Windermere Real Estate Unveils Addendum to Increase Transparency in Residential Transactions Nationwide

Addendum will be made available at no cost to any licensed real estate agent or brokerage across the U.S. interested in utilizing it

SEATTLE, WA, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Windermere Real Estate – one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate companies – today announced the development of an optional addendum intended to provide greater transparency for homebuyers and resources for their agents during the residential real estate transaction process.

Windermere introduced the addendum in response to the rise in private listing networks and off-market marketing strategies across the industry, a move by certain larger brokerages that has sparked concerns around transparency and consumer access to both inventory and market information. For decades, consumers have relied on information such as days on market, pricing history, and prior marketing activity to help evaluate a home's value and position in the market.

While these metrics represent only part of a property's story, they can provide meaningful context as buyers evaluate one of the largest financial decisions they will make. Now certain brokerages are suggesting hiding that information from buyers and doing so in a manner that is likely to leave some buyers unaware that they are missing the information at all.

“Both buyers and sellers have a right to make informed choices and to trust that their agents are acting in their best interests with reasonable diligence and care,” said OB Jacobi, Co-President of Windermere Real Estate.

Several states are actively exploring ways to protect consumers, whether through restrictions on certain private listing network practices or disclosure requirements intended to help ensure sellers fully understand the implications of how their property is marketed.

“Agents have a fiduciary duty to advocate for their clients’ interests,” added Lucy Wood, Regional Director of Western Washington and Oregon, Windermere’s largest operating territory. “That responsibility shouldn't get lost amid broader industry shifts. Consumers deserve clear information, thoughtful counsel, and confidence that every recommendation is being made with their goals -- not outside pressures -- in mind.”

To help address those concerns, this new addendum is meant to assist agents in their duty to their buyers both by ensuring that buyers are aware that public information related to days on market and price changes may be missing or even inaccurate, and to provide them with a mechanism to gauge whether relevant information is being withheld.

Designed for use alongside standard residential real estate purchase and sale agreements, this optional form includes a representation from sellers that they have not marketed their property publicly or privately or made any price adjustments during a defined period prior to the home being formally listed in the MLS (or if not so listed, then prior to it being marketed directly to competing brokerages). The representation is material, and sellers retain the right to accept, reject, or modify the request.

Jacobi likened the concept to the widespread consumer use of vehicle-history services such as Carfax.

“People routinely use tools like Carfax before purchasing a car because they want to better understand the vehicle’s history,” Jacobi said. “A home purchase is exponentially more significant than buying a car, in fact, for most people, it’s the largest and most important investment they will ever make. If consumers expect transparency and historical context when buying a car, it’s reasonable to believe they would want similar clarity when buying a home.”

The addendum serves as a practical resource for buyers and the agents charged with helping them navigate considerations like market exposure, prior pricing activity, and property history when applicable.

How to download the addendum:

A copy of the new Windermere transparency addendum can be downloaded here. The form is provided as a courtesy and should not be construed or relied upon as legal advice. Real estate agents and brokerages remain solely responsible for ensuring their compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations and for determining whether use of this form (as-is, as modified, or in conjunction with other measures) is appropriate in each circumstance.

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About Windemere Real Estate
Windermere Real Estate is the largest regional real estate company in the Western U.S. with over 300 offices and 6,000 agents in nine states and Mexico. Last year, Windermere closed over 47,000 home sales for $37 billion in volume. The Windermere family has a proud heritage of serving our neighbors in need via the Windermere Foundation, which funds services for low-income and homeless families. Since 1989, the Windermere Foundation has contributed more than $60 million toward improving lives in the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit windermere.com.

Caroline Underwood Burman
Kreps PR & Marketing
email us here

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