You won't be best represented by using the same agent. Hire someone who only has your interests, not a relationship with the seller of the property that you want to buy.

I think sushipup probably gave good “rule of thumb” advice, however if the agent in question is a real dynamo, she’d be just as fierce an advocate when representing you.

I would not get into a dual agent contract. the agent selling the house you want to buy is obligated to do the best for his selling client, not you. I also wouldn't want my buying information passed on to a seller, and yes it does happen.

Have friends who used the selling agent and they felt that their interests were not put first. There were just thinking it would be easier but they did not find that to be the case. They said they would not do it again.

What's the market like where you live? Are you willing/able to buy the new house before your home sells? Depending on the size of your community and how sought after those six houses are, you could really be in a poor negotiating place if you need to sell your home before completing the purchase on the other. We "lost" the home of our dreams because we didn't have a strategy in place against an all cash offer. In our defense, we weren't looking for a new home, so we were completely caught off guard with the need to rapidly get pre-approval for carrying a second mortgages and such and weren't in the best position against an all cash offer. It has been several years, but there are four homes on that street and if one of them comes up for sale, we're now prepared to quickly move quickly.

On a separate note, our real estate agent has had success in the past by talking to home owners in a particular neighborhood favored by his client. The home had the location and floor plan his buyer really wanted. When approached, it turned out they were thinking of listing their house for sale and agreed to sell directly to his client, the home was never listed on the MLS. That might be worth a try.

I'm not sure if using the listing agent gives you any more leverage. You're in a unique position if there are only 6 houses you are interested in purchasing. If the agent knows that, they could leverage that to increase the final price. However, that knowledge could also work in reverse, if you bid aggressively and the seller knows you love the location and home, they might be happier to have their home truly appreciated by the new buyer. It definitely is a game of psychology and totally dependent on the personalities of all involved, not sure that there really is a clear cut answer on this one.

I am a Realtor in Massachusetts. I have only been a dual agent once and the transaction was very smooth. I can tell you my interest was in getting the deal done and being fair to both parties. In my company both parties need to give permission for dual agency.

In my opinion, you should find the best listing agent that you can and that is your agent.

I would much rather have an agent who is the right person to sell my home in a dual agency situation on a home I am buying, than not getting the best agent to sell my home in order to avoid dual agency. I believe the listing agent is much more impactful than the buying agent.

Additionally the farther you are removed from the seller, the more likely miscommunication errors are to happen.

If you have some experience with buying and selling, then using the listing agent as your buying agent can work well. We have done this when buying in a hot sellers market. We always pay a lawyer to review the contract and any other negotiations.

If you have never bought a house or it has been 20+ years since the last time, then I would suggest you get your own agent.