The first issue to determine is whether or not the agent can legally be your advocate. Most states have an agency disclosure form and asking about the form is a great way for you to open up a discussion if the agent does not bring it up first. Don't let them minimize the importance of this issue if the company has a lot of listings in the marketplace.
Consumer advocates advise that first-time home buyers are best served by buyer's agents.
Buyer's agents can legally look out for your interests unlike traditional real estate agents who represent home sellers. Dual agency comes into play when a real estate office or agent represents both buyers and sellers and results in the agent taking a neutral position so you may lose the advocacy at a time when you need it the most. Determining an offer price and if there are better houses to choose from may be very important to you at this critical point.