Updated: November 11, 2026 · By Mark Dietel, Broker/Owner, Mark Dietel Realty · 11-minute read
Quick answer: Yes, if an agent will show you a home in person or by live video. Indiana law requires a written buyer agreement with a definite end date, and MLS agents sign one with you before any tour, while open houses and online browsing need nothing. At Mark Dietel Realty, we go through every term with Central Indiana buyers first.
What we analyzed: Indiana Code 25-34.1-12 (House Enrolled Act 1068-2024), the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's June 27, 2024 notice, the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) written buyer agreement guidance, and MIBOR MLS closed residential sales in Johnson County and Marion County from August 13 to November 10, 2026.
In our experience, the end date is the term Indiana buyers most often overlook. In Johnson County and Marion County this fall, the typical sale took about a month to close after the purchase contract was signed. So the end date on your buyer agreement has to cover your search plus that closing time, or it can run out while you are still under contract.
Key takeaways
- Indiana Code 25-34.1-12-2 says a buyer agency agreement must be in writing, show a definite end date, and be copied to you within three business days of signing.
- Since August 17, 2024, agents who are REALTORS and use the MLS sign a written agreement with you before an in-person or live virtual tour.
- Visiting an open house on your own, or just asking an agent about their services, does not require an agreement.
- The end date, the services, which homes it covers, how it ends early and how your agent is paid are all set in writing, and broker fees are not set by law and are fully negotiable.
- Pick an end date that covers your search and your closing, based on recent MLS sales in your county.
Do you have to sign a buyer agreement to tour homes in Indiana?
For most private showings, yes. Two separate rules apply in Indiana. State law requires a written agreement whenever a licensed agent represents you as a buyer, and the August 2024 NAR practice changes require agents who use the MLS to have a written agreement before touring any home with you, in person or by live video.
The state rule came from House Enrolled Act 1068, which Governor Eric Holcomb signed in March 2024. It added a new chapter to the Indiana Code, Real Estate Agreements, that took effect that summer. In its June 2024 notice, the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency told every Indiana broker that the law requires written agreements with both listing clients and buyer clients.
The national rule came from the NAR settlement. On August 17, 2024, NAR's practice changes took effect, and agents working with a buyer now enter into a written agreement before that buyer tours a home. NAR has said the change does not require any particular type of relationship, so the agreement does not have to be an exclusive agency agreement.
Put simply, if you call an agent and ask to see a house in Greenwood or Indianapolis this Saturday, expect a document before the showing. That document is a contract, so it is worth a few minutes of questions before you sign.
A good first step: ask the agent for a blank copy of the agreement now, before you have a house in mind, and read the end date and scope at home. That includes us at Mark Dietel Realty.
What does Indiana law require a buyer agreement to include?
Section 2 of that chapter sets four basic requirements. The agreement must be in writing, on paper or electronic. It must show a definite date of expiration. You must get a copy within three business days of signing. The original and electronic files stay in the office of the broker who represents you.
That list is short on purpose. The state law sets a minimum, and everything else, such as services, which homes are covered and how the agreement can end early, is left to the form your agent uses and what the two of you negotiate. The wording can differ from one Indiana brokerage to the next.
The "definite date of expiration" piece matters most to buyers. An agreement that runs "until the buyer purchases a home" would not meet the law. You should be able to point to a calendar date when the agreement ends.
The same law also covers listing agreements for sellers, with the same end-date and three-business-day copy rules. If you are selling one home and buying another, you will sign one of each, and the dates should fit together. Our guide to the steps to buying a house in Indiana shows where the agreement falls in the full process.
What did the August 2024 practice changes add?
NAR's written buyer agreement rules add to the Indiana minimum, so an Indiana form has to meet both. The agreement must state your agent's compensation in a way you can measure, not open-ended. It must say the agent cannot receive more than that amount from any source. It must say in clear language that broker fees are not set by law and are fully negotiable.
In practice, that means the agreement names a specific method, such as a flat amount, a share of the price or an hourly rate. NAR's own example of language that is not allowed is a line saying the agent gets whatever the seller offers. A range is not allowed either.
The cap on pay from any source matters because sellers can still agree to help with buyer costs. If a seller or the listing brokerage pays part of your agent's compensation, your agreement still limits the total your agent can receive. What happens if the seller pays less than your agreement says depends on the terms you signed, so ask before you sign. Our article on whether sellers still pay the buyer's agent in Indiana explains how that part is negotiated on the seller side.
This is the main reason we suggest reading the compensation section slowly. In our experience at Mark Dietel Realty, it is the section Central Indiana buyers ask about first, and an Indiana real estate attorney can review it if anything is unclear.
When do you not need to sign anything?
You do not need an agreement to walk into an open house on your own, to look at listings online, or to ask an agent how they work and what they charge. NAR's consumer guidance says those situations do not trigger the written agreement. An agreement comes into play when an agent tours a home with you.
There are other common cases. If you tour a builder's model home and deal only with the builder's own sales staff, the builder's process applies. If you buy directly from an owner selling without an agent, there is no buyer's agent to sign with unless you hire one.
A short, limited agreement is also an option. NAR's guidance encourages brokerages to consider the types of agreements state law allows, such as short-form or limited-service agreements. Indiana's rule still applies to a short agreement: it needs a written, definite end date. If you are not ready to commit to one agent, ask for one that covers one showing or one address, with an end date a few days out.
What can you negotiate before you sign?
Almost every working term is negotiable: how long the agreement lasts, which areas or homes it covers, what services you get, how either side can end it early, and how your agent is paid. Indiana law fixes only the written form, the definite end date and your copy; NAR's consumer guide says the rest can be changed later if both sides agree.
Buyer agreement terms to settle before you sign
| Term | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| End date | What is the exact date this agreement ends? | Indiana law requires a definite end date. Too short and it may lapse while you are under contract; too long and you are committed longer than you need. |
| Scope | Does this cover all of Central Indiana, one county, one town or one address? | A narrow scope lets you work with a different agent in another area. |
| Services | Who schedules showings, writes offers, attends the inspection and tracks deadlines? | You know what you are getting and who is doing it. |
| Ending early | How can either of us end this before the end date, and with what notice? | Lets you leave a working relationship that is not a fit. |
| Compensation | How exactly is the agent paid, and what happens if the seller pays part of it? | Broker fees are not set by law and are fully negotiable; the amount must be stated in writing, not left open. |
| Protection period | If the agreement ends and I buy a home the agent showed me, do I still owe anything? | Some forms include a period after the end date that covers homes already shown. |
| Representation | What happens if I want a home your brokerage has listed? | You know in advance how your agent will handle a listing from their own office. |
How long should a buyer agreement last in Central Indiana?
Long enough to cover a realistic search plus closing. In MIBOR MLS sales over the last three months, the typical sale in both Johnson County and Marion County closed about a month after the purchase contract was signed. The table also shows how fast homes went under contract in each county.
Recent sale timing in Johnson and Marion counties
| Measure (closed residential sales, Aug. 13 to Nov. 10, 2026) | Johnson County | Marion County |
|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 599 | 2,675 |
| Median days on market | 27 | 23 |
| Median days from purchase contract to closing | 31 | 31 |
| Residential listings for sale on November 11, 2026 | 608 | 3,426 |
Days on market measure the seller's side, from listing to contract. Your own search often runs longer, because you may tour several homes and write more than one offer. The contract-to-closing figure applies to you directly.
Our read: set the end date by working backward. Start from when you hope to move, subtract the closing time shown in the table, and ask whether the time left fits the search you expect. If you are still saving, or waiting on a lease to end, a short agreement now and a new one later is often cleaner. Your agreement can say whatever you and your agent agree to in writing.
What does this look like in Central Indiana?
Here is a hypothetical example. A buyer is pre-approved for a home around $300,000 in Greenwood. They want to see three homes this weekend, so the agent sends the buyer agreement before the first showing.
Hypothetical example: a Greenwood buyer's agreement timeline
| Step | Hypothetical timing | What the agreement controls |
|---|---|---|
| Read a blank form at home | Before the first showing | No obligation yet; questions answered in writing |
| Sign the agreement | Day 0, end date set 120 days out | Definite end date; copy to the buyer within three business days |
| Tour homes and write offers | Weeks 1 to 6 | Scope (Greenwood and nearby Johnson County) and services listed in the form |
| Purchase agreement signed | About week 6 | Agent's duties continue through closing |
| Inspection, appraisal and loan approval | Weeks 6 to 10 | Who attends the inspection and tracks deadlines |
| Closing | Roughly week 10 | Your negotiated agent compensation (enter yours), and any part the seller agreed to pay |
| Agreement ends | Day 120 | Any protection period in your form |
In this example the buyer had several weeks of room left after closing. If the search had run long, the buyer and agent could agree in writing to extend the date, or the buyer could let it end.
When this doesn't apply
This guide covers buyers working with a licensed agent on a home in Indiana. It does not cover buying in another state, where the rules can differ. It does not cover a purchase you handle only with a real estate attorney, or a home you buy directly from the owner with no agent on either side.
It is also not legal advice about a specific agreement you have already signed. If you want out of an agreement, or you and an agent disagree about what it says, an Indiana real estate attorney can read your actual form. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency handles questions about licensee conduct.
What to do next
Ask any agent you are considering, including us, for a blank copy of their buyer agreement before your first showing. Mark the end date, the scope, the early-ending terms and the compensation section, and write your questions in the margin. If you will also be competing for a home, our guide to writing an offer in a bidding war in Indianapolis covers what comes next.
If you would like to walk through a buyer agreement line by line, call Mark Dietel Realty at (317) 426-9911. We have offices in Southside Indianapolis, Greenwood and Bloomington, and there is no obligation to talk it through.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sign an exclusive agreement to see one house?
No. NAR has said the practice changes do not require any particular type of relationship. NAR's guidance lists short-form agreements as an option, so ask whether one can cover a single showing or address with an end date a few days out. Ask the agent which forms their brokerage uses, and read the scope and end date before signing.
Can I work with more than one agent in Indiana?
It depends on what you sign. An exclusive agreement for all of Central Indiana usually means one agent for that area until the end date. Agreements limited to one town, one county or one address leave room for other agents elsewhere. Read the scope line and ask the agent to confirm it in writing.
Can I cancel a buyer agreement in Indiana?
Every agreement must have a definite end date under Indiana law, and many forms also describe how either side can end it early. The steps depend on the form you signed. Read the termination section, ask your agent to confirm the process in writing, and talk with an Indiana real estate attorney if you disagree.
Is my agent's pay set by law?
No. NAR's rules require a written statement that broker fees are not set by law and are fully negotiable. The amount or method must be stated clearly, not left open-ended, and your agent cannot receive more than the agreed amount from any source. Ask how any payment from the seller would be handled.
Do I need an agreement to go to an open house?
No. Walking into an open house on your own, browsing listings online or asking an agent about their services does not require a written agreement. The agreement applies when an agent who uses the MLS tours a home with you, either in person or through a live virtual tour.
What if my agreement ends while I am under contract?
Check the form first. Some forms address pending transactions directly, and you and your agent can agree in writing to extend the end date. Because the typical sale in Johnson and Marion counties took about a month to close this fall, pick an end date with room for closing.
This is general information, not legal advice. Indiana agreement forms differ by brokerage, so confirm your situation with an Indiana real estate attorney before signing. Mark Dietel Realty - offices in Indianapolis (Southside), Greenwood and Bloomington, Indiana.
Sources
- Indiana General Assembly, House Enrolled Act 1068-2024 (adds IC 25-34.1-12), effective July 1, 2024: iga.in.gov
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, press release, June 27, 2024: in.gov/pla
- National Association of REALTORS, final reminder of August 17 practice change implementation, August 16, 2024: nar.realtor
- National Association of REALTORS, Written Buyer Agreements 101: nar.realtor
- National Association of REALTORS, Consumer Guide to Written Buyer Agreements: nar.realtor
- MIBOR MLS closed residential sales, Johnson County and Marion County, August 13 to November 10, 2026, and listings for sale on November 11, 2026. Based on information submitted to the Broker Listing Cooperative listing service as of November 11, 2026. All data is obtained from various sources and may not have been verified by broker or Broker Listing Cooperative listing service.
