Two entry point data points to share regarding buyers:

Posted on September 19, 2025

Authored by Jonathan Hammer Levy

1. Survey of 846 Buyers

Question Asked: “Are you working with anyone else and if so, do you have a signed agreement?”

35% said yes, they are working with another buyer’s agent.
Of that 35%, only 5% stated they had signed an agreement.

Interpretation: Even when buyers admit to working with multiple agents, the vast majority are not bound by written agreements, creating exposure and uncertainty for brokers and agents.

2. Survey of 312 Possible Buyers Who Refused to Sign Agreements

Finding: 90% of these possible buyers said they were never asked to sign a buyer-broker agreement by any other agent they had previously worked with or were currently working with.

Interpretation: This reflects a widespread lack of enforcement or even basic request for agreements, leaving most buyers uncommitted and agents without contractual protection.

Key Takeaways

Buyer loyalty is fragile: A quarter of surveyed buyers admitted to working with multiple agents, yet only a fraction were under contract.
Missed opportunities: Nine out of ten buyers who refused to sign had never been asked by another agent — showing the industry often fails to request agreements at all or ARE WAITING UNTIL THE BUYERS MAKE THE DECISION TO BUY AT WHICH POINT THE BUYERS AGENT SUBMITS THE BUYERS AGREEMENT OUT OF NECESSITY. We believe it's the latter.
Risk to agents and brokerages: Without signed agreements, agents face increased risk of lost clients, disputes, and uncompensated work.
Opportunity for leadership: Brokerages and Associations and MLS executives who prioritize standardized buyer-broker agreements from the onset can improve compliance, protect agents, and foster greater buyer accountability.