Realtor Agents

Realtor agents can offer customer or client levels of service.  One of these choices provides more advocacy and protection to you as a buyer.

What is the difference between a Realtor who acts as a buyer’s agent and one who acts as a transaction broker?

There is a huge difference between the roles of a “buyer’s agent” and a “transaction broker” although most consumers don’t begin to learn about the difference until they start the real estate buying process. The buyer agent role provides protection and advocacy to buyers, and the transaction broker, sometimes called here in the US an “intermediary” or “facilitator”  literally brokers the transaction—that is, enables the process by which a real estate buyer and seller get together and transact business.

See this video produced by the Real Estate Buyer Agency Council on the difference between customers and clients:

In countries outside of the US, the real estate agent or “estate agent” is oftentimes acting more like an intermediary, where buyers of real estate are treated more as customers than clients. It is common to have the legal protection of a qualified attorney. An attorney must be present at closing in some eastern states of the US.