On Sun, 02 May 2010 13:49:01 -0500, dpb wrote:

wrote:
...

Huh? The agent hired to *list* the house is always working for the seller.
Who would be dumb enough to sign a contract otherwise? The agent the buyer
uses is often/usually (almost always) working for the seller, as well, but
that's a separate issue.
...

That depends on state and agency...they _can_ be a sellers' agent,
buyers' agent or dual, depending. Depends on State what is allowed...

Who's paying the commission to the listing agent? Generally, the buyer...

Up here there is a listing fee and a buying fee. If the same agent
lists and sells, they get the whole fee. If one agent lists and
another sells, the fee is split (I don't think it's 50/50 either -
seems the listing agent gets the bigger chunk)

As for who signs such contracts, those who merely assume the agent is a
sellers' agent and don't carefully read the fine print or ask questions...

"Most states in the US require real estate agents to disclose who they
work for, buyer or sellers or both. Some disclosures can be verbal and
others must be in writing. ..."

http://homebuying.about.com/cs/disclosures/l/bl_disclosures.htm

They don't have RI listed and I didn't do any further searching for
RI-specific law.

But, as in so many things, "it all depends"...

...

Then, of course, there's always the counter-offer of "split the
difference witcha', ok?"

Not going to work if the bank or insurance company require it. It'll have to
be done before the sale.

The offer/counter-offer period precedes the sale; it's the basis for the
final contract. The point of the preceding is to find out what really
is an issue and what is simply being "made up" for the
convenience/benefit of the buyer to get them to make the investment.

I'm not saying one way or the other about what is/isn't the actual
situation in RI; only that I'd not as seller simply take the word of
prospective buyers who are looking to make the best deal for themselves
they can.