When engaging a realtor to list a home, the realtor will ask a seller to sign a listing agreement which will detail the broker arrangement and the terms of paying the commission. You should consult an experienced real estate attorney before you sign a brokerage agreement
Key Terms of a Real Estate Brokerage Agreement
A brokerage agreement should properly identify the property (by address or block and lot) and the price the home is offered for sale. Additionally, the agreement should list a term and expiration date. If the house doesn’t sell during this time (usually 6 months or less then a year) the seller may want to engage a new broker to sell the home.
In any event, a seller should not enter into a brokerage agreement with no end. In addition, there will often be a “grace period” whereby if anyone that the agent showed the property to buys the property within thirty (30) days after the termination of the listing agreement, the agent is entitled to the commission. The agreement should provide the percentage of commission the listing agent will receive as well as the commission the buyer’s agent will receive. A total commission of 2-6 percent of the sale price is customary and varies from locale to locale.
An exclusive agency agreement means the realtor is entitled to a commission even if the seller brings the buyer. In some instances a seller may ask for exclusions to the exclusive agreement, meaning the agent is not paid if a neighbor or relative of the seller’s buys the home after the seller showed the property.
A seller will want to be clear if the agreement is with a particular agent at a real estate office. If the seller enters into the agreement without a named agent (i.e. “Christian W. Breyers” of We Sell Homes Realty), anyone in the real estate office who consummates a sale is entitled the listing commission.
When a listing agent who represents the seller also brings the buyer, that is called a “dual agency” and both parties (Seller and Buyer) must be notified that the agent represents both and that each party should provide written informed consent to any conflict of interest. The agent’s fiduciary duties of disclosure and undivided loyalty will not be the same in a dual agency.
The agreement should list the methods the agent will use to market the property, such as internet sites, newspaper listings, and open houses. The agreement should state who pays the expenses of marketing and photographing the property (generally the agent’s expense.)
The Takeaway
A listing agreement to sell a home is an important agreement in a real estate transaction that should be reviewed by your attorney for the foregoing issues.