Choosing a Real Estate Agent · Straight answer from Kathleen
What is a listing agreement?
A listing agreement is the contract that authorizes an agent to market and sell your home and sets the commission, the pricing authority, and the term. It is the document that makes the working relationship official.
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- How long should a listing agreement be?
It covers the basics: the property, the price (or the method for setting it), the commission, the length of the agreement, and the agent's duties. Massachusetts rules require this agreement to be in writing, so read it and ask questions before signing.
Typical terms run three to six months, and you want enough time to do the job properly but not so much that you feel trapped. A reasonable agent will explain the term and the exit options in plain English.
Never sign anything you do not understand. If an agent cannot explain their own agreement clearly, that is an answer about them.
On the North Shore
Massachusetts has specific disclosure and agency rules that these agreements document, and a straightforward agreement is a sign of a straightforward agent.
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Choosing a Real Estate Agent
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