How the Charleston MLS really works
Another ask the agent question: I’d like to see this home, can you show it to me.
Many potential Charleston real estate buyers search the Charleston MLS on my website. A few real estate consumers don’t realize that every listing that they view on my website is not my listing …
if only it were true 
One of the functions of the MLS is to enable any Charleston real estate agent to display every home listed for sale no matter who the listing agent is. You don’t have to visit over 5000 Charleston real estate agent websites to see all the listings just as you don’t have to drive by every house that interests you and write down the name and phone number on the for sale sign.
Buyers do not have to call or email 9 different agents to see 10 different homes. One agent can show every available home for sale.
The seller pays the buyers agent through the listing agent, the concept is called broker reciprocity and this is another function of the MLS and therefore, there is no cost to a buyer to use a buyers agent. (The usual disclaimer, of course, the seller pays the commission from funds provided by the buyer and the mortgage.)