Advice for working directly w listing/seller agents

[Robin J.]

Hi BP,

I haven’t done this but I was wondering for investors who reach out directly and work with seller agents in dual representation, what pieces of advice or stories do you have?

I ask because I’ve heard from other investors that sometimes going w the listing agent may help you better understand the seller motivation and what it would take to present a stronger offer. However, the downside is that you don’t have the incentives aligned with your representative in the transaction and may not help you get the best price.

I’d like to explore this option at some point, but as a newer investor I don’t have the expertise just yet. What would you do if you were to explore this option and how would you prevent yourself from being burned?