Q: Marsha, my wife and I have been working with our buyer’s agent for several months. She is great and hardworking. My question is: If we find a house on our own, do we need to use her?
A: What you are asking sounds simple, but it is actually a complicated question. If you signed any one of the three different levels of the buyer-broker agreement contracts with your agent, then you have a contract with your agent and need to use only her.
It sounds like you haven’t signed a contract and want to know if you need to stay loyal to her. You seem to realize that the seller is paying the listing agent who in turn splits his commission with the agent who brings in the buyer. You wonder whether you would have a better chance of acquiring the house at a better price if you also had the listing agent represent you.