Which statement best defines procuring cause in real estate brokerage?

• A. A broker who successfully locates a willing, ready, and able buyer.
• B. The first offer submitted by a buyer.
• C. A listing agreement that guarantees a commission regardless of sale.
• D. A deed transfer condition.

Answer: (D)

Procuring cause is about the broker whose ongoing actions start and carry through the process that leads to the sale. It’s the uninterrupted chain of events a broker creates—from the initial introduction of a buyer, through keeping the buyer engaged, to negotiations and guiding the deal to closing—that results in a consummated transaction. This concept matters because it determines who earns the commission when more than one broker is involved or when representation changes during the transaction.

The best way to think about it is: if a broker’s persistent, meaningful efforts bring a willing, ready, and able buyer to the closing table—and those efforts directly lead to the sale—the broker is the procuring cause. It’s not simply locating a buyer or submitting an offer alone, and it isn’t about a listing term that guarantees a commission regardless of who closes the deal, nor about conditions in a deed.