Buying a Starter Home

Is There Really A Difference Between A Buyer's Agent And A Listing Agent In Real Estate?

17 March 2017

Capucine Leroux

If you want to buy a house, you can go about this in several ways. The first option is to hire a real estate agent on your own to help you find the right home, and this agent would be referred to as a buyer's agent. The other main option is to locate homes you are interested in and call the listing agents for viewings. There are differences between a buyer's agent and a listing agent, and here are several key things to know about this.

A Listing Agent Works For The Seller

When a person decides to sell their home, they will hire a listing agent. This is a real estate agent that works for the seller of the home and will do everything possible to help the owner sell. This agent is under a contract with the seller and is not legally allowed to disclose certain types of details to people that view the house. For example, the listing agent would not be legally allowed to tell a potential buyer that the seller is going through a divorce and needs to sell quickly. This information could potentially cause the buyer to offer a lower price on the home, simply because he or she knows details that should not have been stated.

A Buyer's Agent Works For The Buyer

A buyer's agent, on the other hand, works strictly for the buyer. The main role this agent has is to protect the buyer and help him or her find the right house. Having a buyer's agent is a good idea when buying a home, simply because this agent has taken oaths to treat you fairly and handle the situation with your best interests in mind.

An Agent Can Do Both

You should realize that agents can serve both roles at once; however, the agent's original role overrides the agent's secondary role in the transaction. The best thing you can do is find an agent you trust and that is good at his or her job. This type of agent will help you find the right house and will help you get a fair price on the house you choose.

Finding a real estate agent you trust is the best way to seek help when you are house hunting. If you have questions or would like help with this, call a real estate agent today to schedule an appointment to meet with him or her.   

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