So nuts. The most important thing a listing agent does is run a structured sale process, so that: 1. All prospective bidders feel like they have a shot, if they put their best foot forward, & 2. The seller can systematically, calmly and rationally review all offers and choose the best one. (And you can invert this, too: As a buyer, you should always be trying to pre-empt / break a structured process, to prevent seller from extracting maximum $$ and thereby squeezing your return.)