In a buyer agency relationship, how is the seller viewed by the licensee?

In a buyer agency relationship, the licensee represents the buyer and has a fiduciary duty to act in the buyer's best interests. In this context, the seller is viewed as a customer. This means that while the licensee must treat the seller fairly and honestly, the seller does not have the same privileges as the buyer regarding representation. The licensee’s obligations are primarily toward the buyer, who is the client.

This distinction is crucial because it underlines the nature of the relationship. The seller is not entitled to the same level of service or confidentiality that a client would receive; instead, the licensee must provide basic fair treatment as a customer but is not bound by the same fiduciary obligations.

Other possible interpretations of the seller's status, like being viewed as a client or a fiduciary, do not apply in a buyer agency situation, as the licensee’s primary loyalty lies with the buyer. The idea of the seller being a "nemesis" is also not relevant, as it trivializes the professional relationship that must exist in real estate transactions. Hence, the seller is correctly regarded as the licensee's customer in this scenario.