{"id":7757,"date":"2024-12-26T18:10:03","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T02:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=7757"},"modified":"2026-04-07T09:57:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:57:13","slug":"can-realtor-represent-buyer-and-seller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/can-realtor-represent-buyer-and-seller\/","title":{"rendered":"Can a Realtor Represent Both the Seller and Buyer in a Transaction?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Typically as you go through the process of selling your house<\/a>, the agent you partner up with assists you and only you throughout the course of the transaction. This single agent has what\u2019s called a \u201cfiduciary responsibility<\/a>\u201d to uphold your best interests in good faith and trust. In the event that the seller\u2019s agent (your agent) also represents the buyer \u2014 that\u2019s called dual agency<\/a> and it works differently.<\/p>\n

The \u201cdual\u201d agent handles all of the communications, paperwork, and negotiations between both parties and is supposed to remain neutral<\/a> as the facilitator of the deal with no fiduciary duty to either side. However, dual agency could be seen as creating an inherent conflict of interest, so it comes with special disclosure requirements<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dual agency has drawn scrutiny and in January 2019 a consumer watchdog group published a report pushing the states to prohibit<\/a> the practice. However, to date dual agency is not uncommon<\/a>, so let\u2019s dig into the ins and outs of what you should know about it when you set out to sell the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

Step one: Talk to an expert!<\/h3>\n

Selling your house soon? Connect with a top agent near you to get an expert opinion on how much your house will sell for, what to fix before listing, and the latest local housing market trends.<\/p>\n \n

\n Learn More<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/div>Is it possible for an agent to represent both sides of a transaction?<\/h2>\n

\u201cAgents can act as a dual agent. But you need to have the consent of both parties in writing beforehand, and the agent has to become a neutral party representing both clients,\u201d says Mikel DeFrancesco<\/a>, a top-ranked broker in Quincy, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

But that commitment to stay neutral gets tricky: Say the appraisal comes in<\/a> and the buyer asks for a $10,000 price reduction. Next, the home inspection<\/a> notes your roof\u2019s age and other minor repairs needed, so now the buyer\u2019s demanding a roof credit and other concessions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And just when you think the deal\u2019s finally done, the buyer abruptly asks that you cover all closing costs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Suddenly you\u2019re left feeling like you\u2019re getting a whole lot less money for your house than it\u2019s worth, and you\u2019re wondering if you would have been better off with an agent who you could trust would try to negotiate the terms of the deal in your favor.<\/p>\n

When one person is trying to work out a \u201cfair\u201d deal for both the buyer and the seller, it\u2019s possible for both parties to walk away feeling like they got the short end of the stick.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s a reasonable expectation, trying to represent both the buyer and the seller fairly,\u201d says DeFrancesco. \u201cThat\u2019s why there\u2019s a movement building to prohibit it nationally<\/a>. I know that my company in Massachusetts doesn\u2019t allow it, I think for good reason.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To date dual agency is not uncommon, so let\u2019s dig into the ins and outs of what you should know about it when you set out to sell the house. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":7763,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[321,238],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attract-buyers","category-working-with-agents"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCan a Realtor Represent Both the Seller and Buyer in a Transaction?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"To date dual agency is not uncommon, so let\u2019s dig into the ins and outs of what you should know about it when you set out to sell the house.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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