Who Needs to Be Included? Communication Obligations When Working with Real Estate Teams
When working through a real estate transaction, communication between agents is critical. But in today’s market, many REALTORS® no longer operate alone. Instead, they work as part of teams, often with multiple licensed agents, assistants, transaction coordinators, and administrative staff involved behind the scenes. That reality raises an increasingly common question: when one REALTOR® is dealing with another REALTOR® who is part of a team, who exactly must receive communications relating to the transaction?
Generally speaking, absent a specific contractual requirement to the contrary, a REALTOR®’s obligation is satisfied by communicating directly with the agent who is a party to the transaction; meaning the REALTOR® identified in the agreement of sale, listing agreement, or MLS documentation. In other words, if Agent Smith is the named listing agent, or Agent Jones is the named buyer’s agent, the opposing side ordinarily fulfills its communication obligations by communicating with that individual agent.
The law and the practical realities of agency relationships support this approach. A real estate team is not typically treated as a separate legal entity for purposes of the transaction itself. Rather, the individual licensed agent remains the professional responsible for representing the client and managing communications. If that agent chooses to involve teammates, assistants, or coordinators internally, it is generally the responsibility of the team member receiving the information to ensure it is properly shared with the rest of the team.
That said, the analysis can become more nuanced when a team specifically requests that communications be copied to additional individuals. In practice, many teams ask that emails include transaction coordinators, showing agents, or multiple team members in order to improve efficiency and avoid missed communications. While honoring those requests is often advisable from a professionalism and risk-management standpoint, it does not necessarily create an independent legal obligation for the opposing REALTOR® to communicate separately with every member of the team.
From a risk perspective, the safest course is usually to follow reasonable communication requests whenever possible. If a team asks that all amendments, notices, or scheduling communications be copied to three identified individuals, doing so may help avoid later disputes over whether information was received. However, if the communication was properly delivered to the named REALTOR® involved in the transaction, the opposing agent will often have a strong argument that their obligation was met, particularly where no agreement or brokerage policy required broader distribution.
REALTORS® should also remember that agency relationships and supervision requirements remain important considerations. Team structures do not eliminate the duties owed by the licensed agent to the client, nor do they remove the supervising broker’s responsibility to oversee communications and transaction management. Internal breakdowns within a team are generally not something the opposing REALTOR® can reasonably control.
Ultimately, the best practice is simple: communicate clearly, document communications in writing whenever possible, and establish expectations early in the transaction regarding who should receive notices and updates. Real estate teams can create tremendous efficiencies, but they can also create confusion if communication protocols are not clearly defined from the outset.
