has caused buyers to wonder if using a real estate agent is no longer necessary or an expense that can be avoided. While doing the work yourself can save you money if you buy a “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) house and the seller agrees to reduce the price by 1.5% (half of what a listing agent would almost receive), for many, a do-it-yourself home purchase might be pricier than a real estate agent’s commission in the long run. Besides, a buyer generally doesn’t directly pay an agent any commission on a house purchase. On most home sales, there is a listing agent (the agent the seller engages to sell the property) and a selling agent (the agent who introduces the eventual buyer into the transaction). The selling agent is sometimes called the “buyer’s agent” because they are often working on a particular buyer’s behalf, and it’s easier than explaining that the selling agent is not the listing agent but the buyer’s agent. Some real estate agents market themselves as “buyer’s agents,” “exclusive buyer’s agents,” or “buyer’s representatives.” These real estate agents have chosen to make a business of finding homes for prospective buyers and handling the negotiations and transactions attendant to the purchase. These agents want to accentuate why buyers shouldn’t go directly to the listing agent when they purchase real estate. A buyer who goes directly to the listing agent and allows that agent to “manage” both sides of the transaction deals with an agent with conflicting responsibilities. Their job is to get a reasonable price for the seller, and they might not ambitiously represent the buyer’s interests. Those who market themselves as buyer’s agents indicate they only work for the buyer in a real estate transaction. The buyer’s agent's commission is paid by the seller, except in rare cases. They either get paid directly by the seller or set up the transaction so that the seller provides a “credit” to the buyer
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