Updated October 2026. Checked against NAR’s model MLS rules and its 2025 listing options policy.
An open listing is a listing agreement with no exclusive. You can sign with 2, 5 or 10 brokers, and you pay only the one who brings the buyer. If you find the buyer yourself, you owe no listing fee at all. The catch: many MLSs won’t accept open listings, so check your local rules first.
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Key takeaways
- An open listing isn’t exclusive. Any broker you sign with can sell the home, and only the one who brings the buyer is paid.
- You owe no listing fee if you find the buyer on your own.
- Whether an MLS takes open listings is up to local MLS rules and state law. Many accept only exclusive listings.
- Brokers tend to spend less on marketing an open listing, since they may not be paid.
- Since August 17, 2024, no listing type lets you post a buyer’s agent pay offer on the MLS.
How does an open listing work?
You sign a short agreement with a broker that says, in effect: “If you bring me a buyer who closes, I’ll pay you this fee.” You can sign the same kind of deal with other brokers too. Nobody has the sole right to sell your home.
When an offer comes in, the broker who found that buyer earns the fee. The rest earn nothing. If a neighbor knocks on your door and buys the home with no broker involved, no broker is owed a listing fee.
That’s why open listings are popular for land, commercial property and homes with a buyer already in sight. They’re less common for a typical house, because each broker knows another one, or you, could make the sale first.
What an open listing agreement should say
- That the agreement is non-exclusive, in plain words.
- The fee and when it’s due, usually only at closing.
- How “bringing the buyer” is proven, such as a written registration of each buyer the broker introduces.
- A clear end date, or a way for either side to end it in writing.
- Whether the listing goes on the MLS, and under what code.
The buyer registration point matters most. With several brokers in play, two of them may claim the same buyer. A written list of who introduced whom heads off those “procuring cause” disputes.
How does an open listing compare with exclusive listings?
There are three main listing agreements you’ll see on a home sale. The difference is who can sell the home and who gets paid.
| Listing type | How many brokers | Listing fee owed when you find the buyer? | On the MLS? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open listing | As many as you want | No | Up to the local MLS and state law |
| Exclusive agency | One | No | Yes, flagged with a code |
| Exclusive right to sell | One | Yes, unless the buyer is a named exclusion | Yes |
Exclusive agency sits in the middle: one broker, but you keep the right to sell on your own. We compare those two in detail in exclusive agency vs. exclusive right to sell. For every type, including net listings and office exclusives, see our guide to the types of listing agreements.
Open listing vs. exclusive agency
Both let you sell to your own buyer without a listing fee. The difference is the number of brokers. Exclusive agency gives one broker the listing and the MLS entry. An open listing lets you hire several, which spreads the work but also spreads the commitment thin.
Can an open listing go on the MLS?
Sometimes. NAR’s model rules leave open listings to each local MLS and to state law, and MLSs set their own policy. Many accept only exclusive right to sell and exclusive agency listings. Others take open listings, often under their own listing code.
California is the best-known example. CRMLS, the state’s largest MLS, says sellers with a non-exclusive (open) agreement can market the home publicly without the one-business-day MLS filing rule that applies to exclusive listings.
That filing rule is NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy. It still applies in full. It says an exclusive listing must be filed with the MLS within 1 business day of public marketing. In 2025, NAR added two exempt options, delayed marketing and office exclusive listings, each needing the seller’s signed consent. Neither one is an open listing.
What are the pros and cons of an open listing?
Pros
- You can sell to your own buyer and owe no listing fee.
- You aren’t tied to a single broker, and you can add or drop brokers as you go.
- It’s a low-commitment way to test interest, for example in land or an unusual property.
Cons
- Brokers may spend little on photos, ads or open houses, since they may not be paid.
- Two brokers may claim the same buyer, so you need careful paperwork.
- Your MLS may not accept it, which cuts your exposure to buyer’s agents.
- You handle more of the selling yourself: showings, questions and offers.
Bottom line: an open listing works best when you’re ready to sell much of the home yourself. If you’d rather one broker do the work, an exclusive agreement fits better. If what you want is MLS exposure at a fixed cost, a flat-fee listing gives you that without the commission question.
How does Beycome list your home?
Beycome lists homes as exclusive right to sell with limited services. In states and MLSs that allow it, such as California, the listing can appear as an open listing instead. Either way, our fee is a flat fee that is earned when your listing is published on the MLS, so you owe Beycome nothing more at closing, even if you find the buyer yourself. You sign this in your Beycome Listing Agreement.
Finding your own buyer isn’t rare. About 36% of Beycome sales closed in 2026 so far had a buyer with no agent: the seller found the buyer directly, often a neighbor, a friend or someone who saw the listing online. Results vary from home to home.
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Buy a home →You pay $99 (Basic), $399 (Enhanced) or $999 for Concierge (list price $1,399) up front. Every package includes unlimited listing changes, e-signature, ShowingTime showing scheduling where your MLS offers it, and the Artur AI assistant for offers and negotiation. A person negotiates for you on Concierge. A complete, correct file goes live within 2 business days (the photo shoot is scheduled separately). You can cancel at no charge,* and the listing runs for the longest term your state and MLS allow.** Compare plans on our flat-fee MLS page.
Any pay to a buyer’s agent is separate, and it’s your choice. Beycome doesn’t set, collect or pay it. Our explainer on whether sellers pay the buyer’s agent covers your options. Once an offer arrives, our FSBO paperwork checklist lists what you’ll need.
Frequently asked questions
What is an open listing in real estate?
A listing agreement that isn’t exclusive. You can sign with several brokers at once, pay only the one who brings the buyer, and owe no listing fee if you find the buyer yourself.
Who gets paid under an open listing?
Only the broker who brings the buyer that closes. The other brokers get nothing. If you find the buyer with no broker involved, no broker is owed a fee.
Can an open listing go on the MLS?
It depends on the MLS. NAR’s model rules leave open listings to local MLS rules and state law, and many MLSs only take exclusive listings. Some, such as several in California, accept them.
What is the difference between an open listing and an exclusive agency listing?
An exclusive agency listing gives one broker the listing, and you keep the right to sell on your own. An open listing gives no one an exclusive, so you can hire as many brokers as you like.
Is an open listing a good idea?
It suits sellers who already have interested buyers or want to test the market with little commitment. It’s a poor fit if you want one broker to invest in marketing, since no one is sure to be paid.
Is an open listing the same as a pocket listing?
No. A pocket listing is kept off the MLS and marketed privately. An open listing is about who gets paid, and it can still be on the MLS where the MLS allows it.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, a licensed real estate brokerage. Licenses are listed at beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Listing types follow NAR’s model MLS rules and the Multiple Listing Options for Sellers policy (announced March 25, 2025) as published in October 2026. Each MLS adopts its own version, and state law can change how a listing type works.
Prices are as of October 2026 and can change. The Concierge plan’s list price is $1,399; it’s offered at $999 for a limited time.
“$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing. Other closing costs, taxes, title fees and any buyer’s agent pay you agree to still apply.
* Cancel free means no cancellation fee, not a refund; there’s no refund once the listing is live. Georgia MLS charges a $25 cancellation fee, and listings under contract can’t be canceled.
** Listing term is the maximum the state and MLS allow: 24 months, or 12 months in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Commissions and buyer’s agent pay are not set by law or by NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any compensation to a buyer’s agent, and how much; since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
Brokerage services are provided through affiliated licensed brokerages in 18 states and DC. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- NAR Handbook on Multiple Listing Policy, definitions of listing agreement types.
- NAR Handbook, model MLS rules: listing procedures, net and open listings.
- NAR, Multiple Listing Options for Sellers FAQs (policy announced March 25, 2025; FAQ updated May 27, 2025).
- NAR, settlement FAQs (changes effective August 17, 2024).
- CRMLS, MLS addendum FAQs (non-exclusive listings and public marketing).
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
- Beycome terms and conditions (Listing Agreement, flat fees), read October 21, 2026.
- Beycome internal data, 2026 closings.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
Beycome provides real estate services through affiliated licensed brokerages and has a commercial interest in the services and business models discussed on this blog. Content reflects Beycome’s perspective and may promote our services; it should not be treated as independent or neutral reporting.
Articles are provided for general informational and educational purposes only, not as financial, tax, legal, or investment advice or a recommendation for your particular situation. Reading this blog does not create a brokerage, advisory, or other professional relationship.
Information, opinions, pricing, service descriptions, and comparisons reflect the sources and information available when an article was published or last updated and may change. Although we aim for accuracy, we do not guarantee that all content is complete, current, or applicable to your circumstances. Laws, market conditions, and service availability vary by location. Examples and estimated savings are illustrative, depend on stated assumptions, and do not guarantee individual results.
Verify relevant information directly and consult qualified professionals before making decisions. Beycome services are subject to applicable agreements, eligibility requirements, and state-specific terms.
