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Why choosing your agent matters more than it ever has

  • Bryce Edwards
  • October 4th, 2026
  • 6 min read

Buying in Las Vegas · Representation

Why choosing your agent matters more than it ever has

Since August 17, 2024, you sign a written agreement with an agent before you tour a home together. You pick your agent first, so pick carefully.

Bryce Edwards, Realtor  ·  Updated October 3, 2026  ·  4 min read

The short answer

  • You sign before you tour. Since August 17, 2024, agents must have a written agreement with you before showing you a home, in person or by live video.
  • Nevada goes further. Since October 1, 2025, every brokerage agreement in Nevada must be in writing.
  • So the agent decision now comes first. Interview before you sign, and read what you’re agreeing to.

01

What changed in August 2024?

Aug 17, 2024
National practice changes take effect. Agents working with buyers need a written agreement before touring a home, and offers of buyer-agent pay come off the MLS.
Oct 1, 2025
Nevada law requires every brokerage agreement to be in writing. Oral agreements no longer count.

Touring means going into the home with an agent, or an agent walking it for you on a live video call. Before 2024, many buyers saw homes with an agent for weeks before signing anything. That is gone.

02

What the agreement has to say

  • How much the agent is paid, stated clearly as a flat fee, a percentage or another fixed amount. It can’t be open-ended.
  • A cap. The agent can’t receive more from any source than the amount you agreed to.
  • That fees are negotiable. The agreement has to say agent fees are fully negotiable and not set by law.
  • The term and the scope. How long it lasts and what it covers are up to you and the agent. It can be one house, one month or one area.

Sellers can still agree to pay some or all of your agent’s fee, outside the MLS or as a concession in your offer. That is part of the negotiation on each home.

I use the standard Buyer Brokerage Agreement supplied by Las Vegas REALTORS, so you are reading the same form local agents use, not something written for my benefit.

03

When you don’t need an agreement

Walking into an open house on your own doesn’t require one. Neither does asking an agent about their services. The agreement comes in when an agent starts working for you: finding homes and setting up tours.

04

When an agent skips the agreement

Some agents still show homes without a signed agreement. It is quicker, and it can feel easier for the buyer in the moment. It is also against the rules every agent who uses the MLS agreed to follow.

I follow the rule, and I have lost clients to agents who didn’t. I would make the same choice again.

If an agent will bend this rule to win your business, ask yourself what else they will bend once they have it.

The agreement is the first thing your agent does for you. How they handle it tells you how they will handle the inspection, the disclosures and your deposit.

05

How to choose before you sign

You used to find the house and then find the agent. Now you pick the agent first.

How many homes have you sold in my price range and in the communities I’m considering?
Who will actually show me homes and negotiate for me?
How do you handle builder registration if I want to look at new construction?
What does your agreement cover, how long does it last, and how do I end it?
How are you paid, and how do we handle it if the seller offers to pay part of it?

06

Questions buyers ask

Do I have to sign an agreement to see a house in Las Vegas?

Yes, if an agent is showing it to you. Since August 17, 2024, agents need a written agreement before touring a home with you. An open house you visit on your own doesn’t require one.

Does Nevada require buyer agreements to be in writing?

Yes. Since October 1, 2025, every brokerage agreement in Nevada must be written.

Can the agreement be for just one house or a short time?

Yes. The term and scope are negotiated between you and the agent.

Can the seller still pay my agent?

Yes. Sellers can still agree to pay some or all of it, outside the MLS or as a concession in your offer.

What if an agent offers to show me homes without an agreement?

That agent is skipping a rule they agreed to follow. Consider what that says about how they will handle the rest of your purchase.

Bryce Edwards, Realtor

Bryce Edwards

Realtor, Realty ONE Group  ·  Las Vegas

Las Vegas Realtor since 2013. More than $25M in sales across Summerlin, Red Rock Country Club, Henderson and the Strip high-rises. 2025 top-producer award, Realty ONE Group. My family and I live in Summerlin.

Your next step

Interview me first

Before you sign anything with anyone, let’s talk. I’ll walk you through my agreement line by line, so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.

Schedule a time with Bryce

Or text or call (702) 412-5524
bryce@luxuryvegashouses.com

About the author

Bryce Edwards

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