Updated October 2026. Checked against NAR’s model MLS rules and its 2025 listing options policy.
There are 4 classic types of listing agreements: exclusive right to sell, exclusive agency, open listing and net listing. Since 2025, MLSs also offer 2 exempt options, office exclusive and delayed marketing. They differ on one question above all: who gets paid if you find the buyer yourself.
Jump to: 🏢 Side by side · 🏠 Right to sell · 🤝 Exclusive agency · 🔓 Open · ⛔ Net · 🔒 Off-MLS options · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Exclusive right to sell is the most common. The broker is paid whoever finds the buyer.
- Exclusive agency and open listings let you sell to your own buyer with no listing fee.
- Net listings are banned or restricted in many states, and NAR’s model rules keep them off the MLS.
- Office exclusive and delayed marketing listings, added by NAR in 2025, need your signed consent.
- Commissions are negotiable under every type. None of them sets a fee.
How do the listing agreement types compare?
| Type | Brokers | Fee owed if you find the buyer? | On the MLS? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive right to sell | One | Yes, unless named as an exclusion | Yes | Handing the sale to one broker |
| Exclusive agency | One | No | Yes, flagged with a code | Sellers who may find their own buyer |
| Open listing | Several | No | Up to the local MLS and state law | Land, or a buyer already in sight |
| Net listing | One | Broker keeps the amount over a set price | No | Not recommended |
| Office exclusive | One brokerage | Per the agreement | Filed where required, not shared | Privacy-first sellers |
| Delayed marketing | One | Per the agreement | Yes, shown to agents only at first | A quiet start before going public |
Exclusive right to sell
One broker has the sole right to sell your home for a set term. If it sells during that time, the broker is paid, even if you found the buyer at a barbecue. You can name buyers you’ve already talked to as exclusions, in writing, before you sign.
It’s the standard for full-service listings because the broker knows they’ll be paid for their work. That makes them more willing to pay for photos, ads and open houses. Read the full breakdown in our exclusive right to sell agreement guide, or see the short definition in our real estate glossary.
Exclusive agency
One broker lists your home, but you keep the right to sell it yourself. If you find the buyer with no agent involved, you owe that broker no listing fee. If any agent brings the buyer, the broker is paid.
NAR’s model rules say an MLS must accept exclusive agency listings. The MLS flags them with a code, so other agents know the owner may sell direct. Compare it head-to-head in exclusive agency vs. exclusive right to sell.
Open listing
No one gets an exclusive. You can sign with several brokers and pay only the one who brings the buyer. If you find the buyer yourself, no one is owed a listing fee.
The downside is commitment. Brokers may spend little on marketing a home they might not be paid for, and many MLSs don’t take open listings. California MLSs are a common exception. Our open listing guide covers how it works and where it’s accepted.
Net listing
You set the amount you want to walk away with, and the broker keeps anything above it. If you want $300,000 and the home sells for $330,000, the broker takes $30,000.
The broker gains from setting your floor too low, which is a built-in conflict of interest. That’s why net listings are banned or restricted in many states, and NAR’s model rules say an MLS may not accept them. If someone offers you one, ask why.
Office exclusive, delayed marketing and pocket listings
NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy says an exclusive listing must be filed with the MLS within 1 business day of public marketing. That’s still in full effect. On March 25, 2025, NAR added the Multiple Listing Options for Sellers policy, which MLSs had to put in place by September 30, 2025.
It created two exempt options. Both require you to sign a disclosure or certification saying you understand what you’re giving up:
- Office exclusive: the listing stays inside one brokerage. It isn’t shared with other MLS members or marketed to the public.
- Delayed marketing: the listing is on the MLS for other agents to see, but kept off public sites through IDX and syndication for a period your MLS sets.
“Pocket listing” is the informal name for a home marketed privately, off the MLS. The trade-off is the same for all of them: more privacy, fewer buyers seeing the home.
What should you check in any listing agreement?
- The type, stated in plain words.
- The fee: how much, when it’s due and whether it’s owed if the home doesn’t sell.
- The term, with a clear start and end date.
- Named exclusions, and the protection period after the term ends.
- How you can cancel, at what cost, and whether any fee is refunded.
- Whether you’ve agreed to offer a buyer’s agent any pay, and how much.
That last point changed in 2024. Since August 17, 2024, offers of pay to a buyer’s agent can’t be shown on the MLS. You can still offer it off the MLS or give the buyer a credit. Our explainer on whether sellers pay the buyer’s agent has the details.
Which listing agreement does Beycome use?
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.
That clause matters in practice. About 36% of Beycome sales closed in 2026 so far had a buyer with no agent, because the seller found the buyer directly. Your own sale may or may not go that way.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS for $99
No listing agent, no 3% commission. Beycome handles your MLS listing so you keep more of what your home is worth.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
Buy any home with a Beycome agent and receive a rebate of up to 2% of the purchase price — paid to you at closing.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of listing agreements?
Exclusive right to sell, exclusive agency, open listing and net listing. Since 2025, many MLSs also offer two exempt options: office exclusive and delayed marketing listings.
Which listing agreement is the most common?
Exclusive right to sell. One broker has the sole right to sell the home for the term and is paid whoever finds the buyer, unless a buyer is named as an exclusion.
Which listing agreement lets the seller sell without paying a commission?
Exclusive agency and open listings both do. If you find the buyer yourself with no agent involved, you owe no listing fee under either one.
Which listing agreement is illegal?
Net listings, in many states. The broker keeps anything above a set price, which invites a conflict of interest. NAR’s model rules say an MLS may not accept them.
What is an office exclusive listing?
A listing the seller asks to keep inside one brokerage. It isn’t shared with other MLS members or marketed to the public, and the seller must sign a certification.
What is a pocket listing?
An informal name for a home marketed privately, off the MLS. Under the Clear Cooperation Policy, an exclusive listing must go on the MLS within 1 business day of public marketing.
Which listing agreement does Beycome use?
Exclusive right to sell with limited services, or an open listing in states and MLSs that allow it, such as California. Our flat fee is earned when the listing is published, so you owe Beycome $0 at closing.
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).
- NAR Handbook, inclusion of exclusive agency listings in MLS compilations.
- NAR, new MLS policy to expand choice for consumers (March 25, 2025).
- 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.
