There are several different types of listing contracts, however very few of them are used. The most common is the "Exclusive Right to Sell Listing". Other less common contracts are the "Open Listing," the "Exclusive Agency Listing," and the "One-Time Show Listing."

This agreement gives a real estate agent the "Exclusive Right to Sell" your property. This does not mean that there will not be other agents involved. It means your agent is the listing agent and that part of his or her job is to market your home to other agents who work with potential buyers. Regardless of who sells the home, the listing agent will earn a commission.

An Exclusive Right to Sell listing is the only type of listing an effective real estate agent will accept. This is because they have a reasonable expectation of earning back any money they spend on promoting and marketing your property.

The "Open Listing" is mostly used by people trying to sell their home "by owner" who are also willing to work with real estate agents. Basically, it gives a real estate agent the right to bring buyers around to view your home. If their client buys your home, the agent earns a commission. There is nothing exclusive about an open listing and a home seller can give out such listings to all agents that request such a listing.

For that reason, no agent is going to market your home or put it in the MLS. If your home fits the criteria for one of their clients, and it is convenient, they may be willing to show it to their client. There is no other use for an "Open Listing".

An "exclusive agency" listing allows an agent to list and market your home, guaranteeing them a commission if the house sells through any real estate agent or company. It also allows sellers to seek out buyers on their own.

This is not a popular type of listing agreement. The reason is that there is not much incentive for agents to spend money marketing your home. If you come up with your own buyer, they have spent money they cannot earn back through the real estate commission.

A "one-time show" is similar to an open listing in many respects, as it is most often used by real estate agents who are showing a FSBO (for sale by owner) to one of their clients. The home seller signs the agreement, which identifies the potential buyer and guarantees the agent a commission should that buyer purchase the home. This prevents the buyer and seller from negotiating directly later and trying to avoid paying the agent’s commission.

As with an Open Listing, agents will not be spending money on marketing your home and it will not be placed in  MLS.