exclusive right to sell

Definition

A listing agreement guaranteeing the agent gets paid commission regardless of who finds the buyer—even if it's you. It's the real estate equivalent of a no-compete clause, except you're competing against yourself.

Example Usage

She signed an exclusive right to sell agreement, meaning the broker would earn commission even if her cousin bought the house.

Origin

Standard listing contract type formalized in mid-20th century professional real estate practices

Fun Fact

This differs from 'exclusive agency' where owners can sell themselves commission-free, a distinction that has spawned thousands of confused sellers.

Source: Real estate brokerage and agency terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

price per square foot

A metric that pretends all square feet are created equal, whether they're in a penthouse or a basement. It's the real estate version of judging a book by counting the pages without reading any of them.

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Beginner

Home Inspection

The process of paying someone $500 to tell you everything that's wrong with a house you already emotionally committed to buying. It's like a medical checkup for your dream home, except the diagnosis is always terrifying.

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Advanced

assignment of contract

The legal sleight of hand where a buyer transfers their purchase contract to another buyer before closing, often used by wholesalers who never intended to own the property. It's contract flipping without the renovation show.

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Intermediate

mortgagee

The lender in a mortgage agreement—basically, the bank that owns your house until you finish paying them back over the next few decades. This party holds the security interest in your property and has the legal right to foreclose if you stop making payments, making them simultaneously your benefactor and potential nemesis. They're the reason you can buy a house now but also the reason you'll be sending checks until retirement.

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Intermediate

HELOC

A Home Equity Line of Credit that lets homeowners borrow against their property's equity with a revolving credit line, typically at variable interest rates. It's a financial temptation that transforms your home into an ATM, for better or worse.

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Intermediate

highest and best

A seller's request for all interested buyers to submit their absolute top offer by a deadline, usually because multiple lowballers are circling. It's the real estate version of 'final answer' from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

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