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This form is used by a seller’s agent when setting up a file for a property listing as part of their employment with a broker, to summarize the terms and details of a property listing for their broker’s supervisory review.

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Your use of RPI Form 522

Maintaining the client file, for oversight and business development

An agent employed by a broker solicits members of the public to retain them as their agent to render real estate services. With a little perseverance, the agent encounters owners who enter into listings employing the agent’s broker to locate buyers and sell their properties.

The agent then markets the property and locates a buyer. Soon, a transaction closes. The broker, and in turn the agent, receive an earned fee — the primary motivation for becoming a sales agent.

From the first solicitation of a client to receiving the fee on a closed transaction, massive amounts of data are gathered, received and sifted by the agent. The agent further coordinates and documents numerous events related to the transaction. Without listing reports from the agent detailing their activity, the broker is unaware of all the conduct taking place on their behalf — from the agent’s solicitation of employment to the receipt of a fee on a closed transaction.

As part of the broker supervisory duties, an employing broker needs data on the listing report to:

  • better mine for clients;
  • confirm necessary disclosures are made to the client at the time of employment and through the transaction; and
  • provide critical support for marketing the property.

The listing report is the listing agent’s first critical delivery of unified information on the employment to their broker. To be most effective for all parties, the listing report is to be completed by the agent and delivered to and reviewed by the broker before marketing the property to locate buyers.

The supervisory role of the agent’s broker on listing property

The agent who obtained the listing becomes the individual in the broker’s office who is initially responsible to the broker for the care and maintenance of the client’s file.

On entering into a listing employment, the agent sets up a physical client file to house information and documentation on all activity which arises within the broker’s office due to the existence of the employment.

For example, the file on a listing for the sale of a property is to contain:

  • the original listing agreement [See RPI Form 102];
  • the Agency Law Disclosure [See RPI Form 305];
  • any addenda and other attachments needed as part of the listing agreement;
  • property disclosure documents the seller and seller’s agent provide to prospective buyers and their agents during the marketing of the property, such as the:
  • an activity sheet for the entry of information on all activities generated by the employment and marketing effort [See RPI Form 520]; and
  • a listing information report. [See RPI Form 522]

The client file contains any paperwork, notes, billings, correspondence, email printouts, fax transmissions, disclosure sheets, worksheets, advertising copy, copies of offers/counteroffers and rejections and all other related documentation. Thus, everything that occurs as a result of the client employment is centrally retained in the client file to be reviewed by the broker.

The listing information report

The Listing Information Report — published by RPI (Realty Publications, Inc.) — is used by the seller’s agent when setting up a file on listing a property for sale. On it, the agent summarizes the terms of the employment and details of the property for their broker’s supervisory review.

The report is used when:

  • a new listing agreement for the sale of property is taken; and
  • modifications are made to the employment or terms for marketing the property. [See RPI Form 522 §1]

The Listing Information Report documents:

Additional forms and documents used to build a file’s content may vary depending on the type of property and transaction involved. These forms and documents typically include:

The broker’s file

The client file belongs to the broker, not the seller’s agent. However, it will likely remain with the listing agent the sale is closed or the listing expires un-renewed. The agent hands the broker the entire file on the close of escrow. Delivery of the file with the agent’s final closing report is usually a condition precedent to payment of the agent’s share of the fee received by the broker.

The broker or office manager periodically reviews the file as a supervisory requirement. Initially on taking a listing and on employment modifications, the filled-out Listing Information Report, along with other pertinent forms and documentation, is thoroughly reviewed by the broker. When the file is closed out by the agent, the report provides the broker or manager with all the information necessary to distribute fee splits and referral fees.

Checklists belong in the file and are used by the agent. They are reviewed periodically by the agent, office manager, TC or employing broker for oversight and to determine future tasks needed to better service the listing and earn a fee.

Gathering marketing information

In addition to fulfilling supervisory requirements, the broker uses the Listing Information Report when they mine for clients. Not only will the broker know which marketing techniques were successful and who referred them, they will also have information on the seller, including their contact details, motivation to sell and where they will be relocating to. [See RPI Form 522 §§5 and 6]

All the information contained in these provisions provides ample opportunity for the broker to collect and organize data on their clients. By collecting personal information on their clients, brokers set themselves up for easier routes to consistently communicate with clients and stay in touch.

That way, the client remembers the broker and agent who served them, and will be more likely to refer their family, friends and acquaintances to the brokerage they are familiar with and regularly contacted by with marketing materials meaningful to them — thanks to the broker and agent’s personalized touch.

Revision history

Form updated 09-2015.

Form navigation page published 11-2021.