In California, a buyer representation agreement can run 90 days at most, and the cancellation terms are the part to read before you sign. The agreement in question is the Buyer Representation and Broker Cooperation Agreement. It can be exclusive or non-exclusive, and by law it cannot run longer than 90 days. We write our own agreements so that if a buyer wants out, there is only a one-day waiting period before they can work with someone else, instead of being locked in for the full term. That is the standard to look for. An agent who insists on locking you in for the maximum term is telling you something about how confident they are that you will want to stay. You can have real representation without signing away your flexibility. Read the cancellation language before you sign anything, and ask for a short release window.