Hahahahahaha. Everyone hires a Realtor(tm), once.

My experience: the one time she actually had to facilitate a showing of the house, the alarm system got set off. And when the buyers asked to change the closing date (after plane tickets were bought), she agreed and told us we had no choice. The attorney set them all straight.

A realtor's primary skill seems to be getting you to sign the listing contract.

I thought that was just Real Estate Brokers and not Agents?

AFAIK all licensees are fiduciaries and in any event the broker is responsible for the agent.