Should I Be a Listing Agent or Buyer’s Agent?

Posted on 07.17.25

Being a real estate agent might seem pretty straightforward. After all, you’re simply helping people sell or buy their homes. But did you know the responsibilities can vary quite a bit depending on which side you represent? Whether you're just starting out and exploring real estate pre-licensing options or already licensed and considering continuing education, understanding the differences between being a listing agent and a buyer’s agent is essential. So, which role is more challenging, more rewarding, or more profitable? We’re breaking it all down below.

Is A Listing Agent the Same As A Buying Agent?

The language for real estate agents’ roles can be very confusing, so we don’t blame you for needing a primer. A listing agent is different from a buyers’ agent, but even worse, a sellers’ agent is different from a selling agent.

Let us explain.

Sellers’ Agents Represent Home Sellers

Listing agents – also called sellers’ agents – get exclusive rights to list a home on behalf of the home sellers and negotiate the sale terms on their behalf.

Selling Agents Represent Home Buyers

Buying or buyers’ agents – also called selling agents – help prospective home buyers find a property to buy and get the best deal possible.

Is It Harder to Be a Listing Agent or a Buyer’s Agent?

Both roles share some common challenges. Which role you find more difficult probably depends on your particular skills and areas of expertise, so let’s take a closer look at what seller’s agents and buyer’s agents do.

Is It Hard To Be A Listing Agent?

The duties of a listing agent include:

Guiding homeowners through each step of the sales process
Setting a reasonable asking price based on location, size, age, and features
Recommending measures that will help the house sell faster or for more money
Taking photographs and/or creating virtual tours to showcase the house
Listing the home by adding it to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS)
Communicating with potential buyers and their agents
Marketing the house, scheduling showings, and hosting an open house
Recommending other industry professionals when necessary
Negotiating the terms of the sale with the seller's interests in mind
Representing the seller during home appraisals and/or inspections
Facilitating a smooth closing for the seller

These duties present many challenges. Being a seller’s agent can be difficult because:

Getting an exclusive listing agreement signed is hard. Here are some tips to help you win the listings race even when you have less experience.
You have to commit resources to marketing the home without any guarantee you’ll recoup the cost.
Setting the right price can be tricky. Too low, and you’re short-selling your client; too high, and you won’t be able to generate interest. You can lower it later, but you’ll have started off on the wrong foot.
Some sellers are high-maintenance. Selling your home is a stressful and emotional process, and it’s your job to guide sellers through all the uncertainty. Some sellers make this more difficult than others.
Deals can fall apart. And while you can put the house back on the market, that can make the next seller a lot more hesitant that something is wrong with the property.
A house can stay on the market too long. There are a lot of reasons a home won’t sell, and some of them are easier to fix than others.

Is It Hard To Be A Buyer’s Agent?

The duties of a buyer’s agent include:

Coaching a prospective buyer through every step of the purchasing process
Becoming familiar with the buyer's goals, needs, and desires
Suggesting properties that would be good for the buyer
Pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of a property during a showing
Helping the buyer decide on an offer and preparing the paperwork
Negotiating the purchase price and contractual terms
Recommending home inspectors and appraisers, etc
Facilitating a smooth closing from the buyer's perspective

These duties can present challenges that are different from those of a listing agent. Difficulties include:

Buyers don’t have to sign an exclusive agreement like sellers do. This makes it easier for clients to ghost you. They’re more likely to agent hop or to change their minds entirely about needing an agent’s services.
Representing buyers requires more time. This limits the number of clients you can take at once in comparison to representing sellers.
Clients can blame you for an unfavorable market. The market conditions in the area may make it difficult for a buyer to find and purchase the right home. They may attribute this bad experience to a lack of skill on your part.
It’s possible all your work results in no income. While both roles mean you only get paid upon closing, sellers are more committed to making a deal than buyers are. They’re less likely to give up on the process if they hit a speed bump. As a buyer’s agent, you’re far more likely than a seller’s agent to put in the time and have nothing to show for it.

Do Real Estate Agents Prefer to Be Seller’s or Buyer’s Agents?

Opinions vary, which is why some people choose to serve as listing agents, and some choose the role of selling agent.

Real estate agents who prefer the listing role say it’s more scalable because you can take more listings at a time. Sellers need less of your attention than buyers. Many argue that being a seller’s agent is more lucrative (more on this below).

Real estate agents who prefer the selling role say they enjoy working with buyers more. Many sellers behave in an entitled manner because they know they’re eventually paying your commission. Buyers are more likely to be grateful for your work (and, therefore, more likely to give you referrals).

Do Listing Agents Make More Than Buyer’s Agents?

There isn't a lot of hard data since reported salaries tend to be tied to everyone together as real estate agents. The answer may also change based on local market conditions.

The prevailing notion among real estate agents is that listing agents make more money, or at least, have the potential to do so.

There are a few reasons this might be true:

Since sellers take less time than buyers, listing agents can take more clients at once. This increases their potential earnings.
Since sellers are more committed than buyers, listing agents are more likely to have something to show for their work. This means you’re less likely to work for free.
In most states, a single agent – the listing agent – is allowed to close a deal on behalf of both parties. Therefore, they don’t have to share the commission. A buyer’s agent must always split their commission with a listing agent. Therefore, in many states, a listing agent automatically has more earnings potential than a buyer’s agent.

So much of a real estate agent’s success depends on their hustle and skill level that it’s hard to make a blanket statement about who earns more. In states where dual agency is banned, the difference in income is narrower because all deals are two-agent deals. In states that allow single-agent deals, the difference may be more pronounced.

When you’re starting out in the profession, being a listing agent gives you more of a safety net. It allows you to learn the industry with less potential downside. In dual agency states, it’s certainly an advantage that can make or break your career.

For experienced agents, on the other hand, playing the role of buyer’s agent may be more enjoyable, and armed with knowledge and skill, there may not be much downside at all.

Do You Need To Choose?

No, you do not need to choose between being a seller’s agent or a buyer’s agent. All states allow you to play both roles, just not always on the same deal. You can have the best of both worlds by serving as a seller’s agent in some cases and a buyer’s agent in others.

There are a handful of states where it’s illegal to serve both roles on one deal. Some of these require separate brokerages for buyers and sellers, while others allow both parties to share a brokerage as long as they’re represented by different individuals. Agents in these states rarely specialize as exclusive buyer’s agents because the law prevents an ethical lapse. Many agents choose to take both types of clients.

In other states (or in the District of Columbia) where dual agency is the norm, some agents prefer to distinguish themselves as a buyer’s agent. Since they never represent sellers, a buyer can feel reassured that an exclusive buyer’s agent will never have a conflict of interest.

Learn More With Online Real Estate Education

As you can see, there’s a lot of nuance in the roles that real estate agents play; it’s far from the only extremely complicated topic in real estate.

Whether you’re looking for pre-license education or continuing education (CE), we offer high-quality state-approved real estate courses that make learning easy. Learning is always self-paced, so you can take your time with challenging topics and sail through the easy ones. Online courses also allow you to fit your studying in anywhere and anytime that is most convenient. You just need the internet!

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