They both have a vested interest in selling to you but there is a fundamental difference between the two. The realtor is working on behalf of the seller and the higher the price he or she can extract from you the higher his or her fee. Their job is to sell that house at all cost so don't expect complete truthfulness about it either. I am not saying that they can lie, I am saying that they can use euphemisms. Decoding realtors' speak is a must for any house buyer.

Examples: deceptively spacious = small , easily maintained garden = concreted yard, period features = same decor since 1954, ample off-street parking = no garage or driveway, open outlook = on a building site, ample room for a table/bed etc..= so why is there not one there?, good decorative order = really old-fashioned ... Beware also of very long descriptions of the benefits of the area = least said about the house.

If you are employing a realtor to sell your house you will have plenty of choice so don't take the first one. See which is the most successful (by the number of sold signs), how prominently they advertise and what percentage of the sale they want (this is always negotiable) and last but not least, the degree of enthusiam they show when visiting your house.

If you are buying and really keen on a house, you will have no choice but to deal with the realtor selling it. Make sure you visit several times at different times of the day. Take a look at the area on a Saturday night to see if it's quiet, have a thorough survey done and don't be shy about questioning the neighbours. If there's something wrong, they'll be more than willing to tell you!

The mortgage broker is slightly different. First of all, you choose him/her. In my experience you will have to try quite a few before you find one that suits you. On the plus side, they have access to mortgage deals that cannot be obtained any other way even if you go directly to the same lender, they take all the headache out of filling the forms (you still have to provide all the information and documents needed), they will find you a deal that suits you and you will have more chance of being accepted by the lender. On the minus side, they receive either a commission or a flat fee from certain lenders and may be biased towards them. The key here is that they find you a deal you are happy with. Go for a broker who can explain clearly all the details that could cost you money like arrangement fees, exit fees and other hidden charges banks are so good at.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck with your house-hunting!