Office Exclusive / "Pocket" Listing .. is it the BEST thing for the Seller?

With the slowdown in the Real Estate market; it is no wonder that some Real Estate Brokerages are doing what they can to make their own business as profitable as possible.  One such way to make more money is for a brokerage to sell their own listings; doing "both sides" of the transaction.

While this is a form of Dual Agency (when a Broker represents both Seller & Buyer); the Buyer may in fact have their own Agent; just with the same firm.  Either way - the brokerage earns more in commission from the sale. 

If the Total commission on the sale of the property is X%; 1/2 of X goes to the OTHER broker (less the split with their agent) and 1/2 is kept by the Listing broker (less their split with their agent).   If they do 'both sides' of the sale; then they get the FULL X% (less the split with the agent(s) ).

One such Washington "Fine" Property brokerage has adopted the policy of holding all their listings "in house" for the first 7 days.  This concept of Pocket Listings gives the Listing Brokerage a chance to try and sell them to their own buyers for the first week.  It is not entered into the MLS and no outside brokerage is allowed to present an offer for the 1st full week.

These "Office Exclusive" listings may give the sellers the benefit of not having to deal with a large number of buyers traipsing through their home; they also DON'T HAVE the benefit of having lots of Buyer's traipsing through their home.

They don't have the power of the MLS.  Don't have the exposure to every Realtor and Brokerage in town.  Is it really in their BEST Interest? 

Better yet; Do the Sellers REALLY UNDERSTAND this process?  I would love to hear the spin their agents put on this process during their Listing Presentations.

Lastly; I wonder... There are still a few circumstances where the BEST Properties - Priced CORRECTLY - are receiving MULTIPLE offers.  Do you think you are more likely to get Multiple offers if you have buyers from ONE Brokerage - or everyone in the city?