Under current MLS policy, an MLS participant working with a buyer must enter into a written agreement with that buyer before touring a home in person or through a live virtual tour. This is an industry-policy requirement applying to covered MLS participants—not a universal Florida statute requiring every consumer to sign the same form.

The agreement may address:

• Services the brokerage will provide
• Whether the relationship is exclusive or nonexclusive
• Geographic area and property types covered
• Beginning and ending dates
• Brokerage relationship
• Buyer and brokerage responsibilities
• Compensation and how it will be determined
• Whether compensation offered by another party may offset the buyer’s obligation
• How the agreement may be modified or terminated

Broker fees and commissions are not set by law and are negotiable. Compensation must be stated in an objectively ascertainable way rather than as an open-ended promise to accept whatever another party may offer.

You may be offered an agreement covering one property, a limited showing period or a broader exclusive relationship. Read it before signing and ask questions about anything you do not understand.

An unrepresented buyer attending an open house alone generally does not need a buyer agreement merely to enter when the host is working only for the seller.

Current MLS written-agreement policy · Open-house consumer guidance

What to remember: This is a contract. Understand its term, exclusivity, services, compensation and termination provisions before signing.

A skilled buyer’s agent or broker should be prepared to negotiate for the seller or the seller’s brokerage to pay the buyer-broker compensation agreed to in the buyer agreement. This request may be addressed separately or included as part of the buyer’s offer.

Seller-paid compensation is permitted, but it is not guaranteed. The seller may agree to pay all of it, pay only part of it or decline the request.

Before signing the buyer agreement, make sure you understand:

• The total compensation you are agreeing to
• Whether compensation received from the seller or another source reduces your obligation
• Whether you must pay any difference if the amount offered by the seller is insufficient
• Whether the brokerage may agree to reduce or modify its fee
• When any buyer-paid amount would become due
• What happens if a particular property does not provide enough seller-paid compensation

The buyer’s broker cannot receive more compensation than the amount or rate stated in the buyer agreement. Fees and commissions are negotiable and are not set by law.

Do not wait until you are ready to make an offer to discover that you may owe an additional brokerage fee. Understand the possible outcomes before touring homes.

Once you have chosen your agent or broker and established a realistic financial target, complete a buyer-onboarding meeting. This creates the working plan for your search.

Onboarding should cover:

• Who will be purchasing and signing documents
• Financing or proof-of-funds status
• Comfortable price and payment range
• Target areas and property types
• Needs, preferences and dealbreakers
• Communication preferences
• Showing availability
• Decision-makers who need to be involved
• Expected timing
• Brokerage relationship and compensation
• The offer and contract process
• Major Florida-specific costs and risks

Your agent or broker should also explain how listings will be delivered, how showings are requested and how quickly you may need to respond when a suitable property appears.

What to remember: Onboarding is where you and your agent agree on the target, responsibilities and communication process. It should reduce confusion later—not create pressure to buy.