The Texas buyer agreement, explained

In Texas, you sign a written agreement before an agent shows you a home. If you're buying your first home here, it's usually the first paper you'll see, so read it before your first showing, not during it.

When it's required

Starting January 1, 2026, Texas law says an agent working with a buyer has to have a written agreement with that buyer before showing a home. If the agent isn't going to show you a home at all, say you found the house yourself and just want help with an offer, the agreement has to be signed before the agent presents your offer. This covers homes: a house, a duplex up to a fourplex, or a condo. It doesn't cover commercial property.

The two kinds

The first is a full buyer representation agreement. The agent represents you: helps you look, gives you advice and negotiates for you.

The second is a short show-only agreement. The agent can open the door and show you a home, but doesn't represent you and can't give you advice. A show-only agreement can't be exclusive, and it can't last more than 14 days. That 14-day limit applies to show-only agreements only. It's not a limit on a full representation agreement. If you want the agent to do more than show the home, you'd sign a separate agreement for that.

What it has to say

Whichever kind you sign, it has to spell out:

1. The services the agent will provide

2. The date it ends

3. Whether it's exclusive or non-exclusive

4. Whether the agent represents you, or doesn't

5. How much the broker gets paid, as an amount or a rate, and how that's figured

It also has to say, in plain view, that broker pay isn't set by law and is fully negotiable. You and the agent agree on it in writing before anything starts.

What to read before you sign

Read two things closely: the end date, and what the agreement says happens if you want to change agents before then. TREC says a signed buyer representation agreement is meant to be a legal and binding contract, so read any agreement like one. If something isn't clear, ask before you sign. I'm glad to go through any agreement with you line by line. For a legal question, talk to a real estate attorney.

Arkansas

Arkansas rules are different.

Sources: S.B. 1968 (89th Leg.), Tex. Occ. Code 1101.562 and 1101.563; TREC, What Changes in 2026; TREC FAQ. Accessed Oct 2026.

General information about Texas law, not legal advice.

Questions? Call or text me.