What happens if...

[Shannon X.]

A seller wants to sell their house to you but they had already listed it with an agency?

[J Scott]

You can still buy the house, but you'll likely have to deal with the agent during the negotiations (unless the seller insists the agent stay out of it) and the seller will likely still need to pay the agent commission for the sale.

Otherwise, it's the same as no agent involved.

All that said, keep in mind that an agent isn't going to want the seller to sell below market value, as the agent has a fiduciary responsibility to the seller and the agent also wants higher sales price to generate a higher commission. So, if you're trying to lowball, expect that the agent will do their best to get in the way.