[Sylvanfan]

As much as real estate sellers like to whine and complain about a realtors commission....once you get past the first 100k, it's not that much. So really if you spend an extra 50 grand and it's not a double ended sale thats another $750 for your realtor.... I can see why a realtor might try to present the advantages of a property that is their own listing as the double ended sale is the big fish for them in that bussiness. But ultimately most of them are looking to get a sale and in order to do that they do need to find a house that their clients like.

Although when you get into new construction often builders will charge you the buyer more for using a realtor because they have their price that they want. Really do you expect a realtor to help you buy a place where he/she isn't going to get paid anything to do so? Realtors probably have more of their time wasted by fickle folks than any other profession out there. If a condo developer isn't going to pay them anything to sell their place, the onus is on you the buyer to look at it yourself and make the deal with the seller. Unless you negotiate to pay your realtor a fee to handle the transaction...I wouldn't expect a realtor to help you out much there.