Exclusive vs non-exclusive HDB agency agreement
Exclusivity and the fee sit in the estate agency agreement. CEA does not set the commission. The Fairnest HDB seller package is non-exclusive.
8 min read · Figures checked 26 September 2026 · By Michelle Lee Ling Ching, CEA R009798I
The fee and exclusivity live in the agreement
CEA does not fix commission amounts. Fees are negotiable. You should see the fee, the GST treatment, the services, and exclusivity written in a prescribed estate agency agreement before you commit. Payment is made to the estate agent, the licensed agency, not as personal cash to the salesperson. For Fairnest that agency is ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd, under the agreement you sign.
Fairnest's published HDB seller package is S$2,178.91 incl. GST, which is S$1,999 plus 9% GST, payable on successful completion. That marketing figure still yields to the signed agreement.
Exclusive and non-exclusive, in CEA's terms
This table is plain English from CEA's consumer guidance. Read the prescribed form you are asked to sign. The clauses in front of you govern, not this summary.
Swipe to see all columns. Keyboard: focus this table and use the arrow keys.
| Point | Exclusive | Non-exclusive |
|---|---|---|
| How many agencies | You appoint one property agency, for a validity period of up to three months. | You may appoint more than one agency. CEA does not prescribe the same fixed validity period. |
| During the validity period | You can still owe commission to the appointed agency even if you sell yourself or through another agency. | You generally pay the agency that successfully completes the transaction. |
| After validity ends | For three months after expiry, you may still owe commission if the property is transacted with a party that agency introduced during the validity period. | The focus stays on who closed the deal under each agreement's terms. |
Form names on the seller side
- Form 5 is the Exclusive Estate Agency Agreement for the Sale of Residential Property.
- Form 1 is the Estate Agency Agreement for the Sale of Residential Property, the non-exclusive form.
Open the PDF you are asked to sign. Form numbers matter less than the clauses. On an exclusive appointment, liability can continue for introductions made during the exclusive window, for a further three months after expiry. Ask the salesperson to walk examples. If you find your own buyer in month two, what do you owe? If another agent closes with a viewer that agency introduced, who is paid?
This page does not tell you to always sign exclusive, or to always sign non-exclusive. That choice depends on your situation and the full agreement. When you are unsure, get advice beyond a blog.
What to look for before you sign
- The fee amount, and whether GST is included or added.
- When the fee is payable, completion or some other trigger.
- The services included: portals, photos, negotiation, OTP, the HDB portal, and who hosts viewings.
- Whether the appointment is exclusive or non-exclusive, and the exact dates of any validity period.
- Any post-validity introduction or commission clause.
- Any co-broking language.
- Any additional terms on a separate sheet. CEA allows them if they do not conflict with the prescribed terms.
CEA's advice is to ask the agent to go through the clauses with you. Sign only when you understand the commission clauses.
Check the salesperson on the CEA Public Register
Look up the salesperson's registration number and the agency licence before you sign. Fairnest publishes Michelle Lee Ling Ching, CEA R009798I, ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd, CEA licence L3002382K. Verify that live on the CEA Public Register. A website claim is not a substitute for the register.
How Fairnest handles this conversation
The Fairnest HDB seller package is non-exclusive. You may appoint other agencies at the same time, and you generally pay only the agency that completes the deal. We walk you through the estate agency agreement before you sign. The walk-through covers the fee, GST, the owner-hosted viewing boundary, and pay-on-completion terms.
Whatever you sign is what governs. Check that the agreement in front of you is the non-exclusive form before you sign it.
Questions to confirm before you sign
- Is this Form 1, non-exclusive, or Form 5, exclusive, and what are the exact dates?
- What exactly do I pay, inclusive of GST, and when?
- If I find my own buyer during the period, do I still owe commission?
- If another agency closes, who gets paid?
- Who hosts viewings, and who screens enquiries?
- Is payment to the estate agent, not personal cash to the salesperson?
- Have I checked the R number and the agency licence on the CEA Public Register?
Common questions
Exclusive means one agency for up to three months. Commission can still apply if you sell yourself or through another agency, plus a post-validity introduction window. Non-exclusive means you may appoint more than one agency, and you generally pay the agency that completes the deal. CEA's consumer page has the authoritative wording.
CEA's consumer guidance describes an exclusive validity of up to three months. CEA does not fix commission amounts. Fees are negotiable.
Under CEA's consumer explanation of exclusive agreements, for three months after validity you may still owe commission if the property is transacted with a party that agency introduced during the validity period. Read your signed clauses. This is general information only.
No. The Fairnest HDB seller package is non-exclusive. The estate agency agreement you sign sets out the exact terms.
Sources
- CEA: what to take note of when engaging a property agent
- CEA: check if your property agent is registered
- CEA Public Register
Written by
Michelle Lee Ling Ching
Michelle Lee Ling Ching · CEA Registration Number: R009798I · ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd · CEA Licence Number: L3002382K · Tel: +65 9680 1106
We are a fixed-fee HDB agent, non-exclusive and paid on completion. See our HDB seller fee and what it covers.
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