate this term before you sign a new one.