"Confide to a traditional real estate broker that you're prepared to bid as much as $150,000 on a house, and the broker will tip off the seller. Tell a buyer broker, and the seller will never know."

 
"Buyer brokers: agents that buyers can call their own." "If your real estate agent isn't a buyer broker, he works for the seller." "Buyers no longer have to fend for themselves."

Dayton Daily News

Columbus Dispatch

"Most homebuyers would prefer to have their agent represent them exclusively in the transaction. That way, they would be assured of their agent's undivided loyalty." "Just be aware that in a dual agency situation, you may have to advocate for yourself, and take more precaution to protect yourself, than you would if you had exclusive representation."

"In a house sale, does it matter that the agent representing the buyer and the agent representing the seller work for the same brokerage?" "...when the agents work for the same broker-they're known as "dual agents" in that case..." "The representation dual agents are able to provide is not nearly as expansive and complete as full representation." "...some lawyers have doubts about the same brokerage representing both sides in a real estate transaction."

Only by using an exclusive buyer agent can a buyer be sure all information is kept confidential. Only an exclusive buyer agent can give the buyer an objective, experienced opinion of the homes viewed to ensure the buyer gets the right home, in the right location, at the right price. Mobility Magazine

 
"Many people don't realize that, unless specifically stated otherwise, brokers are legal representatives of sellers. A buyer's broker, representing only the buyer, may be able to secure a better price and better terms."

 
"Buyer's brokerage is becoming accepted. Unlike a traditional real estate agent, under which the agent works for the seller, buyer brokers work for the buyer."

Dual agents supposedly don’t reveal confidential information to either party. They say they just shuttle offers back and forth. But brokers can’t truly serve two masters, says broker Saul Klein of the D.F. Anthony Group in San Diego. "Dual agency is outmoded. It needs to be eliminated, " he says. Say you’ve asked your broker to represent you exclusively. Then you get interested in a house owned by a seller that your broker represents. To bid for it, you may then agree to accept dual agency -- but now your broker has confidential information from both sides. Supposedly, the broker agrees not to reveal that information to either party, but you can’t be sure of how well that works in practice. Jane Bryant Quinn

"Agents: How to hire one for your side." "Most agents who show you homes don't represent your interests. They work for the seller, and their objective is to sell the house at the highest possible price."

"Exclusive agencies are best. They remove any conflict of interest, which is the main reason for considering a buyer broker in the first place." "Exclusive buyer's brokers work only with buyers and don't take listings. They're obligated to help you find the best deal and lowest price."

A broker who has developed a relationship with a buyer might know things that the buyer might not want a potential seller to know--like how much the purchaser is willing to spend. The broker, however, more often than not has a duty to disclose such information to the seller since most brokers are really working for the seller. Hiring a broker as a "dual agent" may have its own built-in tensions. "It's hard to serve two masters," said William Colavito, a Manhattan lawyer who is chairman of the real property section of the New York State Bar Association. "Just as it would create a problem for a lawyer to represent both sides in a transaction, it could create the same problem for a broker." "Generally," Mr. Colavito said, "a buyer would get the most protection and the best advocation by dealing with a buyer's broker." The New York Times