Iowa Pre-Touring Agreement: What Buyers Need to Know

Iowa law requires buyers to sign a written agreement before a buyer's agent can show them a home. The Pre-Touring Agreement explains who represents you, what the touring window covers, and how compensation works. Open houses are exempt, and signing does not automatically mean a long-term commitment.

Most buyers hear about this for the first time when they call an agent and the agent says, "I'll need you to sign something before we go see it." That is a reasonable surprise. Paperwork before you have set foot in a house can feel backwards, especially when you have not decided who you want to work with.

Here is what Iowa's Pre-Touring Agreement covers, how it differs from a full Exclusive Buyer Agreement, and what buyers in Des Moines, Ankeny, Waukee, and the surrounding suburbs should know before signing.

What Is the Pre-Touring Agreement in Iowa?

The Pre-Touring Agreement is the form Iowa agents use to establish a written representation relationship with a buyer before the first home tour. Under Iowa's buyer representation law effective July 1, 2024, Iowa Code 543B.56A requires a signed written agreement before an agent can take a buyer through a home on the buyer's behalf. That includes live virtual tours. The Iowa REALTORS® settlement update explains the statewide requirement.

Iowa was ahead of the national timeline. The National Association of REALTORS adopted a similar requirement for member agents across the country on August 17, 2024. Iowa already had its rule in place.

The agreement names the agent and the buyer, sets the type of representation, and identifies how the agent will be compensated and by whom. It can be exclusive, meaning the buyer works with one agent, or non-exclusive, meaning the buyer can work with multiple agents. Duration and terms are negotiable before you sign.

What's in the Agreement You're Being Asked to Sign?

Iowa's Exclusive Buyer Agreement typically covers five areas:

• Who represents you and in what capacity.
• How long the agreement lasts and the geographic area it covers.
• What the buyer's agent will be compensated and how that gets paid.
• Dual agency terms. This explains what happens if your agent also represents the seller on the same transaction.
• The specific duties your agent owes you under Iowa law.

The compensation section is the one that stops buyers most often. Since the NAR settlement in August 2024, agents cannot assume the seller's side will cover the buyer's agent fee. That negotiation happens before you sign. Iowa law also requires the agreement to state plainly that compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.

Our agreement states a fee of 3% of the purchase price and whether the seller, the buyer, or some combination is expected to cover it. Every HWA transaction since 2024 has had the buyer agent fee covered by the seller. That is not a guarantee because sellers are not required to pay it, but it has been the reality of every deal we have closed.

Our Pre-Touring Agreement is one page, usually covers the showing you requested, and can cover up to 10 days by mutual agreement. There is no automatic renewal, cancellation fee, or obligation to keep working with us when the window ends. Nothing in the agreement is take-it-or-leave-it. If an agent presents it that way, that is worth noting.

The Pre-Touring Agreement does not lock you into a house. It establishes who is working for you when you walk through one.

Does Signing Mean I'm Stuck with This Agent?

That depends on what you signed. An exclusive agreement means you have agreed to work with that specific agent for a defined period and within a defined geographic area. Most agents will release a buyer if the relationship is not working, and many agreements include a cancellation provision. The duration is negotiable up front.

A non-exclusive agreement is more flexible. You can work with multiple agents. Whoever represents you when your offer gets accepted is typically the one entitled to compensation under the agreement.

Before signing either version, look at three things: how long the agreement runs, which areas it covers, and what the cancellation terms say. If any of those are unclear, ask the agent to walk you through them before you sign.

If you decide to buy a home we showed you, or you want to keep searching past the touring window, we move to a full Exclusive Buyer Agreement, typically 120 days. That is a separate conversation and a separate signature. Nothing rolls over without you choosing it.

One of our agents, Scott, pulled up to a showing in Beaverdale and found the couple outside preferred to sign the form in person. Before going inside, Scott walked them through it. That is when they explained they already had an agent they planned to work with. Their agent was out of town and had not arranged coverage or explained how the Pre-Touring Agreement worked.

Scott laid out their options clearly. If they signed with him and ended up buying that property, they could potentially have owed commission to two agents. He told them exactly that. They decided to wait and tour with their own agent instead. That conversation cost us a showing. It was still the right call.

When Is the Open House Exception?

Open houses do not require a signed agreement. Any buyer can walk into an open house without signing anything. The same holds if a buyer contacts a listing agent directly about that agent's own listing. A listing agent can show their property to an unrepresented buyer without first obtaining a written buyer agreement.

The Pre-Touring Agreement requirement applies specifically to a buyer's agent showing homes on behalf of a buyer they represent. What the listing agent cannot do is represent both the buyer and the seller without proper disclosure and agreement.

Have the Conversation Before Your First Tour

Call or text Heather Wright & Associates before you book your first showing. We will walk you through what you are signing, answer every question, and make sure you understand what the agreement means and what it does not before anyone picks up a pen. That conversation costs nothing, and there is no pressure to sign anything until you are ready.

If you want to keep reading about how Iowa buyer transactions work, see what earnest money means in Iowa and what happens if you need to back out after a home inspection. Buyers planning a move to the north side of the metro can also read our guide to buying and selling in Ankeny, Iowa.

Frequently Asked Questions