Signing Brokerage-Buyer Agreement with Agent Helping Look for Rental Home? (renting, state)

[KillingThemGingerly]

I am looking for a rental home (2br for ~$1200) in the Atlanta Metro area and was contacted by a real estate agent. We spoke on the phone and she was very nice. She suggested I look to buy instead of rent but I am pretty committed to renting at this point for various reasons. She did say she would be willing to help me with all options including rentals but asked I sign a buyer-brokerage agreement.

Does this make sense if I definitely only want to rent? I know a real estate agents time is valuable and I don’t expect her to do work for free but asking me to sign this when I am only looking for a rental confused me. I’ve never rented a house before, only apartments from corporate complexes so any advice on this would be appreciated.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by KillingThemGingerly

I am looking for a rental home (2br for ~$1200) in the Atlanta Metro area and was contacted by a real estate agent. We spoke on the phone and she was very nice. She suggested I look to buy instead of rent but I am pretty committed to renting at this point for various reasons. She did say she would be willing to help me with all options including rentals but asked I sign a buyer-brokerage agreement.

Does this make sense if I definitely only want to rent? I know a real estate agents time is valuable and I don’t expect her to do work for free but asking me to sign this when I am only looking for a rental confused me. I’ve never rented a house before, only apartments from corporate complexes so any advice on this would be appreciated.

One probably should be exceedingly careful before entering into and signing a buyer-brokerage agreement which would commit you to just working with only that one particular agent and potentially very likely could hold you financially liable if any real estate transaction you make (purchase or rental) does not run through that agent.