Representation in Florida Real Estate

In an effort to explain to the consumer the different forms of representation in Florida, I decided to do a series on the most common types. Let' start with how it was in the old days. When I got into the Real Estate business in 1991, Realtors where hired by a Seller to sell their home, when a buyer called on a sign or an add, we told them we would be glad to show them the house and prepare the paperwork and help with the mortgage etc. But we never really told them that we were contractually obligated to represent the Seller as the principle, unless they asked. Real Estate commissions, riding the wave of consumer disclosure, decided this was not a fair way to do business, (I Agree), and came up with different forms of representation, I will address the different forms of representation in subsequent blogs.