Top Reasons You Need Your Own Agent When Buying a Home

By Philip Kang

Philip Kang is the visionary team leader of the HomeReady Team, based in Orange County, California. Since founding the team, Philip has driven rapid growth year after year, with the team on track to close over $150 million in real estate volume in 2025.

We hear this question all the time from buyers: “Should I just go straight to the listing agent?”

We get where that idea comes from. You see a home online, you like it, and you think, “Why not talk directly to the person who already knows the seller? Maybe it’ll make the process faster or even save a little money.”

However, when you go directly to the listing agent, you’re talking to someone who already has a fiduciary duty to the seller. Their first responsibility is to help their client, the seller, get the best price and terms possible. That means their loyalty isn’t to you as the buyer.

Let’s put it this way: Would you ever let your ex’s lawyer represent you in a divorce? Probably not. Because no matter how nice that lawyer is, they can’t protect both sides equally. Real estate is the same way.

Here are some reasons why working with your seller’s listing agent rarely works out:

Whose side are they really on? The seller’s agent already has a target price in mind, and their job is to get as close to that number as possible. So even if they seem helpful, they’re still focused on getting the best deal for their seller, not helping you save money or negotiate better terms.

And that’s where things get tricky.

Let’s say you’re under contract and the inspection report shows a water stain on the ceiling. You ask for repairs, but the seller doesn’t want to fix anything. If that same agent is representing both of you, they’re stuck. They can’t fully fight for you because they also need to protect their seller’s side.

We’ve seen situations where agents downplay issues just to keep the deal together because they don’t want to lose two commissions if it falls apart. And that’s the exact moment when you need someone who will speak up for you.

And that’s where things get tricky.

Let’s say you’re under contract and the inspection report shows a water stain on the ceiling. You ask for repairs, but the seller doesn’t want to fix anything. If that same agent is representing both of you, they’re stuck. They can’t fully fight for you because they also need to protect their seller’s side.

We’ve seen situations where agents downplay issues just to keep the deal together because they don’t want to lose two commissions if it falls apart. And that’s the exact moment when you need someone who will speak up for you.

That’s why we always recommend having your own agent. When you hire a buyer’s agent, you’re hiring someone whose entire focus is on your best interest, negotiating the price, guiding you through inspections, and keeping you protected at every step.

Even on our own team, if we’re the listing agents and a buyer contacts us directly, we make sure a separate agent steps in to represent that buyer. That way, everyone gets fair, full representation without any conflict of interest.

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. You deserve someone who’s fully on your side, someone who can tell you when to push, when to pause, and when to walk away.

If you ever have questions about this process or want to make sure you’re being represented properly, reach out to us. You can call us directly at (714) 151-4543, or visit homereadyteam.com.

We’ll always give you honest advice, even if that means telling you not to go directly to the listing agent.