Exclusive Buyer Representation Agreement — California Edition Template

Since the 2024 NAR settlement took effect, a written buyer representation agreement is no longer optional for most agents — MLS participants must have a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home, and that agreement must state the compensation the buyer's broker will receive, in an amount that is objectively ascertainable and not open-ended. This template is built for that new reality.

The Exclusive Buyer Representation Agreement establishes the brokerage as the buyer's exclusive agent for a defined term and geographic area, sets out the broker's fiduciary duties (loyalty, confidentiality, disclosure, obedience to lawful instruction, reasonable care, and accounting), and — most importantly — fixes the broker's compensation in writing: a flat fee, a percentage, or an hourly structure, with clear language on how seller-paid or listing-broker-paid amounts offset the buyer's obligation. It includes a protection period for properties introduced during the term, a retainer provision, dual agency/designated agency consent language, and clean termination mechanics.

This 5-page template includes the compensation disclosure language required under the settlement framework, plus a 50-state variation notes section covering states where buyer agency agreements have statutory content requirements (several states mandate specific disclosures, type-size requirements, or prohibit certain term lengths). Buyer agency itself is a creature of state agency and license law, so the notes flag where state forms or specific statutory language are mandatory. As with all templates in this library, it is a drafting starting point to review with your broker or attorney — not a guaranteed state-compliant form.

About this California Edition: the template and its drafting notes are adapted for California practice — the Civil Code § 2079 et seq. agency disclosure regime (including the statutory agency disclosure form used in residential transactions), the Business & Professions Code § 10147.5 notice that commission rates are negotiable and not fixed by law, and California's new three-month maximum term for exclusive buyer representation agreements. California-specific drafting notes accompany the template so you can align it with C.A.R. practice and current statutory requirements before use.