How that is legal, ethically, I'll never understand.
If buyers are willing to pay a certain amount for a house of their choice, isn't that the definition of market price?
The contract is very clear when it says, "Buyer and/or assigns." In most states, that is written at the very beginning of the contract as well.
If they are acting like an adviser, there's something at least a bit smarmy about not actually advising. If they were simply interested buyers, its harder to impute an obligation to the seller.
The average property owner doesn't understand the market and is expecting the real estate agent to provide accurate price estimations.
I don't understand, ethically, how this sort of thing could be legal as its clearly a clause meant to allow misrepresentation to take rubes for their money.
Ethics revolves around ensuring that everybody's interests are protected. A broker is supposed to be a neutral party that does not have an interest in the transaction. The seller's interests are not being represented.