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dpb

wrote:
....

nearly everywhere the agents comission comes out of sellers proceeds,
and in PA all agewnts work for the seller unless otherwise specified.
....

That may be so in PA and where your "nearly everywhere" covers, but not
so here -- generally the commission is paid by the buyer although it is
typically a first offer request by a prospective purchaser for the
seller to pay it instead. That, of course, is also occasionally
dependent on whether the listing agency/agent finds the prospect or
whether the prospect comes from a MLS agent. Whether the seller
accepts the offer to "eat" the commission is their call -- some will to
close the deal, some won't as they think they've set a fair market
price, some will offer to split the difference.

Here, the side of the fence the agent is on depends solely on what the
contract says -- and they may, under certain circumstances, act as
brokers for either/both. Bottom line is, need to know what the local
laws are and read every contract word carefully, as they aren't the
same everywhere by any means.