If you’re buying or selling real estate in Pennsylvania, one of the first documents a real estate licensee may give you is the Consumer Notice.
It is not a contract hiring an agent. It is an informational notice that explains the different business relationships you can have with a real estate broker or licensee and the responsibilities connected to those relationships.
Why you receive it early
Pennsylvania requires the Consumer Notice to be provided at the first substantive discussion about real estate. The point is to help you understand who the agent may be representing before you begin sharing information or making decisions about a transaction.
What the Consumer Notice explains
The notice describes several possible relationships, including situations where a licensee represents a seller, represents a buyer, acts as a dual agent with written consent, or acts as a transaction licensee without representing either side.
The important thing to understand is that the Consumer Notice explains the types of relationships available. It does not, by itself, create your agency relationship with a particular real estate professional.
Consumer Notice vs. Buyer Agency Agreement
These two documents often arrive close together, but they do different jobs.
- Consumer Notice: explains the different relationships you can have with a real estate licensee.
- Buyer Agency Agreement: establishes the specific relationship between you and your buyer’s broker and explains the terms of that relationship.
If you are unsure what a section means, ask before you sign anything connected to your transaction.
This page is for general educational purposes. Your actual documents and the facts of your transaction control. Ask your real estate professional or attorney about questions specific to your situation.