Last updated 18 March 2022

When approaching real estate agents for particulars of homes, three things should always be remembered:

  • The real estate agent’s income is usually derived from commissions on sales (i.e. agents have a personal interest in trying to sell a property at the highest possible price).
  • The agent has been appointed by the seller and owes a duty to that person; the agent does of course have ethical obligations to deal fairly with the buyer.
  • The asking prices for homes are likely to be higher than the prices for which the owners expect to sell the properties. Buyers should be prepared to bargain for properties.