The seller who offers a real estate agent an exclusive will be getting a representative who is determined to make a sale, and will spend the time and energy necessary to do it. An open listing may get the property higher visibility. Other agents who see the listing can canvass their own networks of buyers for a possible match. That said, real estate agents balk at accepting open listings. An exclusive might be the way to go at least initially. If the house fails to sell, consider the open option.