Final answer:
Agent Sandy can assist Ben and Jerry in purchasing a home as a buyer's agent or transactional agent but not as a seller's agent due to a conflict of interest.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the scenario where Ben and Jerry want to buy a principal place of residence and they've approached Agent Sandy to assist them, it's important to understand the role of an agent in real estate transactions. Just like Alaine Alldaffer noted regarding agents in the acting industry, real estate agents similarly represent the interests of their clients and pitch properties that meet their needs and expectations. However, Sandy as a real estate agent could never represent Ben and Jerry as a seller's agent in a transaction for the same property they are looking to purchase because it would be a conflict of interest. A seller's agent has a fiduciary duty to the seller to get them the best possible terms and cannot simultaneously protect the buyer's interests. Therefore, in finding their future home, Sandy can act as a buyer's agent or, in some cases, as a transactional agent but not as a seller's agent.