Key Players and Their Roles in Every Real Estate Deal
Buyers are often surprised to learn that not everyone at the closing table is working in their interest. Each professional has a specific role and a specific loyalty. Understanding that clearly from the start helps you ask the right person the right question.
Your Buyer's Agent
Your buyer's agent is the person whose job is to represent your interests in the transaction. They help you find properties, evaluate condition and price, structure offers, negotiate, manage the contract process, and navigate the closing. Under Arizona agency law, your buyer's agent owes you duties of loyalty, disclosure, and confidentiality.
Since the 2024 NAR settlement changes, buyer's agent compensation must be agreed to in writing before touring homes. Understand what you are agreeing to pay and what services you are receiving. I am upfront about this conversation with every buyer from the first meeting.
The Listing Agent
The listing agent (also called the seller's agent) represents the seller. Their job is to get the seller the best price and terms. They are not your ally in a negotiation, even if they are friendly and helpful on the phone. Never share information with a listing agent that you would not want the seller to know.
In a dual agency situation, one agent represents both buyer and seller. Arizona permits this with written consent, but it fundamentally limits the agent's ability to advocate fully for either party. Understand what you are agreeing to before consenting to dual agency.
Questions as you read? Ask me right here.
Leave your name and email and I will answer it directly.
By submitting you agree to receive emails about your Arizona home search. See our privacy policy.
Prefer to talk now? Call or text (623) 826-0888. You reach me, not a call center. No spam, cancel anytime.
The Lender
Your lender's job is to evaluate your creditworthiness and provide financing if you qualify. They work for their institution, not for you or the seller. A good lender will communicate clearly and proactively, but understand that their underwriters are protecting the bank's investment, not advocating for your purchase.
The lender orders the appraisal, conditions your approval, and ultimately funds the loan. Their timeline drives much of the closing schedule. A lender who under-promises and over-delivers on timelines is worth more than one with a great rate and a history of last-minute problems.
Title Officer, Inspector, and Appraiser
The title/escrow officer is a neutral third party managing the transaction mechanics -- documents, funds, and coordination. They work for the transaction, not for either side. The home inspector is hired by you and works for you -- they are the one professional in the process whose job is solely to tell you the truth about the property's condition.
The appraiser is hired by and reports to the lender, not to you. They are tasked with confirming that the property is worth what the lender is financing. Their job is to protect the bank's collateral, not to help you justify your offer price. A low appraisal affects the loan, not just the negotiation.
Live MLS search
See what is on the market in the Valley
Search live ARMLS listings in the Valley with the full map and filters, or tell me your criteria and I will set up automatic alerts so new matches reach you the moment they hit the market.
Written by
Jon Hegreness
REALTOR / Associate Broker, Howe Realty. AZ License BR540940000. 24 years in Phoenix Valley residential real estate.
I am a full-time Valley associate broker, not a call center. If anything here raised a question about your own move, ask me and you get a straight answer from the person who wrote this, every time.
Common questions
- Does the buyer pay for their own agent in Arizona now?
- Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer's agent compensation must be agreed to in writing. In many transactions, sellers still offer compensation to the buyer's agent, but this is now negotiated rather than assumed. Discuss this clearly with any agent before you start working together.
- Can the listing agent help me as an unrepresented buyer?
- They can provide information about the property, but they represent the seller's interests. They cannot be your advocate in a negotiation while simultaneously working for the other side. Having your own representation is almost always in your interest.
- Who orders the home inspection -- me or my agent?
- You do (typically arranged through your agent). The inspector works for you and reports to you. Pay for your own inspector rather than using one suggested by the seller. You want complete independence in that relationship.
- Can I dispute a low appraisal?
- You can request a reconsideration of value from the appraiser, providing additional comparable sales that you believe support a higher value. Your agent can help compile this. Success rates vary, but it is worth pursuing when the comps genuinely support your price.
- Do I have to sign a buyer-broker agreement before I see homes?
- Yes. As of August 2024, Arizona follows NAR settlement rules requiring a written buyer-broker agreement before a licensed agent can show you homes. I cover what it says before we sign so you understand the compensation structure and representation terms going in.
More guides in the Learn library.