I’m not a realtor or a laywer, but I do know one thing. When an agent representing a seller tells a prospective buyer about a method for getting a better price out of the seller he/she is representing, there could be a grounds for a conflict of interest, breach of contract, or violation of trust at the minimum.

I called an agent once about the condo across the street from me. It was listed at $500K. He told me, before I asked a single question “They’d probably take $470K for it”.

I thought, if my agent did that I’d fire him on the spot.

I called another agent about a piece of land I was interested in that he was listing. He immediately started telling me exactly why I didn’t want to even look at it, and told me he had all these other plots that I’d be much happier with. Again, does the owner know how good of a sales job his agent is doing?

I can’t give you advice about your friends situation, but that sellers agent sounds like a sleaze ball, and I’d personally avoid trying to make him richer for his sleazy tactics.