{"id":32830,"date":"2022-08-31T17:31:38","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T00:31:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=32830"},"modified":"2026-04-09T05:42:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T12:42:06","slug":"buyers-agent-fiduciary-duties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyers-agent-fiduciary-duties\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Fiduciary Duties of a Buyer&#8217;s Agent? Here is What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b><i>Disclaimer<\/i><\/b><i>: This article is meant to be used for educational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as legal advice. HomeLight always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>If you step into a doctor or lawyer\u2019s office, you\u2019d expect them to act in your best interest.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of a doctor, that could mean offering you proper medical advice and disclosing any health risks you may be facing. For a lawyer, it means respecting your confidentiality and advocating for you within the bounds of the law.<\/p>\n<p>In both cases, you\u2019d expect them to have your best interests at heart and to take action based on what your needs require.<\/p>\n<p>The same applies with a real estate agent. If you\u2019re working with a buyer\u2019s agent to buy a home, your agent should keep your best interests at the heart of the transaction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u200b\u200bIt&#8217;s just like an attorney client contract,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/janet-anderson-ca-1837381-2583\">Janet Anderson<\/a>, a real estate agent with 16 years of experience in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/tracy-ca\/top-real-estate-agents\">Tracy, California<\/a>. \u201c\u200b\u200bFrom the very beginning when you sign that contract until you close escrow, you know they are representing you at their best ability.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To ensure that agents are advocates for their clients, most adhere to a set of six fiduciary duties. Let\u2019s take a look at what the term fiduciary duty means and how these ethical guidelines apply in real estate transactions.<\/p>\n<section class=\"building-block bb-type-default bb-agent-quote bg-none\" id=\"bb-1\"><div class=\"body block\"><div class=\"container-fluid\"><div class=\"block-content\">            <blockquote class=\"post-blockquote\">\n                <q>It&#8217;s a legal contract stating that they are going to represent them [the client] to their fullest ability and bring everything to their attention and fully advise them. Most Realtors\u00ae out there truly do care about their clients and want to do their best for them.<\/q>\n                                    <div class=\"contributors\">\n                        <ul class=\"list\">\n                            <li>\n                                <div class=\"inner\">\n                                    <div class=\"opener\">\n                                        <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/2922047\/39d9298a-2961-4627-9d60-cada5a796601.jpeg?width=121\" alt=\"Janet Anderson\">\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"info\">\n                                            <strong>Janet Anderson<\/strong>\n                                            <span>Real Estate Agent<\/span>\n                                        <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                                    <div class=\"contributors-detail-modal\">\n                                        <div class=\"holder\">\n                                            <a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-close close\">\n                                                <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close<\/span>\n                                            <\/a>\n                                            <div class=\"top\">\n                                                <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/2922047\/39d9298a-2961-4627-9d60-cada5a796601.jpeg?width=121\" alt=\"Janet Anderson\">\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <div class=\"info\">\n                                                    <strong>Janet Anderson<\/strong>\n                                                                                                            <span>Real Estate Agent at Keller Williams Realty<\/span>\n                                                                                                        <div class=\"rating\">\n                                                                                                                    <span>5.0<\/span>\n                                                            <ul class=\"star-list inline-list\">\n                                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/star-solid.svg\" width=\"16\" alt=\"star\">\n                                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/star-solid.svg\" width=\"16\" alt=\"star\">\n                                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/star-solid.svg\" width=\"16\" 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                                                                                            <\/ul>\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                                            <span class=\"note\">Currently accepting new clients<\/span>\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                            <div class=\"btm\">\n                                                    <ul class=\"exp-list inline-list\">\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Years of Experience<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>20<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Transactions<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>373<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Average Price Point<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>$533k<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Single Family Homes<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>343<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                            <\/ul>\n                                                <\/div>\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/blockquote>\n        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div id=\"section--1\" data-toc-header=\"What is a fiduciary duty?\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>What is a fiduciary duty?<\/h2>\n<p>A fiduciary relationship is one where a person holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust with another. The term is usually associated with financial circumstances where one party may be entrusted to care for someone else\u2019s money or assets. The word fiduciary comes from the Latin word \u201cfiducia\u201d which translates to \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/fiduciary#:~:text=fiduciary%20(adj.),%2C%20confide%2C%20persuade%22).\">trust, confidence, and reliance<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In real estate, fiduciary responsibilities are an agent\u2019s commitment to act in their client\u2019s best financial interest. For a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-is-listing-agent\/\">listing agent<\/a>, that means trying to sell a home for the highest amount of money in the least amount of time.<\/p>\n<p>Buyer\u2019s agents protect their clients\u2019 best interests by helping them find homes that fit their needs and budget by leveraging their knowledge of market trends to help them get the best deal possible. Your real estate agent should share details about your local market with you in order to help you make an informed decision about buying a home.<\/p>\n<p>These duties are often outlined in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buyer-broker-agreement\/\">agency or buyer-broker agreement<\/a> a buyer signs when they agree to work with an agent. That document will outline an agent\u2019s duties to their clients and should include a description of their fiduciary responsibilities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s a legal contract stating that they are going to represent them [the client] to their fullest ability and bring everything to their attention and fully advise them,\u201d Anderson says. \u201c\u200b\u200bMost Realtors\u00ae out there truly do care about their clients and want to do their best for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--2\" data-toc-header=\"Do both real estate agents and Realtors\u00ae have fiduciary responsibilities?\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>Do both real estate agents and Realtors\u00ae have fiduciary responsibilities?<\/h2>\n<p>The difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor\u00ae is often confusing for buyers \u2014 especially because most people use the terms interchangeably.<\/p>\n<p>The term real estate agent is used to describe any type of agent whereas the label Realtor\u00ae is reserved for members of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/about-nar\/when-is-a-real-estate-agent-a-realtor\">National Association of Realtors\u00ae<\/a> (NAR). An easy way to think about the difference is all Realtors\u00ae are real estate agents, but not all agents are Realtors\u00ae.<\/p>\n<p>NAR members have committed to following the organization\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/about-nar\/governing-documents\/the-code-of-ethics\">Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice<\/a>, which go beyond the basic fiduciary responsibilities that may be outlined in your buyer-broker agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Realtors\u00ae also need to maintain their licenses and can\u2019t have had any civil judgements against them in the past seven years in order to become members.<\/p>\n<p>As a general rule, both Realtors\u00ae and real estate agents both have fiduciary responsibilities to their clients as those duties are almost always outlined in a buyer\u2019s agency agreement.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--3\" data-toc-header=\"What are the fiduciary duties of a buyer\u2019s agent?\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"geo-cta widget-cta widget-cta--content     widget-cta--dark widget-cta--dark-blue-gradient\">\n    <div class=\"widget-element--content\">\n        <div class=\"widget-element--content-header\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"homelight logo\" class=\"widget-element--logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/logo-small-cta.png\" width=\"106\" height=\"25\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n        \n                <h3 class=\"cta-headline widget--bold\">Looking for a Buyer's Agent Who Understands Their Fiduciary Responsibilities? <\/h3>\n                        <p>An expert buyer&#8217;s agent will always act in your best interest during the homebuying process. Our agent matching tool analyzes millions of transactions to find the best agent for your needs.<\/p>\n        \n                <div class=\"widget-element--buttons\">\n            <a data-type=\"In Content CTA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-agent\/quiz\/buyer?#\/qaas=0\/\" class=\"cta-click-track widget-element--button\">Find a Buyer's Agent<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>What are the fiduciary duties of a buyer\u2019s agent?<\/h2>\n<p>A real estate agent\u2019s fiduciary duties fall into six categories: Loyalty, confidentiality, accounting, disclosure, obedience, and reasonable care and diligence. Let\u2019s take a deeper look at each one and when they might apply in a real estate transaction.<\/p>\n<h3>1) Loyalty<\/h3>\n<p>Loyalty is, without a doubt, the most important of a real estate agent\u2019s six fiduciary duties. It means that an agent will act solely in your best interest and will disclose any potential conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt applies from start to finish,\u201d Anderson says, but let\u2019s take a look at a few specific examples.<\/p>\n<p>An agent who acts in your best interest won\u2019t encourage you to make an offer way over asking (and beyond your budget!) just to increase their commission. Instead, they\u2019ll use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/comparative-market-analysis\/\">comparative market analysis<\/a> and any information gleaned from the listing agent to help you craft an offer that gives you the best advantage while not breaking the bank.<\/p>\n<p>Another scenario: An agent shouldn\u2019t show a buyer a house where they are also the listing agent without disclosing it first. And they definitely shouldn\u2019t pressure you to look at properties where they\u2019re the listing agent.<\/p>\n<p>Though <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/types-of-real-estate-agents\/\">dual agency<\/a>, where an agent represents both the buyer and seller in a transaction, is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/dual-agency-is-illegal-in-some-states\/\">legal in some states<\/a>, to act as a dual agent without disclosing it would be a breach of fiduciary duty. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/magazine\/tools\/client-education\/handouts-for-sellers\/vocabulary-agency-agency-relationships\">Dual agency<\/a> occurs in only 10% to 20% of transactions.<\/p>\n<h3>2) Confidentiality<\/h3>\n<p>When you share information with your agent, such as your budget or your motivations for buying a home, you\u2019ll want them to keep that information private. After all, you wouldn\u2019t want a seller to know what your top number is going into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-make-an-offer-on-a-house\/\">negotiations<\/a> or they might not agree to a more reasonable amount.<\/p>\n<p>Confidentiality is the fiduciary duty that protects clients in these scenarios. When you disclose something to your agent, it&#8217;s expected to remain between the two of you unless you give them explicit permission to share that information with the seller.<\/p>\n<h3>3) Accounting<\/h3>\n<p>As a fiduciary, your agent will have some accounting responsibilities. They will need to keep a careful eye on any money or documents you entrust them with and document when any funds are exchanged.<\/p>\n<p>This also means that your agent can\u2019t put any funds you entrust them with into personal or business accounts.<\/p>\n<p>The accounting portion of an agent\u2019s fiduciary duty will mostly take place during the closing period for your home purchase. During this time, you may give your agent some funds via a cashier\u2019s check, like your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-protect-earnest-money\/\">earnest money<\/a> or initial deposit, to put into an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-escrow-works\/\">escrow account<\/a> while you wait for the sale to close.<\/p>\n<h3>4) Disclosure<\/h3>\n<p>Whether it\u2019s obtaining information on other potential offers or pointing out potential problems with the home, your real estate agent is required to disclose any pertinent information to you.<\/p>\n<p>Part of their job is to help you catch any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-real-estate-listing-red-flags\/\">red flags<\/a> before you make an offer. If they notice any major structural flaws on a tour or think the house is overpriced based on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/house-comps\/\">comparable sales<\/a>, they should say something.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf a Realtor\u00ae sees something visually even, they need to point that out,\u201d Anderson explains. \u201cIf they have any knowledge that could lower the value or could potentially be a risk to the client, they need to disclose that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re ready to make an offer, your agent should also disclose any information they\u2019ve found about the seller\u2019s willingness to accept an offer below asking or any other offers that might be on the table.<\/p>\n<p>Disclosure also applies to any potential conflicts of interest your agent may have. As we mentioned above, if you&#8217;re interested in a listing and your real estate agent is the listing agent for that property, then they are required to disclose that to you.<\/p>\n<h3>5) Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>Your agent needs to follow any directives or orders that you give them \u2026 within reason. If you ask your agent to do something illegal, however, they must refuse. An agent cannot take any actions that break local or federal real estate laws or those which violate the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hud.gov\/program_offices\/fair_housing_equal_opp\/fair_housing_act_overview\">Fair Housing Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Other than that, an agent can offer advice during the decision-making process, but at the end of the day they need to follow your instructions.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you want to put in an offer that is way <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-much-should-i-offer-over-the-asking-price\/\">over asking price<\/a>, your agent can try to dissuade you, but they should follow your directive if you decide that you still want to.<\/p>\n<h3>6) Reasonable care and diligence<\/h3>\n<p>You likely chose to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-work-with-a-real-estate-agent\/\">work with a real estate agent<\/a> because they have expertise in housing market trends, contracts, and other aspects of real estate transactions that you as a non-licensed person have little knowledge about.<\/p>\n<p>An agent\u2019s knowledge of local market trends can help you narrow your search from every listing in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-what-is-the-mls-multiple-listing-service\/\">multiple listing service<\/a> (MLS) to just those that match your criteria and budget. While searching for homes, they can help find comparable properties so you can make informed decisions about how much a particular home is worth. NAR reports that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/research-and-statistics\/research-reports\/highlights-from-the-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers\">52% of buyers<\/a> choose to work with agents because they wanted help finding the right home.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re also available to help you navigate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-making-an-offer-on-a-house-tips\/\">writing an offer<\/a> and entering into a contract once your offer is accepted. And they\u2019re there to offer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-why-hire-a-real-estate-agent\/\">tons of other support<\/a> and answer any questions you may have.<\/p>\n<p>If your agent doesn\u2019t volunteer this information \u2014 or worse if they don\u2019t answer your questions \u2014 then what was the point of hiring them in the first place?<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where the reasonable care and diligence part of a real estate agent\u2019s fiduciary duties comes in. A licensed agent is expected to share their knowledge of the industry to act in the best interest of their clients.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--4\" data-toc-header=\"What happens if you feel that your agent has NOT fulfilled their fiduciary duties?\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>What happens if you feel that your agent has NOT fulfilled their fiduciary duties?<\/h2>\n<p>If you suspect your real estate agent has violated their fiduciary duties or is otherwise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/unethical-realtor-behavior\/\">acting unethically<\/a>, you may consider firing them or even taking legal actions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn our industry, unfortunately, there\u2019s some that don&#8217;t understand [fiduciary duties],\u201d Anderson says. \u201cThey&#8217;re looking for the bottom line and it&#8217;s for themselves and not just for their client.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For minor issues, Anderson recommends talking with your agent first to ensure that there aren\u2019t any miscommunications. This could apply if you think your agent isn\u2019t <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/signs-of-a-bad-real-estate-agent\/\">responding quickly enough<\/a> or you don\u2019t think they\u2019re providing thoughtful answers to your questions, and therefore are violating the reasonable care and diligence aspect of their fiduciary duties.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere&#8217;s a lot of emotions when purchasing a home,\u201d Anderson says. \u201cMaybe there&#8217;s just a misunderstanding between the Realtor\u00ae and buyer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you think your agent has committed a more severe or potentially illegal breach of fiduciary duty, you may want to contact a real estate attorney. They can help determine if your state has any protections that can help you and can advise on what you can do within the bounds of any agency agreements you may have signed.<\/p>\n<p>In cases where your agent has done something illegal, you should contact your state\u2019s real estate commission and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/unethical-realtor-behavior\/\">file a complaint<\/a>. A quick Google search with your state name and the term \u201creal estate commission\u201d can help you find out who to file a report with.<\/p>\n<p>If your agent has just committed an ethical violation, you can also get in touch with your local NAR chapter if you feel it has violated their code of ethics. NAR has a <a href=\"https:\/\/directories.apps.realtor\/directories\/index.html?type=association\">directory<\/a> where you can look up your local chapter to find out who to contact.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever the case may be, you will likely want to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-fire-my-real-estate-agent\/\">fire your agent<\/a> over a breach of fiduciary duty. You should consult your agency contract to learn what the protocols are for letting your agent go.<\/p>\n<p>In some cases, you may be required to work with a different agent at the same brokerage until the contract expires. In others, you might be able to terminate the contract and move on.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--5\" data-toc-header=\"How to find top agents\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>How to find top agents<\/h2>\n<p>An agent who takes their fiduciary duties seriously is working with integrity. And an agent who works with integrity is one who has your best interests at heart.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere&#8217;s a lot of wonderful Realtors\u00ae out there that really do truly care about their clients,\u201d Anderson says.<\/p>\n<p>What Anderson says is true \u2014 in 2021, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/research-and-statistics\/research-reports\/highlights-from-the-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers\">90% of buyers<\/a> said they would use their agent again or that they would recommend their agent to others, NAR reported.<\/p>\n<p>So, how can you find the one that\u2019s right for you?<\/p>\n<p>When you first start <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-interview-a-real-estate-agent\/\">interviewing potential agents<\/a>, they should be upfront and honest about their fiduciary duties. The best agents will want to share this information because they know it can help buyers better understand the process.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for an agent who will put your interests above all else in the transaction, HomeLight\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-real-estate-agents\/buying\">agent search tool<\/a> can help you find top agents in your area by analyzing millions of real estate transactions and presenting you with the facts. Agents cannot pay to be featured on HomeLight\u2019s platform, so you can get an unbiased match in just a few minutes.<\/p>\n<p>From there, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-pick-a-real-estate-agent\/\">you can ask them<\/a> about their perspective on their fiduciary duties, see what responsibilities are outlined in their contracts, and inquire about what characteristics make them a good fit to work with you.<\/p>\n<p><em>Header Image Source: (LinkedIn Sales Solutions \/ Unsplash)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A buyer\u2019s agent has six fiduciary duties to their clients. Here\u2019s what you need to know about each of them, plus what to do if your agent doesn\u2019t perform. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":263,"featured_media":32832,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,640,638],"tags":[756],"class_list":["post-32830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-work-with-agents","category-house-hunting","tag-what-do-real-estate-agents-do"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Buyer\u2019s Agent Fiduciary Duties Explained for First-Time Homebuyers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A buyer\u2019s agent has six fiduciary duties to their clients. 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