If one realtor showed me a property 6 months ago, am I required to put in an offer with her or may I use another closer one?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If one realtor showed me a property 6 months ago, am I required to put in an offer with her or may I use another closer one?
I prefer not to work with the first realtor again. We put in a short sale with her and it fell through. Now we are working with a closer, better realtor. Am I required to use the first since she was the one who originally showed me a property six months ago?
Asked on August 2, 2010 under Real Estate Law, Florida
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 14 years ago | Contributor
The first and most important thing to do is check the contract or agreement you signed with the realtor, if any. These agreements usually specify that if you later buy a property which the first realtor showed you, you will owe commissions to that first realtor. The contract or agreement may also obligate you to work with this realtor for some period of time. Terms like the above in agreements with realtors are enforceable.
Even in the absence of such a term, there are grounds under which the first realtor might be able to force you to work with her or pay her, such as if it appears (or could be reasonably claimed) that you deliberately let the first deal fall through specifically to avoid her commission. Assuming she is at all competent, you are much better off continuing to either work with her, or getting agreement up front on a commission split, so as to avoid potential litigation later.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.