The listing agent just told me she represents the seller on three of the four units I am comparing
On a four-unit search where one agent holds three of the listings, the natural move is to work with her on all three and use a separate buyer's agent for the fourth. The comparison that matters is not the commission math but what happens to her advice the moment she holds both sides. On a dual agency deal, she cannot tell you the seller's bottom line, cannot recommend you offer below asking, and cannot tell you the inspection turned up something the seller already knew about. Those are the three places where a buyer's agent earns the fee, and all three disappear under dual agency. The fourth property, where she has no listing, is where you get unfiltered guidance. That asymmetry is worth tracking as you compare the four deals, because the one where you have full representation may look worse on paper and perform better on terms. What I would want to know before making any of the three offers through her is whether your state permits designated agency inside her brokerage, and if so, whether the wall between agents is real or just a signature on a form. A nine-person office with one supervising broker rarely has a wall that holds. Which state are you in, and has she disclosed how her brokerage handles same-office dual agency in writing yet?
