Meet Tom...  Tom is a traditional real estate agent.  He works for a Broker in a large firm that lists homes for sale. Tom and his Broker do a great job selling houses--they advertise, hold open houses, always push the office listings first, and strive to get the highest price for their client--the Seller. Will Tom show you, the Buyer, houses for sale? You bet he will! Preferably his houses, or the office listings. But will he represent you? Protect your confidentiality? Bargain on your behalf? No! He can't, because Tom already represents--the Seller. Meet Dick...  Dick is a DUAL AGENT or Limited Agent.  He'd like you to believe he can represent both the seller and you, the Home Buyer. You'll meet Dick when he takes you into one of his own company's listings and tells you not to worry--that he'll work for you and the seller equally. Dick will labor hard to convince you that you have nothing to lose in a dual agency, that he'll be fair, that you can trust him. The only interest fully-protected in dual or limited agency is that of the agent and the Broker, who pocket both sides of the commission. In truth, dual  or limited agency serves neither the seller nor the buyer, it simply relieves the agent of any responsibility. By definition, limited agency limits the services that this agent offers. Meet Harriet...  Harriet works for the same company as Dick.  If you're a Buyer, Harriet will tell you she's a Designated Buyer's Agent for this transaction, and the other agent is a Designated Seller's Agent. And she'll be right! Unlike Dick, Harriet doesn't represent both parties in the same transaction. But her Broker does. Harriet may say she's independent of her Broker and that the Designated Seller's agent is, too. After all, real estate agents work for themselves, don't they? Not exactly. License law dictates that agents may not act independently of their Broker. Agents act for the Broker, in his place. The notion of independent, designated buyers agents in a firm that takes listings is nothing short of a hat trick. The agents change hats. The Broker wears just one. Its label says: Dual or Limited Agent. If you were defending yourself in a law suit you wouldn't use a lawyer from the Plaintiff's law firm--so why risk the most important purchase of your life by doing the same thing with a Real Estate Firm?
Now Say Hello to the Exclusive Buyer Brokers at Crager-Bartels Real Estate.  We are fully-licensed real estate agents who only represent Buyers, never Sellers. Exclusive Buyer Brokers do not list homes for sale, so there is no conflict of interest. All of our efforts are directed to finding the best house, at the lowest price, on the best terms for you--the Home Buyer. Exclusive Buyer Brokers are legally obligated to you, their clients. That means you can trust every Crager-Bartels Real Estate Broker to advise you on strategy, help protect your interests, preserve your confidentiality, and bargain hard on your behalf. To top it all off, we never charge a fee for our services.  Is America great or what?