Georgia buyer agreements: what you are signing and why
Expect to sign a written agreement before an agent tours homes with you. It is negotiable, and it can be as narrow as one house for one day.
Why you are asked to sign before touring
Agents across the country now put the buyer relationship in writing before touring homes with a buyer. The agreement says who the agent works for and how they will be paid, so neither side is guessing at closing. In Georgia, a buyer brokerage agreement also makes the agent your client-level representative under Georgia's brokerage relationship law, with duties to promote your interests.
What the agreement covers
- Term — the start and end dates.
- Scope — a geographic area, a property type, or even a single address.
- Exclusivity — whether you agree to buy only through this agent during the term.
- Compensation — what the agent is paid, how, and who may pay it.
- Duties — what the agent does for you, and disclosures such as dual agency.
- Protection period — whether the agent is owed compensation if you buy a home they showed you shortly after the term ends.
You can keep it narrow
If you only want to see one house this Saturday, the agreement can say exactly that — one property, a few days. If you want an agent for a whole search, a longer, exclusive agreement makes sense, because it is what justifies the agent investing weeks in you. Neither is the default you are stuck with; ask for the scope you want.
Compensation is negotiable
No commission rate is set by law. The agreement states what your agent will be paid, and you can negotiate it. Sellers often offer to pay some or all of the buyer's agent compensation, and you can ask for that in your offer — see who pays the buyer's agent.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Can this be limited to the homes we see this week, or to one area?
- If I am not happy, how do I end the agreement early?
- What exactly are you paid, and in what cases would I owe it myself?
- Is there a protection period after it ends?
- Will you ever represent the seller on a home I want (dual agency), and how is that handled?
How it works at Veribas
Veribas agents explain the agreement before the first tour and write it to the scope you ask for. You can book a tour for a single home, or find an agent for the whole search.
Georgia's brokerage relationships, in plain terms
Georgia law recognizes several ways a brokerage can work with you. As a client, your agent owes you duties such as promoting your interests and keeping confidential information private. As a customer, the agent can help with paperwork and facts but does not advocate for you. A buyer agreement is what makes you a client.
Dual agency — one brokerage representing both buyer and seller — is allowed in Georgia only with written consent from both sides. Some brokerages handle it by assigning a separate agent to each side (designated agency). Ask how your agent's brokerage handles it before you look at its listings.
Three agreements, compared
| Type | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Single property, short term | Seeing one home this weekend | Whether it renews automatically |
| Area-limited, a few weeks | Testing an agent before committing | The protection period after it ends |
| Exclusive, full search | A serious search over months | Clear early-termination terms |
Red flags in a buyer agreement
- A term of many months with no way to end it early.
- A protection period that covers every home you saw, for a long time, regardless of who found it.
- Compensation described vaguely, or a line making you owe the full amount whatever the seller offers.
- Fees beyond compensation — administrative or transaction fees — that were not mentioned out loud.
- Blank fields. Never sign with the term, area or compensation left empty.
A worked example
You sign an agreement for homes in Cobb County for 60 days at 2.5%, with a 30-day protection period. In week three you buy a $420,000 home in Smyrna. Your agent is owed $10,500. The seller agreed in the contract to pay 2%, or $8,400; your agreement tells you whether the $2,100 difference is yours, the agent's to absorb, or covered by a seller credit you negotiated.
Common questions
Do I have to sign a buyer agreement to see a house in Georgia?
Expect an agent to ask for a written agreement before touring with you. It can be limited to one property and a short period.
Can I cancel a buyer brokerage agreement in Georgia?
It depends on the termination terms written into it. Ask for a clear way to end it early before you sign.
Is buyer agent commission negotiable?
Yes. No rate is set by law. The agreement states what your agent is paid, and you agree to it.
What is a protection period in a buyer agreement?
A clause that can make compensation due if you buy a home the agent introduced you to within a set time after the agreement ends.
What is the difference between a client and a customer in Georgia real estate?
A client has signed a brokerage agreement and is owed duties such as advocacy and confidentiality. A customer gets help with facts and paperwork, but the agent does not negotiate on their behalf. If you want an agent working to get you the best terms, you need to be a client, which means a written buyer agreement.
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General information for Georgia home buyers, not legal, tax or lending advice. Loan programs, rates, limits, tax rates and insurance terms are set by lenders, agencies, counties and insurers and change — confirm current figures with them, and have your closing attorney review anything you sign.