In article , Rainman wrote:
Hi. I've been house hunting for a while, and I'm really torn between dual
agency or having my own agent working for me.

Why are you "torn"? This is a no-brainer: in dual agency, the agent is working
for the seller, and you have nobody working for you.

With dual agency, does the seller's agent also take the buyer's
commissions?

Yes.

[snip]
Shouldn't I be at a small advantage in not having a buyer's agent, if I'm
able to negotiate?

No. You're at a tremendous DISadvantage here.

First of all, as a buyer, you have *no* leverage whatever to negotiate
commissions, regardless of whom the agents are working for, because you're not
paying them. The *seller* pays the commissions. You have no role in that. The
commission is determined by the listing contract between the seller and the
listing agent, and thus you are not, and cannot be, a party to any negotiation
over commission.

Second, without an agent working to represent your interests, you're in a very
weak position to negotiate anything. The only leverage you have is your
willingness to walk away.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?