Alaska guide

Buyer Representation After NAR Settlement: Alaska Requirements for Written Agreements

Q: Do I really have to sign something before just looking at a house in Alaska?

Yes. Since August 2024, NAR settlement rules require a written buyer agreement before your agent shows you any home, even on a virtual tour, when they work with an MLS that follows the settlement. The main MLSs covering Anchorage, the Mat-Su Borough, Fairbanks, Juneau, and the Kenai Peninsula are all included.

Q: What happens if my agent skips the written agreement?

They can be suspended from the MLS, which would block them from showing you listings or sending offers for you. They can also face state discipline under Alaska's brokerage law.

In Alaska, you have to sign a written buyer agreement with your real estate agent before they show you any home — even on a virtual tour.

Reading as buyer.

TL;DR

In Alaska, you have to sign a written buyer agreement with your real estate agent before they show you any home — even on a virtual tour. The agreement has to list exactly how much your agent gets paid, as a specific dollar amount or a set percent (a range like 1-3% is not allowed). The money can still come from you, the seller's listing, or a seller concession in your offer — the number just has to be locked in before any touring starts.

Before you start — 10 things to know

Since August 2024, the settlement requires a written buyer agreement before your agent shows you any home in Alaska, whether the tour is in person or online.
This rule covers almost every agent you would work with in Anchorage, the Mat-Su Borough, Fairbanks, Juneau, and the Kenai Peninsula because the they use follows the settlement terms.
The agreement must state your agent's pay as a specific dollar amount or a fixed percent — a range like 2 to 3 percent does not meet the rules.
Your agent cannot collect more than the amount written in the agreement, no matter where the money comes from.
The agreement also has to clearly describe the services your agent will provide for you.
The settlement does not control who pays the agent — the money can come from you directly, from the seller's listing, or from a seller concession written into your offer.
Alaska's law (AS 08.88.396) already required agents to put the brokerage relationship in writing at the first real conversation, so written paperwork is not new in Alaska.
The settlement is stricter than the older state rule — a agency form alone may not meet the new pay-specificity requirements, but a NAR-compliant buyer agreement satisfies both.
The Alaska Real Estate Commission has not issued separate emergency rules but says existing professional standards already require this conduct.
If an agent skips the written agreement, they can be suspended from the — which would block them from showing you listings or submitting offers for you.

The timeline — step by step

Before any home tour, you and the agent sign the written buyer agreement.
The agent fills in their exact pay as a dollar amount or fixed percent and lists the services they will provide.
You also complete the Alaska agency disclosure form, which state law requires at the first substantive contact.
With the agreement signed, you begin touring homes in person or virtually under those terms.
When you write an offer, you can ask the seller for a concession to help cover your agent's pay, or accept compensation that the listing is offering.
At closing, your agent is paid the exact amount written in the agreement — never more — no matter who funds it.

Common questions

Do I really have to sign something before just looking at a house in Alaska?

Yes. Since August 2024, settlement rules require a written buyer agreement before your agent shows you any home, even on a virtual tour, when they work with an that follows the settlement. The main MLSs covering Anchorage, the Mat-Su Borough, Fairbanks, Juneau, and the Kenai Peninsula are all included.

Can my agent's pay be written as a range, like 2 to 3 percent?

No. The agreement has to list a specific dollar amount or a set percent. A range does not meet the settlement requirements.

Who actually pays my agent under this rule?

That part is flexible. You can pay your agent directly, the seller's listing can offer the pay, or you can ask the seller for a concession in your offer that covers it. The settlement does not control where the money comes from — only the amount.

Is this the same as Alaska's [[RECAD]] agency disclosure form?

They are related but not the same. Alaska law (AS 08.88.396) already required written brokerage paperwork at the first real conversation, but the settlement adds a pay-specificity rule on top. Signing only a form may not satisfy NAR, while a NAR-compliant buyer agreement usually satisfies both.

What happens if my agent skips the written agreement?

They can be suspended from the , which would block them from showing you listings or sending offers for you. They can also face state discipline under Alaska's brokerage law.

Can I negotiate the pay and the term before I sign?

Yes. The amount, the services, and the length of the agreement are all negotiable before you sign. Once it is signed, your agent cannot collect more than the listed number from anyone.

Glossary

3 terms

RECAD — Real Estate Consumer's Agency and Disclosure: The form that lays out, in plain terms, the agency relationship between you and the agent — whether they represent you, the seller, or both.
NAR — National Association of Realtors: The national trade group for real-estate agents. The 2024 NAR settlement is the legal deal that changed how buyer's agents get paid.
MLS — Multiple Listing Service: The shared database agents use to list and find homes for sale. Most homes you'll see online started here.

Sources

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