What Kind of Agent?

If you are an agent, the question is: “What kind of Agent are you?” and if you’re a client the question is: “What kind of Agent do you want?”.

Well, there are basically two kinds: A Buyer’s Agent and a Listing Agent. One of the most confusing terminologies for new Agents is that a listing Agent “Lists” and a buyer’s Agent “sells”. That’s just the way it is. If a listing agent’s job is to sell a house for a client, doesn’t he then “sell” the house? And if a buyer’s Agent’s job is to assist the client in buying a house, doesn’t he “buy’ the house. No, actually the client “buys” and the agent “sells”. The listing agent just “lists”. Not too confusing, is it?

Most Brokers like to have listings and therefore, listing Agents. They feel that the “listing is king” and you then control the market. Also, there is a contractual relationship between the listing office and the client. When you work with buyers, no contract is usually signed at all. An Agent can spend untold hours driving the clients around and they could just go with another Agent without any consequences.

My question is why not do BOTH? If an Agent maintains a group of buyer clients and also obtains listings from farming, advertising, social media and networking, then he can introduce his buyers to his listings and “double end” the deal meaning he “sells his own listing”. Double commission is better any day of the week and any Broker would certainly agree.