Short answerSince August 2024, agents working with buyers sign a written agreement before touring homes. Indiana law already required written agency agreements with an expiration date. The agreement should state the agent's compensation, how it is paid, how long the agreement lasts, the area or properties covered, and how either side can end it. Read it before signing.
What it should say
- How much your agent is paid and who pays it, including whether seller offered compensation is credited to you.
- That the amount is negotiable and not set by law.
- The start and end dates.
- The area or specific properties it covers.
- How it can be ended.
Ask every question before you sign. I walk every buyer through the agreement line by line. How buyer agent compensation works now.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign for just one house?
Often yes. A single property agreement is one option.
Is my agent's fee negotiable?
Yes. It is set by agreement.
Keep reading
Looking at a house and not sure what you are getting into?
Ask for a free Before You Offer review. Send me the listing. I look over the photos, the seller's disclosure, and recent sales, then flag likely condition issues and planning cost ranges before you write an offer.
Request a Before You Offer reviewOr call or text (812) 525-5489, or email [email protected].
The Before You Offer review is a REALTOR® and contractor review of the listing, not a home inspection. It is for buyers who are not already working with an agent. If you have an agent, please bring these questions to your agent.
Sources
- Indiana written agency agreement requirements, IC 25 34.1 12
Written by John Long, REALTOR®, 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate. Working contractor who has priced hundreds of home inspection repair requests. Former labor relations negotiator for a major manufacturer and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.
John Long, REALTOR® · 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate · (812) 525-5489 · yourpropertynegotiator.com
This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional home inspection, and not legal, tax, insurance, or lending advice. Ask a real estate attorney about contracts and disclosure, a CPA about taxes, your lender about loan rules, and a licensed inspector or tradesperson about your house. Nothing here guarantees a sale price, net proceeds, repair cost, payment, timeline, appraisal, inspection result, or loan approval. Cost figures are planning estimates, not bids. I own Wardmark Property Operations LLC, a contracting company. You are always free to use any contractor you choose.