If you don’t have a WRITTEN buyer representaion agreement with a real estate agent, then that agent will be working for the home seller BY DEFAULT and will get the best deal for them (maybe at your expense.) The typical scenario works like this: The Realtor says that the owner doesn't want to negotiate on terms. Why? Because he is trying to get THEM the best deal, not YOU! Is he showing you listings that aren’t what you want? That’s because he is trying to sell the houses that are listed with his company ONLY! (Can’t blame him, that’s what he is contracted to do.) Did the sellers find out that you were willing to pay full price? That’s because THEIR agent told THEM what you said! (He HAS to do this. He is THEIR agent, not YOUR agent.) You wouldn’t think of going into a courtroom and expecting the other guy’s lawyer to be looking out for you, would you? The same idea applies to real estate agents.