The direct answer is that appropriately licensed real estate agents, brokers and attorneys acting in accordance with the regulations of their respective jurisdictions can be involved in real estate transactions for a commission or fee.In some cases, entities such as new home builders can hire unlicensed individuals to liaise with prospective clients up to a point (although that does not seem to be the point of the question).In residential real estate, buyers are often prohibited from assigning their rights and obligations to a third party because the value of contract depends, in part, on the veracity of the buyer.It is possible to obtain an option to buy real property valid for a specific period of time in exchange for a nonrefundable cash payment. If the holder of the option is successful in finding a buyer within the specified time period, he may exercise his option, close on the property and sell it on to a second buyer (presumably for a profit). Drafting the option agreement and handling other details of such a transaction requires an attorney.Kindly note that I am not an attorney and do not practice law. The forgoing are just the informal lay comments from someone who has seen a few things over the years.