TL;DR
● What these are: An agency agreement is the contract that lets a licensed agency market your home. It can be a sole agency (one agency exclusively) or a general agency (more than one agency may market). You must be given the official REA Agency Agreement Guide before you sign, and your agent must get your written confirmation that you received it. Settled.govt.nz
● Sole vs general in one line.
Sole agency: one agency has the exclusive right to market/sell.
General agency: several agencies may market; you should only pay one commission. The Real Estate Authority
● Your cooling-off right (very short term). If you sign a sole agency, you can cancel it by 5 pm on the next working day after you receive a copy of the signed agreement. Cancellation must be in writing (e.g., email). New Zealand Legislation
● The 90-day rule (residential sole): If a residential sole agency runs longer than 90 days, either party may cancel after day 90 (in writing). If it’s renewed, the 90 days start again.
● Copies and timing: You must be given a copy of the signed agency agreement within 48 hours of signing.
What is an agency agreement?
An agency agreement is the contract that lets a licensed real estate agency market and sell your home. It sets the scope (what the agent will do), the commission, the term, and other key terms. In New Zealand, you must be given the REA Agency Agreement Guide before you sign, and you must receive a copy of the signed agreement within 48 hours. If you change your mind right after signing a sole agency, you can cancel by 5 pm on the next working day after you receive your copy—do it in writing. If a residential sole agency runs longer than 90 days, either side can end it at any time after day 90 (in writing).
Which setup suits your suburb and price band? Find your top local agent
Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement — key differences at a glance
This section compares so you can choose confidently. The goal is simple: clear accountability, smart marketing, and no commission confusion.
A Sole Agency or General Agency Agreement choice hinges on control and clarity versus breadth and competition. If you want a single, consistent campaign and one accountable lead, lean sole. If you prefer wider canvassing and can keep tight records of enquiries to avoid disputes, consider general.
Before you lock in a Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement, find your top local agent to sense-check the right path for your property and suburb.
Sole agency — when it shines (and when it doesn’t)
A sole agency gives one licensed agency the exclusive right to market and sell your home for a set period. It works best when you want a single story, one point of accountability, and tight control over how the campaign runs.
When a sole agency shines
If you’re running an auction or deadline sale, a unified message and buyer funnel matters. One team controls photography, copy, portal ads, social posts, open homes, and follow-ups, so buyers hear a consistent story and you get cleaner feedback. Scheduling is simpler (no clashes between agencies), security is easier (one set of keys and sign-in sheets), and you know exactly who is responsible for results.
When a sole agency may not suit
If you’re “testing the market” with no firm timeline, or the agent hasn’t shown a clear plan for your property type, locking in might feel early. Very niche homes (e.g., lifestyle or unique architecture) sometimes benefit from broader canvassing—provided you can manage enquiry logs and introductions carefully under any Sole Agency Agreement scenario.
How to set a sole agency up for success
Keep the initial term reasonable (for many suburbs, 6–8 weeks covers prep, photos, launch, and review). Ask for weekly vendor reports with portal stats, enquiry counts, open-home numbers, and named follow-ups. Agree in writing on the marketing inclusions, the review date, and how performance will be assessed. If your sale method is auction or tender, make sure the calendar (photo day, go-live, first open home, key buyer callbacks) is locked before you sign.
Still weighing a sole agency versus a broader canvass? Before you commit, find your top local agent and pressure-test the plan for your suburb.
General agency — when it helps (and what to manage)
A general agency lets more than one licensed agency market your home at the same time. It can help when you want extra canvassing across different buyer lists, or when your property is unusual and you’re testing who has the right buyers. The trade-off versus a General Agency Agreement set-up is control: more voices can mean mixed messages if you don’t set simple rules up front.
When a general agency can help
If your home appeals to distinct buyer pools (for example, first-home buyers and investors), two agencies with different databases may surface more viewings in the first week. It can also suit a soft launch while you firm up your pricing story, provided the marketing remains tidy and consistent.
What you must manage
Keep one simple property brief that all agencies use—same headline, photos, features and price guidance—so buyers don’t see conflicting stories. Log every introduction (name, time, source) in a shared tracker to reduce arguments about “effective cause of sale.” Decide how open homes will be staggered so buyers aren’t double-booked. Make it clear how updates are reported to you (weekly, with enquiry counts and named follow-ups). This is the heart of staying in control under a General Agency Agreement choice.
Avoiding disputes
Write down your rules before you start: identical copy on portals, no price promises outside what you approve, and all offers sent to you in writing. If an agency brings a buyer who was already in touch through someone else, have them note what changed (e.g., viewing booked, offer submitted) so credit is clear. Clean records are your best defence against dual-commission claims.
Still deciding which path fits your suburb and timeline? find your top local agent to sense-check whether a single focused campaign or a controlled multi-agency run will serve you best.
The digital shift — why the marketplace changed the Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement decision
Most buyers now discover homes through the same channels—Trade Me, realestate.co email alerts, and social media. One well-organised campaign can reach essentially the same audience that multiple agencies would, which changes how you weigh a Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement.
Consistency beats duplication. When several agencies run different photos, headlines, or price guides, buyers receive mixed signals and end up bookmarking the wrong listing. A single, unified campaign keeps the story tight: one hero photo set, one price narrative, one enquiry path, and one database follow-up. It also means your weekly analytics (impressions, saves, email enquiries, open-home numbers) add up cleanly, so decisions on price or method aren’t blurred by duplicate data.
Control matters for momentum. Auctions and deadline sales rely on a clear funnel: invite, inspect, follow up, offer. With one accountable lead, every step runs on the same timetable, and buyers hear the same answers about recent comps, vendor expectations, and conditions. If you do use multiple agencies, enforce one “source of truth” brief (copy, photos, chattels, exclusions) and a simple enquiry log so credit is clear and disputes don’t derail you.
Commission & dual commission (simple timeline and how to avoid disputes)
Commission is paid to the agency that is the effective cause of the sale—the one whose work led to the signed agreement. Dual commission problems arise when two agencies can plausibly claim they caused the sale.
A simple timeline to keep you safe
● Enquiry → Viewing: Log the buyer’s full name, contact, date/time, and which agency introduced them.
● Follow-ups: Note who booked second viewings, requested LIMs or files, or prompted the offer.
● Offer → Acceptance: Keep emails showing who presented the offer and negotiated the final terms.
● Settlement: Retain a tidy file so you can evidence the effective cause if asked.
What to write down before you start
● One approved property brief (headline, photos, features, chattels, exclusions, price guidance) is used across the board.
● A shared enquiry register so each new introduction is timestamped and credited.
● Clear instructions that all offers must be in writing and forwarded to you immediately.
● If you move from general to sole, list excluded buyers (already introduced) in the new agreement to prevent disputes.
Easy rules that prevent most dual claims
● Don’t sign two sole agencies at once.
● Don’t allow conflicting copy, photos or price signals across portals.
● If a buyer swaps agencies mid-journey, ask: what changed (new viewing? new offer?)—and record it.
If you want a second opinion on structuring records for your campaign, find your top local agent and ask how they track introductions and “effective cause” to avoid dual commission.
Your rights in New Zealand (read this before you sign)
Before you choose between a Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement, make sure the basics are covered in writing and you keep simple records.
Get the paperwork first. Ask for the official agency agreement guide and a clear draft of the contract before you sign. Keep a copy of what you sign and note the date and time you received it.
Cooling-off (very short window). For a sole agency, you may cancel by 5pm on the next working day after you receive a copy (in writing). If the agreement followed an unsolicited approach, you have five working days and you don’t need to cancel in writing.
90-day safeguard (residential sole).If a residential sole runs longer than 90 days, either party can cancel any time after day 90 (in writing). Put cancellations in writing and keep the reply.
Know your costs. Confirm the commission rate, what marketing is included, and any extras (photography, premium portal spots). Get totals in writing before launch.
Avoid dual commission. If you change agents or switch from general to sole, list excluded buyers (people already introduced) in the new agreement. Keep a simple log of every enquiry and viewing. Ask your agent to use the REA residential standard clauses and keep an excluded-buyers list when switching
Service and reporting. Agree on weekly updates: portal stats, enquiry numbers, open-home counts, and named follow-ups. Set a mid-campaign review date in the contract.
Disputes. If two agencies ever claim the sale, your clean timeline (who enquired, who booked viewings, who handled the offer) will protect you.
Still weighing up a Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement and want a second opinion on terms? find your top local agent and ask them to walk you through the contract line by line for your suburb.
Before you sign
Print this and tick it off. It keeps your Sole Agency and General Agency Agreement choice clean and simple.
Agreement basics
● I received the official agency agreement guide and a draft contract before signing.
● The term (start/end dates) is written on the front page.
● The service list is clear: photos, portal ads, social posts, open homes, buyer follow-ups.
Commission & costs
● Commission rate and when it’s earned are in writing.
● Any extras (premium portal spots, video, signboards) are listed with prices.
● I know who pays for marketing if the property doesn’t sell.
Buyer handling
● One property brief approved (headline, photos, features, chattels, exclusions).
● Enquiry log set up (name, time, source) to avoid dual-commission arguments.
● If switching agreements, excluded buyers are listed in the new contract.
Review & reporting
● Weekly vendor report agreed (portal stats, enquiry counts, open-home numbers, named follow-ups).
● Mid-campaign review date in the diary.
My rights (NZ)
● Cooling-off for a sole agency: cancel by 5pm next working day after getting my copy (do it in writing).
● 90-day safeguard on residential sole: if the term goes over 90 days, either side can cancel after day 90 (in writing).
● I will keep copies of everything (agreement, emails, offers).
Final check
● Is a Sole Agency or General Agency Agreement the right fit for this property and timeline?
Want a second set of eyes on your checklist before you sign? find your top local agent and sense-check the plan for your suburb.
Which should you choose? A quick selector
Use this quick path to decide whether a Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement fits your property and timeline.
Choose sole agency if…
● You want one clear story, one timetable, and one accountable lead.
● You’re running an auction or deadline sale and need tight momentum.
● Your suburb’s buyers all see the same portals anyway, so one strong campaign will reach them.
● You prefer clean analytics and simple reporting over multiple voices.
Consider a general agency if…
● Your home appeals to different buyer pools (e.g., first-home buyers and investors), and you can manage a tidy enquiry log.
● You’re exploring which salesperson actually has the live buyers right now.
● You’re happy to enforce one approved brief (photos, copy, chattels, exclusions) across all ads to avoid mixed messages.
Sanity-check your choice
Ask yourself: for this property, in this suburb, does a single, consistent push outperform a multi-agency canvass? If you choose general, commit to records (introductions, viewings, offers) so “effective cause” is clear. If you choose sole, set a fair term and a mid-campaign review to keep performance on track. Either way, you’re deciding how to control risk and momentum within a Sole Agency or General Agency Agreement framework.
Not sure which path fits your area and price band? Find your top local agent for an informed, suburb-specific recommendation before you sign.
FAQs
What is a Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement in one sentence?
A sole agency gives one licensed agency the exclusive right to market and sell; a general agency lets multiple agencies market, and you pay the one that’s the effective cause of the sale.
Can I switch from sole to general (or the other way) mid-campaign?
Yes—end the current agreement in writing first, keep copies, and list excluded buyers in any new agreement so commission credit stays clear.
How long should a sole agency run?
Set a fair, finite window (for many campaigns, 6–8 weeks is enough for prep, launch, opens and review). Add a mid-campaign check-in date to keep performance on track.
How do I avoid dual-commission arguments under a Sole Agency and a General Agency Agreement?
Keep one approved property brief, log every introduction (name, time, source), and make all offers arrive in writing. If you change set-ups, carry across an excluded-buyers list.
Do I have a cooling-off right if I sign a sole?
There’s a short window the next working day after you receive your copy. If you cancel, do it in writing and keep the sent email.
What should I see in a weekly vendor report?
Portal stats, enquiry counts, open-home numbers, and named follow-ups—plus any price or marketing adjustments recommended.
Need a second opinion on your agreement or shortlist? Find your top local agent and get suburb-specific advice before you sign.
Wrap-up
Choosing between a Sole Agency vs General Agency Agreement is really about control and clarity versus breadth and competition. If you want one story, one timetable and one accountable lead, lean sole. If you want canvassing from more than one database and you’re happy to keep tidy records, a well-managed general can work. Either way, put everything in writing, keep an enquiry log, and set a mid-campaign review so momentum never drifts.
Final nudge before you sign: find your top local agent and sanity-check your plan for your suburb and price band.