Before you read
Test yourself first: 5 questions
Question 1 of 5
Because fair-housing law applies to rentals, a landlord generally may NOT refuse to rent because the applicant:
Answer: A. Refusing tenants because they have children violates the familial-status protection; landlords may still screen on legitimate financial criteria.
Question 2 of 5
The broker who sets in motion the uninterrupted chain of events that results in the sale is recognized as the:
Answer: A. Procuring cause is the agent whose efforts started an unbroken series of events leading to the sale; it is the key concept in commission disputes between brokers.
Question 3 of 5
Two brokers from different firms each claim the commission on the same sale. Disputes over who was the procuring cause are most commonly resolved through:
Answer: B. Procuring-cause disputes between members are typically settled by arbitration through the local REALTOR association rather than in court.
Question 4 of 5
A buyer is shown a home by an agent, abruptly stops communicating, then weeks later buys that same home through a different agent after continuous renewed effort by the second agent. The dispute over who is procuring cause turns mainly on:
Answer: B. Procuring cause focuses on whether the agent's efforts initiated an uninterrupted chain of events that resulted in the sale; a genuine break in that chain can defeat the first agent's claim.
Question 5 of 5
The broker whose efforts set in motion an unbroken chain of events leading to the sale is the:
Answer: A. Procuring cause determines who earned the commission — the broker primarily responsible for producing the ready, willing, and able buyer.
Keep the streak going with more questions like these, each with a full rationale.
What you need to know
A commission is typically EARNED when a full-price (or accepted) offer from a ready, willing and able buyer is produced, even if the seller later backs out. The broker PROTECTION (safety/extender) clause preserves the fee if, within a stated period after expiration, the owner sells to someone the broker introduced — defeated if the owner relists with another brokerage.
Procuring Cause & Protection Clauses: FAQs
Is Procuring Cause & Protection Clauses on the real estate exam?
Yes. Agency & Fiduciary Duties is a scored domain on the real estate licensing exam, and this topic appears in the national portion.
Is this cheat sheet free?
Yes — every page on Cinna RE's resource library is free to read, print and share. The app adds practice questions, mock exams and a readiness score.
