Washington State law requires real estate brokers to provide this disclosure to all parties as soon as practicable. It explains the different types of agency relationships, your rights, and your broker's duties to you.
This pamphlet provides general information about real estate brokerage in Washington State and summarizes the laws related to real estate brokerage relationships. It describes a real estate broker's duties to you as a seller, buyer, landlord, or tenant.
Before a broker may represent you or ask you to sign anything, they are required by law to provide you with this disclosure and enter into a written brokerage services agreement with you.
A broker who represents the seller is the seller's agent. The seller's agent owes the seller duties of loyalty, disclosure, confidentiality, diligence, and accounting. The seller's agent must act in the seller's best interest and seek the best price and terms for the seller.
A broker who represents the buyer is the buyer's agent. The buyer's agent owes the buyer the same duties of loyalty, disclosure, confidentiality, diligence, and accounting — and must act in the buyer's best interest.
A broker who represents both the seller and the buyer in the same transaction is a dual agent. Dual agency is legal in Washington State only with the written consent of both parties. However, a dual agent cannot advocate for either party's best interests — they must remain neutral. This is why Justin Cicero declines dual agency entirely. When you hire NW Luxury Homes to sell your home, your interests are never shared with a buyer.
In a firm with multiple brokers, the firm may appoint one broker to represent the seller and a different broker to represent the buyer. This allows both parties to have dedicated representation within the same brokerage, provided written consent is given.
A broker may also act as a non-agent or transaction coordinator, facilitating the transaction without representing either party. In this role, the broker owes limited duties and does not advocate for either side.
Regardless of who the broker represents, Washington law requires all brokers to perform the following duties for all parties to a transaction:
When a broker represents you as a client (not just a customer), they owe you additional duties:
Washington State Senate Bill 6091, effective June 2026, requires that residential listings be submitted to the MLS within a specified period of the listing agreement date, ensuring broad market exposure for sellers. This law was enacted in direct response to concerns about "pocket listing" programs that limit buyer competition and can reduce seller net proceeds.
As of January 1, 2024, Washington law requires brokers to enter a written brokerage services agreement with clients before providing substantive real estate services. This agreement must describe the services to be provided, the compensation structure, the duration of the relationship, and which party the broker represents.
You have the right to review this agreement carefully, ask questions, and negotiate its terms before signing. A professional broker will welcome your due diligence.
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