If a Realtor Shows You a House, Do You Have to Use Them in Florida?
If a realtor shows you a house, do you have to use them to buy it?
It depends entirely on what you signed. In most cases, you did sign something before that showing ever happened, and the answer lives in the details of that document, not in a simple yes or no.
You'll Almost Always Sign Something First
Here's what's changed the game for buyers: since August 2024, Florida agents are required to have a written agreement in place with a buyer before showing most properties. It's not optional, and it's not a brokerage preference. It's the law.
That surprises a lot of people, because it used to be common to casually tour a few homes with an agent before any paperwork came up. Now, if an agent is taking you to see homes outside of an open house or their own listing, they need your signature first. Understanding that upfront clears up most of the confusion buyers run into.
When You Don't Have to Sign Anything First
There are a few situations where no agreement is required.
Open houses. Walk into an open house, and you're not committed to anything. You're just visiting, and the agent hosting it is representing the seller, not you.
The listing agent showing their own listing. A listing agent can walk you through the home they have listed without a buyer agreement in place. Worth keeping in mind, though: that agent already has a relationship with the seller, so it's harder for them to fully represent your side of the deal too.
New construction model homes. Same idea. You can walk through a builder's model home without signing anything. Just remember the sales rep at the model home works for the builder, not for you.
Outside of these three situations, if an agent is taking you to see homes, paperwork is part of the process now.
The Three Agreements You Might Be Asked to Sign
Not every brokerage uses all three, but these are the agreement types you're likely to run into in Florida.
Touring Agreement. The lightest-touch option. It covers a single showing session or a short window of time, without locking in compensation terms. Because it doesn't spell out how the agent gets paid, most brokerages don't use it often.
Showing Agreement. This one is property-specific. It should list the actual addresses you're being shown, like 123 Main Street or 456 Oak Drive. If you buy one of those specific homes while the agreement is active, you're generally obligated to use that agent for that purchase. Find an extra home mid-day that isn't on the list? That home needs its own agreement, or it isn't covered.
Buyer Broker Agreement. This is the broadest and most common. Instead of specific properties, it covers a geographic area — anything from a single county to the entire state of Florida — along with a defined time period. Read this one carefully. An agreement that covers "all of Florida" ties you to that agent everywhere, from Jacksonville to Orlando to Miami. An agreement limited to Duval County leaves you free to work with a different agent in St. Johns or Clay County. That distinction matters, and it's worth checking before you sign.
So Are You Actually Obligated?
Two questions settle it in almost every case.
Is the property covered by what you signed? For a showing agreement, that means the specific address has to be listed. For a buyer broker agreement, the home has to fall within the geographic area named in the document.
Are you still inside the agreement's active period? Every one of these agreements has a start and end date. If it's expired, you're not bound, even if the property would otherwise have been covered.
If the answer to both is yes, you're likely obligated to use that agent for that purchase. If either answer is no, you may not be. Some agreements also include an "out," like a cancellation clause or release condition, so it's worth reading the whole document, not just skimming for the property list.
A Smarter Way to Avoid the Question Altogether
Here's the pattern that gets buyers into trouble: they click a "schedule a showing" button on a website, meet an agent they've never spoken to before, sign whatever's put in front of them because they want to see the house, and then spend weeks wondering if they're stuck.
Flip that order. Interview a few agents before you ever tour a home. Ask how they communicate, what areas they know well, and how they handle negotiations. Once you find someone you actually trust, sign an agreement with that person and let them show you homes from there. Done this way, the agreement isn't something that traps you. It's just a formal version of a relationship you already chose.
If You've Already Signed Something
Before you sign anything, it's worth asking one direct question: "If I decide I no longer want to work with you, what happens?" How an agent answers tells you a lot. A confident agent who says "just tell me, and I'll release you if we're not a fit" is usually more trustworthy than one who says you're locked in no matter what.
If you've already signed an agreement and you're not sure what it means for you, go read it yourself. Don't rely on what the agent tells you, what a friend tells you, or what any blog post tells you. Look for the agreement type, the properties or area it covers, the start and end dates, and any cancellation language. If it's still unclear after that, a real estate attorney can review it for you. We're not attorneys at CrossView Realty, and we'd rather point you to one than guess.
The Bottom Line
The August 2024 rule change didn't make home buying harder. It just made the paperwork part of the process earlier than buyers were used to. Once you know the three types of agreements, how to check whether you're covered, and how to choose your agent before you start touring, the whole thing gets a lot less confusing.
Ready to Start Your Search the Right Way?
If you haven't signed anything yet and you're thinking about buying a home in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Nocatee, or anywhere else in Northeast Florida, now's the time to find your agent, before you start clicking through listing sites.
Give us a call at 904-503-0672 or email info@crossviewrealty.com, and we'll walk you through exactly how buyer representation works before you sign anything. You can also learn more at crossviewrealty.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If a realtor shows me a house, do I have to use them to buy it? A: It depends on what you signed. If you signed a showing agreement that names that specific address and you're still within the agreement's time frame, you're likely obligated. If you signed a buyer broker agreement and the home falls within the geographic area covered, the same applies. If you haven't signed anything — which usually only happens at open houses or when dealing directly with a listing agent — you're not obligated.
Q: Do you have to sign a contract with a realtor just to see a house? A: In most cases, yes. Since August 2024, Florida agents are required to have a written agreement in place before showing most properties. The exceptions are open houses, a listing agent showing their own listing, and new construction model homes.
Q: What is a showing agreement in Florida? A: A showing agreement is a property-specific document that lists the exact homes an agent is about to show you. If you buy one of those listed homes while the agreement is active, you're generally obligated to use that agent for the purchase. Homes not listed on the agreement aren't covered.
Q: What is a buyer broker agreement in Florida? A: A buyer broker agreement is broader than a showing agreement. Instead of listing specific addresses, it covers a defined geographic area, anything from one county to the entire state, for a set period of time. It also outlines compensation and each side's responsibilities.
Q: Can I cancel a buyer agreement if it's not working out? A: Many agreements include a cancellation or release clause, but the terms vary by brokerage. Before signing anything, ask directly what happens if you decide to part ways. Read the agreement itself for the exact terms, and don't rely on secondhand explanations.
