“How does it work if I just want to contact the listing agent so I can gain access to the home?”
The listing agent contact should be available a few ways. If you drive by then the sign should get you to the LA.
If you view the home on Realtor.com then the listing agent or brokerage he/she works for should be on the listing.
“If ultimately I want to put in an offer, do I ask for the credit that would have been paid to a selling agent that I can use towards closing costs?”
There is not any “credit” that would have been issued to the selling agent. There is a coop commission. Use that terminology and the LA will know you are more knowledgeable then the average bear. You can ask him to divulge what the coop commission would have been had you been represented by your own buyers agent and maybe they tell you and maybe they do not. You may choose not ask and simply have him write you an offer and ask him to build a credit from the seller to you the buyer to be credited at close of escrow for recurring and non recurring closing costs. If you want to assume that the coop commission was 2.5% then ask for that much blindly.
There are many ways to play it. You can have him represent you in which he will be a dual agent or you can tell him you want to be unrepresented. In some cases brokers will not sell a home to a buyer who is not represented for fear of lawsuits.
Also word of warning. Lenders today are very leery when they see credits. The “general” rule of thumb is that credits for recurring and non recurring closing costs should not exceed 3% of the sales price.
