Should I skip having a buyer's agent to save money?

Skipping a buyer's agent does not guarantee savings, since a seller's agent representing both sides has no obligation to negotiate against the seller's interests on a buyer's behalf. A buyer's own agent can often negotiate price, repair credits or closing cost help that offsets whatever the agreement calls for, while also catching contract issues an unrepresented buyer would miss. Joel Boss lays out those trade-offs plainly before a buyer decides to go it alone.