To be legally enforceable, a listing agreement must satisfy four requirements. It must contain a property description, include a promise of compensation, specify a fixed figure for the compensation (either a percentage or a dollar amount), and be in writing and signed by the seller.
Every valid contract in California needs to have four essential elements. (1) The parties must be capable of contracting, (2) the parties must consent to the contract, (3) the contract must have a lawful object (they cannot be for illegal services), and (4) the contract must be supported by consideration.
The three types of real estate listing agreements are open listing, exclusive agency listing, and exclusive right-to-sell listing.
Eight Listing Traps to Avoid Approach to Conflicts of Interest. Non-Disclosed Referral Fees. Lack of Specificity in the Listing Agreement. Unquantifiable Efforts. Long Listing Agreements. Seller Costs. Focus on Brokerage Rather Than Agent. Paying Out of Escrow.
A listing agreement is between the parties that own a property and the agents or brokers who will find a buyer for it. Typically, a real estate listing agreement involves the property owner and a real estate agent. The property owner, or seller, grants the agent the right to market and sell the property.
A "listing agreement" is a contract between a real estate agent or broker (the industry professional who will be listing the property for sale) and a home seller. It primarily says that the agent has the right to list (advertise and handle the sale of) the house.
To avoid such predatory practices, California enacted Civil Code 1670.12 and Government Code 27280.6, which took effect January 1, 2024, prohibiting an exclusive listing agreement to last longer than 24 months or to renew such a listing for longer than 12 months.
The short answer is that it doesn't matter who signs an agreement first. In order for a contract to be legally binding, both parties must agree to a set of pre-defined terms (this is called “mutual assent”).
A listing agreement needs to be signed both by the listing agent, on the listing firm's behalf, and by the seller. An attorney in fact, someone the seller has appointed in a power of attorney and granted the authority to convey the property, may sign the listing agreement on the seller's behalf.