Zillow’s New Touring Agreement Helps Agents Seamlessly Adjust to Industry Changes

One condition of the NAR settlement requires buyers to sign written agreements with you before touring. While that may seem like an extra step for the consumer, this kind of agreement can add transparency, promote open conversation, and set proper expectations with your clients. 

Zillow is not required to offer consumer-facing agreements in light of the proposed NAR settlement. However, we have an opportunity to provide tools that help you fulfill any new requirements. Our Touring Agreement sets up the expectation of representation and helps get you to the first meeting, where you can educate the buyer on your services and compensation model. 

Why buyer agreements are important

Buyer agreements typically lay out exactly what the agent will do for a client. However, requiring an exclusive commitment upfront before the buyer feels comfortable can negatively impact the consumer experience. To put it simply, most people want to date before becoming exclusive.

At the same time, agents deserve to be compensated for the value they provide to buyers. Since this is an introductory agreement, we still anticipate that buyers and agents will sign a longer-term agreement that outlines compensation terms, if they choose to work together throughout the buying process. 

What our Touring Agreement does

Our Touring Agreement helps lay the foundation for you to discuss compensation and exclusivity once you meet with the buyer in person. By design, it covers touring activities only and expires after seven days. The seven-day period was determined because it ensures that, in most cases, the agreement won't expire before the tour occurs, and it accounts for potential rescheduling, which typically happens within five days. The touring agreement can be superseded by an additional buyer agreement at any time. 

This could be someone's first introduction to buyer agreements, so this approach lets you and the buyer enter the first showing with a signed limited services agreement that satisfies requirements outlined in the NAR settlement.

Visit this page to access all available resources and courses related to the Touring Agreement. 

Zillow fully believes in the value of agents

Buying a home is complex and often comes with a lot of stress: half of buyers tell us they cried at some point during the process. Without an expert prioritizing their individual needs, buyers can miss out on making a competitive offer, leave money on the table in the negotiation, ignore potential pitfalls or waive important aspects such as inspections – which can end up costing them later. 

Most buyers want and need an expert on their side – we don’t see that changing. This makes finding the right agent that much more important, and it’s why upfront conversations about expectations and compensation are critical. We strongly believe in the value of independent representation: Buyers and sellers deserve to work with an agent who is committed to their best interests and only represents them. That was true prior to the NAR settlement announcement, and will continue to be true regardless of what happens after any changes take effect.

The requirement to have an agreement in place prior to touring a home will be new for most buyers and for some of you. In light of that, we hope this resource helps you run your business and support your clients.

Explore our Industry Support Hub for more tools and resources designed to help agents navigate the NAR settlement.

State versions of the Touring Agreement

Zillow is providing state versions of the Touring Agreement, drafted with state-specific compliance in mind and, when possible, with input from state regulators. Scroll down to see if Zillow’s Touring Agreement is live in your state. Remember to consult with your broker before using any new forms. And to activate the Touring Agreement, click here.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi*

Missouri

Montana

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee 

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

_{*Only available as a PDF, not integrated into the tour connection experience. Learn more here.}