What is a buyer representation agreement in Texas?
A buyer representation agreement is the written contract between you and the real estate brokerage that will represent you when you buy a home. Since January 1, 2026, Texas law requires one before an agent shows you a home or writes an offer for you. It has to state the agent’s services, an end date, whether it’s exclusive, whether the agent represents you, and the amount or rate of compensation, along with a notice that broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.
By Stephen Harris, Good Life Team | October 30, 2026
Before you tour a single house in Killeen, Harker Heights, or Copperas Cove, an agent will ask you to sign a contract. That catches a lot of buyers off guard, especially PCS families who last bought in another state, or anyone who last bought here before 2026.
It’s one of the most common questions on r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer and r/RealEstate right now: why do I have to sign something just to see a house, and what am I agreeing to pay? Those are fair questions. The agreement is short, and most of it is negotiable. Here’s what it says, which lines to read slowly, and how our team handles it.
Why Texas requires it now
Two changes stacked on top of each other. The 2024 National Association of REALTORS® settlement led to a practice change in August 2024: agents who work with buyers need a written agreement before touring a home with them. Then Texas wrote the requirement into state law. Two new sections of the Real Estate License Act, §1101.562 and §1101.563, took effect January 1, 2026, and they apply to anyone buying residential property in Texas.
Where you meet the agent changes what you sign:
- Touring with a buyer’s agent. You sign an agreement before the first showing, or before an offer is written if you never tour.
- An open house hosted by the listing agent. No buyer agreement. That agent represents the seller and has to tell you so.
- An open house hosted by a different agent. That agent has to give you the Information About Brokerage Services form and have you sign an agreement before you walk through, even if you already have an agent of your own.
- A builder’s model home. The sales rep in the model works for the builder. Nobody in that office represents you, which is why we read builder contracts near Fort Hood line by line for our clients.
What the agreement has to say
Under §1101.563, every Texas buyer agreement must spell out six things. If one is missing or vague, ask before you sign.
- The services the agent will provide. Showing homes is one service. Pricing advice, offer strategy, inspection and repair negotiation, and managing deadlines to closing are others. The agreement should say which ones you’re getting.
- The end date. Pick a term that fits your timeline. A PCS buyer with a report date in four months doesn’t need a year-long agreement.
- Exclusive or non-exclusive. Exclusive means you work with one brokerage for the term. Non-exclusive leaves room to work with others.
- Whether the agent represents you. Texas also allows a showing-only agreement. It’s non-exclusive, lasts no more than 14 days, and the agent who signs it with you cannot give you advice about the property or the deal. It gets you through a door, without advice or representation.
- The amount or rate of compensation, and how it’s determined. A flat fee or a percentage, written as a number.
- A conspicuous notice that compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. The law requires this sentence. Read it as an invitation to ask questions.
Who pays the buyer’s agent near Fort Hood?
The agreement sets what your broker earns. Who actually pays it gets settled deal by deal. In the Fort Hood area, sellers often agree to pay some or all of the buyer’s broker fee, either through the listing brokerage or as a term in your offer.
Read how your agreement handles that. A common setup: if the seller or listing broker pays, that amount counts toward what’s owed under your agreement, and you’re responsible only for any difference. Ask the agent to point to the paragraph that says so before you sign.
VA buyers have an extra layer here, since VA has its own rules on what a veteran can pay toward a buyer’s agent. We walk through those in can you pay your buyer’s agent on a VA loan.
Right now, buyers here have room to ask. In Killeen, 746 single-family homes were for sale on October 30, 2026, and the typical active listing had been on the market 71 days, according to the MLS data our team tracks. Sellers with a house that has sat that long are often open to covering closing costs, repairs, and the buyer’s broker fee as part of the deal. Our guide to asking for seller concessions near Fort Hood covers how we structure that request.
| Killeen price band | Months of supply |
|---|---|
| Under $200K | 7.8 |
| $200K to $250K | 5.2 |
| $250K to $300K | 4.4 |
| $300K to $400K | 7.0 |
| $400K and up | 9.4 |
How to get out of it
Every agreement has an end date. Fewer buyers ask how to end it early. Before you sign, ask two questions:
- Can I end this agreement before the end date if the service isn’t working, and how? Get the answer in the agreement itself.
- Is there a clause that still owes compensation if I buy a home this agent showed me after the agreement ends? Many agreements include one. Know how long it runs and which homes it covers.
If an answer isn’t in writing, it isn’t part of the deal.
How our team handles the agreement
We go over the agreement on the first Smart Buyer Plan call, before any showings, so nothing in it is a surprise. For out-of-state PCS buyers, it’s signed electronically from wherever you’re stationed. Our Fort Hood PCS buying guide shows how the rest of a remote purchase fits together.
The agreement is also where you should hold us to account. We earn our commission in the parts of the purchase where buyers lose money when nobody is watching:
- Comparable sales on every offer, so you know what the house is worth before you name a price
- The option period, inspection, and the repair or credit request that follows
- VA appraisal issues, including the Tidewater notice when an appraisal may come in low
- Builder contract review on new construction, where the sales rep works for the builder
- Every deadline in the contract through closing at the title company
Who represents you matters. The listing agent works for the seller, and the builder’s rep works for the builder. Our job is to protect you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to sign a buyer agreement to see a house in Texas?
To tour with an agent, yes. Since January 1, 2026, Texas law requires a written agreement before an agent shows you residential property. It can be a full representation agreement or a showing-only agreement of up to 14 days. A listing agent’s own open house and a builder’s model home don’t require one, because those people represent the seller or the builder.
Can I cancel a buyer representation agreement in Texas?
It depends on what the agreement says. Every Texas buyer agreement must have an end date, and many allow early termination under stated conditions. Negotiate the termination terms before you sign and get them in writing.
Who pays the buyer’s agent when I buy near Fort Hood?
Your agreement sets the amount. Payment can come from the seller, the listing brokerage, you, or a mix, and it’s negotiated in each deal. In the Fort Hood area, sellers often agree to cover some or all of it as part of the offer.
Is buyer agent commission set by law in Texas?
No. Texas law requires every buyer agreement to say, in conspicuous language, that broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.
Can I sign a buyer agreement before I PCS to Fort Hood?
Yes. Agreements are commonly signed electronically, so you can sign from your current duty station and start the search before you arrive.
The short version: in Texas, the buyer agreement comes first, and it’s yours to negotiate. Read the services, the end date, the compensation, and the way out before you sign.
If you’re buying in the Fort Hood area, whether it’s PCS orders, a new job, retirement, or your first home, book a free Smart Buyer Plan call with our team. In 30 minutes we’ll walk through your budget, your timeline, and the areas that fit, and go over our buyer agreement with you line by line. No pressure, no pitch. Book your call here, text or call 256-226-2757, or email stephen@mygoodlifeteam.com.
About Stephen Harris & The Good Life Team
Stephen Harris is a Texas Real Estate Broker (TX license 677386, All City Real Estate) and leads the Good Life Team, a Central Texas team that represents home buyers in Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Belton, Temple, Nolanville, Hutto, Pflugerville, and Round Rock. The team specializes in relocation buyers, Fort Hood PCS moves, VA loans, and new-construction representation, with roughly 500 closings and about $100M in volume. Their Smart Buyer Plan is built around one idea: who represents you matters, and our job is to protect you.
Sources: Texas Real Estate Commission, “What changes in 2026 about buyer/tenant representation in Texas” (Texas Occupations Code §1101.562 and §1101.563, effective January 1, 2026); CTX MLS single-family data for Killeen, current inventory as of October 30, 2026, and closings for the prior 90 days, compiled by the Good Life Team. Market figures describe the area, not any specific home. This article is general information, not legal advice; Stephen Harris is a real estate broker, not an attorney or lender. Read your agreement in full and ask your broker or an attorney about any term you don’t understand. Material relationships: this article names no lender, title company, inspector, or builder. The Good Life Team is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Texas law requires all license holders to provide the Information About Brokerage Services form. TREC Consumer Protection Notice. Equal Housing Opportunity.