Is Your Agent Working For or Against You?

Ana Maria Sencovici
Updated
A Buyer's real estate agent gets paid by the seller, but that's only the start of the conflicts.
A Buyer's real estate agent gets paid by the seller, but that's only the start of the conflicts.

You're ready to buy a new home: thrilled, right? But somehow, you can't shake that nagging feeling that maybe you're paying more than you needed to. Did your agent act solely in your interest? Or did he/she have other incentives to weigh?

The fact is, you may never know for sure. There is no one national governing body that dictates agents' behavior or disclosures. The National Association of Realtors has a Code of Ethics and Standards, but laws vary by state. Some states don't allow agents to represent both buyer and seller without full disclosure, while others give carte blanche to any and all incentive fees to sell a property.

The agent disclosure issue has become a flash point in some states.

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