It used to be, years back, that there were two types of real-estate agents: Those who listed homes and those folks who took buyers around to look at homes represented by a listing service (MLS). Both were necessary at that time. Because the Internet and online real-estate listings didn’t exist, the agents who showed homes to buyers generally spent a lot of money on gas and earned every penny of their commission.
With changes in technology, a new kind of agent has emerged. These agents are called “exclusive buyer agent,” and are responsible to the buyer alone. Although a full service agent could be employed as a buyer’s agent, some don’t list homes at all.
Some real estate pundits recommend that buyers seek out such agents, as they’ll not only keep your confidence, they’ll also drive you around, give you valuable insight into market conditions and negotiate hard on your behalf, without any possibility of a conflict of interest.
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