Original Research

Builder registration rules are not universal. Here is what major builders currently publish.

New Home Hero checks public builder and agent-policy pages to document how first contact, first visits, broker registration, and co-op eligibility differ. This page is a research starting point—not a substitute for confirming the current policy for a specific community and transaction.

Last checked September 9, 2026•Sources link directly to builder-controlled pages

The important finding

There is no defensible nationwide rule that says every builder requires an agent on the first visit—or that every builder allows an agent to be added later. Lennar, Toll Brothers, Taylor Morrison and KB Home publish first-contact or first-visit requirements in their broker-cooperation language, while Meritage currently publishes materially different language. The correct answer is builder- and community-specific.

Policy 01

Lennar

First interaction matters

What the public source says

Lennar's published Broker Participation Policy says a cooperating broker must be identified on the prospect's first interaction with a Lennar employee about a home or community. It also says the broker or affiliated sales associate must accompany the prospect on the initial visit or initial self-guided tour for commission eligibility where a commission is offered.

Buyer takeaway

Do not assume an appointment booking or later introduction preserves broker participation. If representation matters, identify the buyer's broker before the first Lennar interaction and confirm the community's current compensation terms.

Scope note: Lennar states that cooperating-broker commissions are not offered in every community and that the policy applies to commission eligibility. Community and transaction terms still need to be verified.

Official source: Lennar Legal — Broker Participation Policy

Policy 02

Toll Brothers

Registration at first community visit

What the public source says

Toll Brothers' Real Estate Agent Center says an agent must complete electronic registration at the time of the client's first visit to a specific Toll Brothers community to be eligible for its Co-op Program. The page also says a prior client visit and registration by a Toll Brothers sales representative can void co-op eligibility for that community.

Buyer takeaway

Treat each Toll Brothers community as its own registration event. If a buyer wants an agent involved, handle registration before or at that first community visit.

Scope note: The public agent page describes Toll Brothers' Co-op Program. Specific compensation and participation terms should still be confirmed for the transaction.

Official source: Toll Brothers Real Estate Agent Center

Policy 03

Taylor Morrison

First-visit registration with additional paperwork

What the public source says

Taylor Morrison's published terms describe several ways a buyer's broker or agent can be introduced at or before the first community visit. The terms also describe additional broker-agreement documentation after the first visit and list circumstances in which later broker registration may not be permitted.

Buyer takeaway

Do not wait until contract to introduce representation. Confirm the community's procedure before the first visit and complete any required broker paperwork promptly.

Scope note: Taylor Morrison's terms are detailed and can be updated. Buyers and agents should read the current language for the applicable community and state before relying on a prior version.

Official source: Taylor Morrison Terms of Use

Policy 04

KB Home

What the public source says

KB Home's current agent page says clients should be registered on their first visit. Its published broker-cooperation language also describes first-visit agent accompaniment, confirmation of a written buyer-broker agreement, and delivery of that agreement at the time of sales contract.

Buyer takeaway

Have the buyer-broker relationship documented before the first KB Home visit and be prepared to follow KB Home's registration and compensation procedures at that visit.

Scope note: Commission terms and qualification requirements can vary. The builder's current community and transaction documents control.

Official source: KB Home — For Real Estate Agents

Policy 05

Meritage Homes

A notable current exception

What the public source says

Meritage Homes' current agent-facing page says it will pay a competitive market-rate buyer-agent commission for represented buyers who purchase a home even if the agent was not there on the first visit. That is materially different from the first-visit rules published by several other national builders.

Buyer takeaway

This is why buyers should not rely on a universal 'first visit' rule. Builder policies can differ and can change. Verify Meritage's current terms for the community rather than assuming another builder's policy applies.

Scope note: The statement appears on a current Meritage agent marketing page. Transaction-specific commission, registration and brokerage requirements should still be confirmed directly with the builder.

Official source: Meritage Homes — Agent Resources

Policy 06

D.R. Horton

Regional policies can differ

What the public source says

A D.R. Horton Spokane Division page provides a regional example in which a client can be registered on or before the first visit through several methods. The same page also contains division-specific commission requirements, demonstrating why a single national assumption is unsafe.

Buyer takeaway

For D.R. Horton, verify the applicable division and community policy. A rule published for one region should not be treated as the national rule for every D.R. Horton market.

Scope note: This is intentionally labeled a regional public example, not a nationwide D.R. Horton policy.

Official source: D.R. Horton Spokane Division — Regional Example

How we maintain this tracker

Source first. Date everything. Never turn one builder's rule into a universal claim.

We prioritize builder-controlled legal, terms, broker-program, and agent-resource pages. Promotional offers are treated as transaction- or market-specific unless the builder clearly publishes broader policy language.

Policies can change without notice, and compensation is not fixed by law. Before a buyer relies on any entry, the buyer or agent should confirm the current rule with the applicable builder/community and review the relevant written brokerage agreement.

When a public source changes materially, the tracker should be updated and the checked date changed rather than silently preserving stale language.

See New Home Hero's editorial and research standards for our sourcing and correction policy.

Planning a builder visit?

If you want independent representation, the safest move is to establish it before first builder contact when possible and have the agent verify that builder's current policy.

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