Exclusive Agency Listing

An Exclusive Agency Listing allows a real estate agent to list and market your home on the MLS, guaranteeing them a commission if the house sells through any real estate agent or brokerage firm. It also allows sellers to seek out buyers on their own without paying a real estate commission.

This is not a popular type of listing agreement and most brokerage firms won’t even allow their real estate agents to take them. The primary reason is there is not much incentive for real estate agents to spend money marketing your home. If you come up with your own buyer, they have spent money on advertising, signs and Internet marketing they cannot earn back through the real estate commission. Plus, it is too easy for a greedy buyer to go around the agent and negotiate directly with the seller.

If you find an agent willing to accept such a listing, do not expect too much from them. They will probably just place it in the Multiple Listing Service and sit around to see if something happens. A top real estate agent would never accept such a listing. As a seller you want a top Realtor to sell your home so that it gets sold quickly and for the highest price the market will bear.

The better option is the Exclusive Right of Sale Listing Agreement which is the most accepted and used listing agreement in Florida. Your Realtor will work hard to get your home sold and only be compensated if he succeeds. You can still help find a buyer for your home but your Realtor will get paid a commission at closing regardless of who finds the buyer.