Their expertise saves you time.

Let’s face it, buying a home takes a lot of work. First you have to be familiar with the market conditions of hundreds of different listings spread across several neighborhoods. This means putting in hours of legwork in seeing what types of homes are available in different price ranges. You also have to know the technicalities and legal jargon attached to the process of buying a home: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, USDA, LTV, there are so many new terms to learn that it can make your head spin. If it seems like an exhausting experience, we suggest you leave it to the experts: real estate agents. Realtors have more experience and education in the field, and uses their expertise to help save you save time and money.

Agents know what to look for in a house.

When you’re searching for a new house, there are some red flags to keep an eye out for. Mold issues, roofing, leaks, signs of failing components, pests, and plumbing, just to name a few. Some of these issues might not be so obvious, but agents have enough experience to see the signs that a house might need some extra work done before moving in. The advantage of having an agent with you when viewing a house is that they can negotiate with the seller to either fix the issues before closing, or offer a discount on the price.

You can let your agent do the negotiating.

Homes don’t come with a sticker price. It takes a lot of back and forth in negotiating with potential sellers which can be a challenging experience (not to mention mentally and emotionally draining). Without a realtor on your side, how can you be sure that you’re getting a fair deal? Let your realtor do the talking and act as a mediator between your needs and those of the seller. It means a smoother experience for both parties.

An agent will help you even after the deal.

Realtors aren’t just there to help during the home-buying process. An important part of their job is helping you after you’ve closed on a deal. Although uncommon, issues can arise even after the ink has dried. You can be assured that a good real estate agent will continue to help you even after collecting their commission.

Hiring an agent actually saves you money.

Most people who forego an agent in the home-buying process usually do it because they want to save money on the agent’s commission. But a new study conducted by the National Association of Realtors shows that this isn’t necessarily the case. When you consider that agents have a better understanding of the housing market as well as experience with negotiations, it’s clear to see why it is good practice to have an agent on your side.