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Laws Of Agency Fiduciary DutiesListing_agreementsHARD

A California seller signs an exclusive right-to-sell listing with a 5% commission. The listing broker enters the property into the MLS with a 2.5% offer of cooperating compensation. Before any showings occur, the seller instructs the broker to reduce the cooperating compensation to 1.5%, and the broker updates the MLS accordingly. A cooperating broker who had not yet shown the property shows it after the reduction and submits an offer that is accepted. What cooperating compensation is owed?

Correct Answer

C) 1.5%, because the cooperating broker commenced performance after the compensation offer was lawfully reduced in the MLS

An MLS offer of cooperating compensation is a unilateral contract offer that a cooperating broker accepts by commencing performance. The critical timing question is what rate was published when the cooperating broker first performed — here, by showing the property. Because the MLS was updated to 1.5% before any showing occurred, the cooperating broker commenced performance under the reduced offer. No prior performance had vested rights at the 2.5% rate, so the 1.5% rate controls.

Answer Options
A
2.5%, because the seller's instruction to reduce compensation does not bind cooperating brokers
B
2.0%, as an equitable adjustment reflecting both the original and reduced offers
C
1.5%, because the cooperating broker commenced performance after the compensation offer was lawfully reduced in the MLS
D
No compensation, because the seller's unilateral instruction voided the original MLS offer entirely

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

MLScooperating_compensationcompensation_reductiontiming

Related Concepts

An agency relationship created when a principal's actions or words lead a third party to reasonably believe that an agent has authority, and the principal fails to correct this belief.

An agency relationship created when a principal approves or accepts an agent's previously unauthorized actions, effectively granting authority after the fact.

The legal requirement for real estate agents to inform all parties about who they represent in a transaction, typically provided at first substantive contact.

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