Why It’s a Bad Idea to Go Directly to a Listing Agent

When buying a home, if you think you can cut yourself a deal by going directly to the listing agent, you are sorely mistaken.

Want to Buy a Home? Search All HomesWant to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value ReportDon’t go directly to a listing agent when buying a property.

Cutting corners here might seem like a good idea—you could just go directly to the seller’s representative and maybe negotiate some money off of their commission, saving you money in the process.

However, the bad news for you is that the seller’s agent doesn’t represent you.

Think of it this way: If you’re in court as a defendant, would you go to the prosecutor to get advice about how to win the case? Or do you think that their advice would be suspect, given that they represent the side whose interests conflict with yours?

It’s the same thing with the seller’s representation. They have a contract with the seller, and their single goal is for their client to get the best deal they can, and that doesn’t usually involve helping you out.

What’s more, if you try to negotiate their commission down, you not only won’t succeed, but you’ll probably offend that agent.

When you get a buyer’s agent to represent your interests, you’ll want someone to serve your interests above their own. An agent who represents you as a buyer will get around half the commission, but it won’t cost you anymore, since it has already been negotiated with the seller to pay that amount. Professional negotiation and representation skills at no extra cost—that’s the reason you should find an agent of your own instead of appealing to the listing agent directly.

If you would like a more in-depth explanation of how this works or want to chat about real estate in general, please feel free to reach out to someone on the Prince Team. We’ll get back to you straight away.