Can You Get A Better Deal Through The Realtor Whose Sign Is In Front Of The Duplex?

Is it true you get a better deal if you contact the Realtor whose sign is in front of a property (the listing agent) than you would using an agent not affiliated with the property whatsoever?

No.

The agent whose sign is in front of the duplex for sale has a fiduciary duty to the seller. That duty includes getting that property owner as much money as she can for the property.

As the Realtor’s commission comes out of the seller’s equity, it is really the seller’s money a buyer is asking the agent to give away.

Doing so would be like stealing from the seller; whom the agent on the sign represents.

But what if both the buyer and seller are represented by the same Realtor or real estate brokerage? Meaning both have a signed cont

That creates something called dual agency. In that case, the Realtor, or the two Realtors with the same broker, need to act in both the buyer and sellers best interests.

However, as the listing agent already has a signed contract with the seller, in which the seller most likely agreed to pay a fixed commission, regardless of who represents any prospective buyer. Agreeing to sell it at a discount would likely be a deterrent to bringing a buyer, rather than an incentive.  After all, the agent would earn less than she would if she sold some other property.

Believe it or not, Realtors work long hours, often without pay. And we bring our best deals to the clients who find what we do valuable, not to those who don’t.