Do I really have to sign something before an agent can show me homes in Minnesota?
Yes — and in Minnesota, that's older news than most headlines suggest. State law has required a written buyer's broker agreement before an agent acts as your representative since well before the 2024 NAR settlement made it the national standard. The settlement added the touring trigger: a signed written agreement before an agent shows you homes, stating what the agent is paid and that the amount is negotiable.
The agreement protects you as much as the agent — you see the cost of the representation in writing before anyone opens a door. And the terms are negotiable too: length, scope, how either of you can walk away. Don't sign what you haven't read. (I'm not a lawyer, and this isn't legal advice.)
If you want, I'll walk you through one line by line before you commit to anything. Send me a text.
I wrote this answer, and I stand behind it. I'm Chris Deutsch, a Minneapolis Realtor (MN #20382264). Twenty-five years of walking these neighborhoods, checking basements, and sitting across kitchen tables from people making exactly this call. I re-check every answer and date it — this one was last verified .
If your situation is more specific than the market, that's the one worth talking through. Email me at chris@lakesarearealty.com.