Once an offer has been signed by both the buyer and the seller, it is considered ratified and binding. Your real estate agent will continue to monitor the loan application process for the buyer and coordinate appointments with home inspectors and appraisers, too. Your agent, also, will be present with you at closing along with the settlement attorney, when you sign the papers for the sales transaction. There are no hard and fast rules about listing your home with a small, local real estate broker or with one of the larger, nationwide real estate companies. Each type of company has its own pros and cons.
Some larger companies have their own mortgage financing divisions.
On the other hand, a small, local company may have special expertise in selling homes in your price range, or in your area. Make sure you listen to at least three listing presentations before you sign an agreement with the agent you choose. Most provisions of a listing agreement are negotiable, and you should carefully consider each clause before you sign. You will be signing a contract and you are bound to its terms, unless the agent fails to perform. On the other hand, inclusion in the MLS multiplies, by many times, the number of prospects who have access to information about the sale of your home.