What is a potential ethical concern with dual agency?

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Dual agency creates a potential conflict of interest. When one agent represents both the buyer and the seller in the same transaction, there are competing loyalties: helping one client often comes at the expense of the other. This arrangement can lead to the inadvertent disclosure or misuse of confidential information, or to guidance that favors a smoother closing over the strongest possible terms for one side. To address this, many jurisdictions require informed written consent and clear disclosure of duties, and some prohibit dual agency altogether to protect clients. So the key ethical concern centers on the conflict of interest that arises when one agent owes duties to two parties with opposing interests. Faster closing or higher commissions aren’t inherently ethical concerns of dual agency, and a lower risk of liability isn’t typically viewed as a benefit of this arrangement.