>If you buy with an agent you put yourself at a disadvantage because the selling agent will need to split the commission

I can’t speak to California law, but this isn’t explicitly true in either market where I work. Non-agency is a thing in some places, and depending on the terms of the listing contract the listing agent might pocket both sides regardless if there isn’t a buyer’s agent.

I’d also argue that there are a lot of properties where a buyer benefits from expertise on the part of an agent - either negotiating strategies or local market concerns. In my market for example understanding environmental and construction issues and value add that a buyer won’t know without doing meaningful research on their own.