What is a exclusive listing agreement?
An exclusive listing agreement is the contract between a property owner and the agent or brokerage that will market and sell it. It says how long the agent has, how much they are paid, what they will do, and when commission is earned.
This template offers the two common forms: an exclusive right to sell, where commission is due whoever finds the buyer, and exclusive agency, where the owner can still sell privately without paying. It covers the list price, inclusions and exclusions, presenting offers, commission and an optional share for a buyer's agent, a protection period for buyers introduced during the listing, marketing costs, viewings, the seller's disclosure duties, the agent's duties on conflicts and dual agency, and ending early. Agency law and required disclosures vary, so the governing law and any attached disclosures are left to you.
- Best for
- Listing a home, flat or land for sale with one agent
- Signed by
- Seller and listing agent (with job title), initialled on every page
- Options
- Exclusive right to sell or exclusive agency; marketing included or charged
- Length
- 2-3 pages
When to Use a exclusive listing agreement
- An independent agent signing up a new seller
- A homeowner who wants the agent's commitments in writing before listing
- Re-listing a property with a new agent after a previous listing expired
- Listing an investment property or a plot of land
- Agreeing a buyer's-agent share up front
What You Fill In
21 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: seller, listing agent.
1 The parties
- Date of this agreement*
- Seller name(s)*
- Seller's address*
- Brokerage or agency*
- Responsible agent*
- Agent or brokerage licence number (optional)
2 The property
- Property address*
- Items included in the sale (optional)
- Items excluded from the sale (optional)
3 Price and term
- Currency*
- List (asking) price*
- Listing starts*
- Listing ends*
- Type of exclusivity* exclusive right to sell: commission is payable if the Property is sold during the Listing Period by anyone, including the Seller · exclusive agency: commission is payable if the Property is sold during the Listing Period by any agent, but not if the Seller sells it privately to a buyer the Seller found without any agent's help
4 Commission
- Commission*
- Share offered to a buyer's agent (optional)
- Protection period after the listing ends (days)*
5 Marketing
- Marketing the agent will do*
- Marketing costs* are included in the commission, and the Seller pays nothing more if the Property does not sell · are paid by the Seller as agreed in writing in advance, whether or not the Property sells
6 Other terms
- Governing law*
- Required disclosures attached (optional)
7 Who signs
- Seller signature and date, initials on every page · The owner of the property. If it is owned jointly, all owners should sign — send a copy to each, or check that one owner can sign for all.
- Listing agent signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The agent signing for the brokerage or estate agency.
What the exclusive listing agreement Covers
- Appointment
- Price and offers
- Commission
- Marketing and viewings
- Seller's information
- Brokerage's duties
- Ending early
- General
Using the exclusive listing agreement, step by step
1 Name the parties
Enter the seller, the brokerage and the responsible agent, with any licence number your area requires.
2 Describe the property
Add the address and anything included in or excluded from the sale.
3 Set price, term and commission
Enter the list price, listing dates, the type of exclusivity, the commission, any buyer's-agent share and the protection period.
4 Agree marketing and send
List the marketing the agent will do, say who pays for it, add the governing law and any required disclosures, and send it to the seller to sign.
Tips Before You Send It
- Commission is negotiable — the agreement says so expressly.
- Rules on how buyer-agent pay is offered and shown have changed in some markets. Check current local and listing-service rules.
- Attach any agency or consumer disclosure forms your area requires to the same envelope.
- Pair it with the seller's property disclosure statement so buyers get consistent information.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Exclusive listing agreement: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between exclusive right to sell and exclusive agency?
Under an exclusive right to sell, commission is due if the property sells during the listing, even if the seller found the buyer. Under exclusive agency, the seller owes nothing if they sell privately to a buyer they found without any agent's help.
What is the protection period?
A set number of days after the listing ends during which commission is still due if the property sells to someone the agent introduced, provided the agent gave the seller their names in writing. It doesn't apply if the seller has listed exclusively with another agent who earns commission on the sale.
Does this replace my area's required forms?
No. Where local law or a professional body requires particular wording or disclosure forms, those apply in addition; list them in the agreement and attach them to the envelope.
Is an e-signed listing agreement valid?
Electronic signatures are generally accepted for ordinary agreements like a listing agreement in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada, though local rules can add requirements. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF.