Before We Tour
Every buyer in Indiana now signs a written agreement with their agent before the first showing. Here is what you are signing, who pays for what, and what you get from me in return. Five minutes. No fine print.
The Short Version
- It puts in writing that I work for you. Not the seller.
- It states what I am paid, as a real number. I cannot take a dollar more than that from anyone.
- It has an end date, and we pick it together.
Your questions, answered straight
What exactly am I signing?
An exclusive buyer agency agreement. It makes me your agent, with a duty to act in your interest, for a set time. It also spells out how I get paid.
You will get it by email to read and sign electronically. Read it before we meet if you can, and bring your questions.
Why before the first showing?
Two reasons. Since August 17, 2024, REALTOR® rules require a written agreement before touring a home with a buyer, in person or by live video. And since July 1, 2024, Indiana law requires written agreements with buyers, with a definite expiration date.
So this is not me being formal. It is how every agent in Indiana works now.
Sources: Indiana Professional Licensing Agency · NAR consumer guide
Do I pay your commission?
Maybe not. When we write an offer, we can ask the seller to pay my compensation on your behalf, and that request goes right into the purchase agreement. You see it in writing before you sign anything.
If a seller will not cover all of it, we talk about it before the offer goes in. Never at the closing table.
Is the fee negotiable?
Yes. Compensation is not set by law or by any association. We agree on it together and it is written down as a clear amount or percentage. No agent can collect more from any source than what the agreement says.
How long does it last?
It has to have an end date. We set it together. Relocating on a timeline? We match it to your move.
What if it is not working?
Tell me. An agreement can be changed or ended when we both agree, and the agreement spells out how. I would rather hear it early than have you stuck with the wrong fit.
Can I work with more than one agent?
Not at the same time. That is the point of an exclusive agreement: one person fully on your side who knows your whole search. If you want to switch agents, end one agreement before starting another.
Can I still go to open houses and model homes?
Yes. Tell the agent at the door you are working with me, then text me the address. For new construction, call me before your first visit. Some builders have rules about when an agent can be registered.
I am not ready to sign, but I want to look.
Fair. Read it first. I will walk through it with you line by line, and we sign when you are comfortable. Until then I am happy to send listings and talk strategy. Showings start once it is signed.
What you get for signing
- A first meeting about how you live. Beds and baths are the easy part. I want to know how your days actually run, so we look at houses that fit them.
- A second set of eyes on the layout. Decades of spatial design work. Sometimes the house is fine and the layout is the problem. Sometimes the layout is an easy fix and the price is treating it like a big one. I will tell you which.
- An Offer Brief before every offer. One page. Eight sold comps and the active competition, boiled down to three numbers.
Opening offerWhere we startFair valueWhat it is worthWalk-awayWhere we stop
- Relocating? A shortlist, not a search bar. Indiana communities matched to how you live, with commute times and a plan for your visit. How a relocation search works.
- Straight answers. If a house is wrong for you, you will hear it from me first.
- Every deadline handled. Negotiation, inspection, appraisal, closing. I track the dates so you do not have to.
What I ask of you
- Talk to a lender and get pre-approved before we tour. Run the numbers yourself first if you are not ready to call one.
- Tell me what you like and what you do not. Bluntly.
- Answer quickly when a house is moving fast.
- Loop me in on any house you see without me.
How it works
- We meet. Coffee, a call, or a video. We talk about how you live and what you need.
- We sign. After your questions are answered. Not before.
- We tour. Homes picked for you, not just homes that match a filter.
- You get the Offer Brief. Three numbers before we write anything.
- We negotiate. Price, terms, inspection, appraisal.
- You get the keys. And I am still a text away after.
This page is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. The signed agreement is what governs.