Who does a listing agent usually represent?

Who does a listing agent usually represent?

• A. The buyer
• B. The seller
• C. The lender
• D. The HOA

Answer: (B)

The listing agent is the seller’s representative in a real estate transaction. When a seller signs a listing agreement, the broker’s role is to market the home, field and present offers, and negotiate terms that protect and benefit the seller. The agent owes fiduciary duties to the seller—loyalty, confidentiality, obedience, and care—rather than to the buyer, lender, or HOA. A buyer is typically represented by a separate buyer’s agent, and the lender or HOA isn’t represented by the listing agent in normal practice. (Dual agency, where one licensee represents both sides, is possible in some cases but not the usual arrangement.)

The listing agent is the seller’s representative in a real estate transaction. When a seller signs a listing agreement, the broker’s role is to market the home, field and present offers, and negotiate terms that protect and benefit the seller. The agent owes fiduciary duties to the seller—loyalty, confidentiality, obedience, and care—rather than to the buyer, lender, or HOA. A buyer is typically represented by a separate buyer’s agent, and the lender or HOA isn’t represented by the listing agent in normal practice. (Dual agency, where one licensee represents both sides, is possible in some cases but not the usual arrangement.)