Oregon guide
Oregon Initial Agency Disclosure Pamphlet at First Contact
In Oregon, the first time a real estate agent talks with you about buying a home, they must hand you the Initial Agency Disclosure Pamphlet.
Reading as buyer.
TL;DR
In Oregon, the first time a real estate agent talks with you about buying a home, they must hand you the Initial Agency Disclosure Pamphlet. The pamphlet explains how agents can represent you, the seller, both sides, or neither. You should get it before you sign a buyer representation agreement or tour a property with an agent who wants to represent you.
Before you start — 8 things to know
Oregon law (ORS 696.820) requires a real estate agent to give you the Initial Agency Disclosure Pamphlet at your very first real conversation about buying, before you talk about price, needs, or specific homes.
The pamphlet explains four types of representation in Oregon: seller's agent, buyer's agent, disclosed limited agency (when one agent or brokerage represents both sides), and non-agency where the broker is a neutral facilitator.
Agents must use the version of the pamphlet approved by the Oregon Real Estate Agency, so a buyer should not accept a custom handout or a verbal summary in place of it.
When you receive the pamphlet you will usually be asked to sign and date a copy showing you got it; signing only confirms receipt, not that you have hired the agent.
Just walking into an open house and getting a flyer does not always trigger the pamphlet, but the moment the agent starts asking about your budget, timeline, or representation, the pamphlet must come out (OAR 863-015-0215).
You should get the pamphlet before you sign a buyer representation agreement or before you tour a property with an agent who plans to represent you in the deal.
Failing to deliver the pamphlet is a licensable offense for the agent under ORS 696.301, so a buyer who never received it has grounds to report the broker to the Oregon Real Estate Agency.
The Oregon Residential Real Estate Sale Agreement later asks you to confirm which agency relationship from the pamphlet applies, so the pamphlet sets the foundation for the rest of the paperwork in your purchase.
The timeline — step by step
First contact: an Oregon agent calls, emails, or meets you and starts to discuss your home search; at this moment the Initial Agency Disclosure Pamphlet must be provided (ORS 696.820).
Review the pamphlet: read through the four agency options described in the Oregon Real Estate Agency-approved pamphlet so you understand whose interests each option protects.
Sign for receipt: the agent will ask you to sign and date a copy confirming you received the pamphlet; this is acknowledgment only and is kept in the transaction file.
Decide on representation: after reviewing the pamphlet, talk with the agent about whether you want them as your buyer's agent before you sign any buyer representation agreement.
Property tours and offers: continue with showings and offers only after you understand the agency relationship; the pamphlet must be in your hands before any tour where the agent is representing you.
Confirm in the sale agreement: when you write an offer using the Oregon Residential Real Estate Sale Agreement, you will confirm in writing which agency relationship from the pamphlet applies to the deal.
Common questions
When exactly does an Oregon agent have to give me the pamphlet?
Does signing the pamphlet mean I have hired this agent to represent me?
What if I am just attending an open house in Oregon?
Can the agent just describe agency options verbally instead of giving me the form?
What can I do if a buyer's agent never gave me the pamphlet?
How does the pamphlet connect to the offer I will eventually write?
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