agency

general agent

A general agent is authorized to perform a broad range of acts for a principal within a particular business or area, and can often bind the principal to contracts within that scope. A property manager handling leasing, rent collection, and repairs is a general agent of the owner. A salesperson is commonly considered a general agent of the sponsoring broker. A general agent has more authority than a special agent but less than a universal agent.

Exam tip
Ranking: universal (everything) > general (range of acts in one area) > special (one specific task). Most listing brokers are special agents; property managers are general agents.
Example
An owner hires a property manager to lease units, collect rent, and hire contractors for her apartment building, making the manager a general agent.

Related terms & state variants

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Last verified: 2026-10-23