Have you ever heard of the buyer of a home and the seller of the same home having the same real estate agent at the same time? This doesn’t happen often, and for good reason. In fact, I highly recommend staying away from this situation.
When a real estate agent represents both the buyer and the seller for the same transaction, they’re called a dual agent. In some locations, dual agents are actually illegal, while in other areas, there aren’t any laws against them, but dual agents are frowned upon by the real estate community.
This is because a dual agent cannot truly do their job. A real estate agent is supposed to fight for their client’s best interest and offer the best guidance and advice possible. But a seller and a buyer have opposite interests when it comes to purchase agreements and negotiations. The seller wants to get their house sold for the most money possible while the buyer wants to buy it for the least amount possible.
But if an agent represents both the buyer and the seller for the same transaction, they cannot represent the best interest of the buyer and the seller at the same time. That means that in a dual agent situation, someone loses. A dual agent presents a clear conflict of interest. The agent can’t offer either party advice or guidance without breaking their promise to the other party.
When you hire a real estate agent, you expect to get full access to their knowledge, experience, and advice. But in a dual agent situation, you won’t be getting what you hired the agent for in the first place. My recommendation is to avoid this situation from the start. When you go to get your home ready to sell, find an agent who can guide you through the selling process. When you decide you want to buy or build a home, get an agent who can walk you through each step of the buying process and offer you the advice you need.
Are you looking for an agent to represent you and give you the advice you need to make the best real estate decisions for your future? I’m currently accepting new clients, so feel free to reach out if you’d like to talk.