I met with a broker and he/she wanted me to sign a few forms before showing me apartment rentals. Should I have signed them?

There are two standard documents that most agents will present to clients prior to showing them apartments.  They are the Client Registration and NY State Agency Disclosure forms, both of which may be non-negotiable on the part of the agent (the Agency Disclosure form is not required, but is a standard NY State document).

However, each brokerage firm has its own policies and may require even more documentation to complete prior to working with a client.  If you are unsure about signing something or providing too much personal information upfront, you can contact a manager at the firm and ask questions or speak with a NYC residential real estate attorney, if necessary.

Client Registration Form
The Client Registration form (or similarly named document) is the most common tool used by agents to legally protect themselves from clients going around them and securing an apartment without paying a broker fee.  Most agents will require a client to fill out and sign the Client Registration prior to viewing any properties.  Subsequently, during the tour, the client will initial each address / apartment the agent shows them.

The agreement essentially requires the client to pay the broker fee listed on the Client Registration if he/she ends up getting approved for and moves into a unit in the building shown by a particular agent (even if another agent shows the client a different unit during a future showing).

NY State Agency Disclosure Form
ALL real estate agents are required by New York State law to provide the Agency Disclosure form to clients when participating in any substantive contact.  The form essentially states who the agent is representing: the client, the landlord or acting as a dual agent for both sides.  This is a standard form created by NY State, which was created to make landlord – agent – client relationships more transparent and clear.