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Questions and Answers on: WORKING WITH REAL ESTATE AGENTS
When buying or selling real estate, you may find it helpful to have a real estate agent assist you.
Real estate agents can provide many useful services and work with you in different ways. In
some real estate transactions, the agents work only for the seller. In other transactions, the
seller and buyer may each have their own agents. And sometimes the same agent or firm
works for both the buyer and the seller in the same transaction. It is important for you to know
whether an agent is representing you as your agent or simply assisting you while acting as an
agent of the other party.
Do not share any confidential information with a real estate agent or assume that the agent is
acting on your behalf until you have entered into a written agreement with the agent to
represent you. Otherwise, the agent can share your confidential information with others and
this could hurt your ability to negotiate the best deal.
To assist buyers and sellers in understanding the roles of real estate agents, the Real Estate
Commission requires agents in sales transactions to (1) review a “Working With Real Estate
Agents Disclosure” with you at first substantial contact - before asking for or receiving your
confidential information and (2) give you a copy of the Disclosure form after you sign it. The
Disclosure form is for your education and protection and is not a contract.
This Q&A brochure assumes that you are a prospective buyer or seller and answers common
questions about the various types of agency relationships that may be available to you. It
should help you:
• decide which relationship you want to have with a real estate agent
• give you useful information about the various services real estate agents can provide
buyers and sellers
• explain how real estate agents are paid