{"id":12972,"date":"2019-11-27T16:13:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T00:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=12972"},"modified":"2023-03-23T14:38:10","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T21:38:10","slug":"buyer-why-use-a-real-estate-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-why-use-a-real-estate-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Reasons You Need a Real Estate Agent to Buy a Home, Despite the Internet"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can use handy home affordability calculators<\/a> to help set your homebuying budget, save your favorite homes on listing apps, and dig into a property\u2019s history with a quick Google search thanks to the internet. So you think for a sec, \u201cWhy use a real estate agent to buy a home when so much is online?\u201d<\/p>\n

While the web has transformed the way people shop for homes and empowers you as a buyer to go into your house hunt well-informed, the sheer amount of information out there will be difficult to navigate alone. Dizzying even.<\/p>\n

And though buying a house appears to be all about the numbers on the surface, the reality is that you\u2019re about to get on an emotional rollercoaster \u2014 a study of 2,000 homebuyers by Homes.com found that the homebuying process brings one-third of people to tears<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2019, 87% of buyers<\/a> reported working with a real estate agent to buy their home, according to data from the National Association of Realtors\u2019 Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers. This is the purchase of a lifetime, not a pair of shoes you buy with a simple \u201cadd to cart.\u201d Find out why having a trusted adviser by your side matters today despite the internet.<\/p>\n

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Source: (Benjaminrobyn Jespersen\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Your home search is an agent\u2019s day job (so you can keep yours).<\/h2>\n

Sure, you can set up alerts for new homes that go on the market and fit your filters for price, beds, and baths. But do you want to be the one who books showings in the middle of the workday? Instead, wouldn\u2019t you rather someone in the real estate office ring you: \u201cThis property just went live\u2014but it\u2019s going to go fast, can you see it this afternoon? I\u2019ll contact the seller\u2019s agent if you can make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

When you team up with a real estate agent, your home search is their top priority. In addition to gaining another set of eyes on the inventory you\u2019re browsing online, your agent has direct access to the MLS<\/a>, the members-only database for property data where home listings first appear before syndicating to online real estate sites.<\/p>\n

In addition to aiding your house hunt, your agent communicates and coordinates on your behalf,\u00a0 streamlining every phase of home buying so you don\u2019t miss the opportunity to land your dream home due to your own busy schedule. Your agent has a fiduciary duty<\/a>\u2014a legally mandated obligation\u2014to act in your best interest so rest assured they\u2019ll protect your confidentiality and negotiate to the best of their ability at all times.<\/p>\n

2. Gorgeous kitchens, clever staging, and great curb appeal could blind you to a home\u2019s real problems.<\/h2>\n

We all judge that buyer on House Hunters<\/em> who just can\u2019t get past the \u201870s wallpaper, but it\u2019s easy to become that person unless you\u2019ve got the budget to tour 100% move-in ready homes.<\/p>\n

Your agent helps you step back and look beyond poor styling to focus on the structural qualities of the home so you don\u2019t miss out on a house with hidden potential. At the opposite end, your agent sees through professional staging and camera angles that expand room size in online listing photos<\/a>, directing your attention to the fact that the stylish pad you love lacks the square footage and storage on your must-have list.<\/p>\n

When the viewing rolls around, your agent will keep an eye out for foundation cracks, signs of water damage, or a dated HVAC system to help you objectively weigh related costs with your emotional attachment.<\/p>\n

For instance, a home in need of a cosmetic lift could be a better investment than a house with impeccable staging that needs a new roof. The cost to remove that \u201870s wallpaper is around $3 per square foot (average project cost is $740<\/a>), but if you need to replace the roof, you\u2019re set back an average of $7,211<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Source: (David McBee\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. You\u2019ll be focused on living in the home. Agents help you see investment potential.<\/h2>\n

Buyers judge houses from a personal standpoint: Could I imagine living here? Does this house suit my family\u2019s needs?<\/p>\n

Agents, on the other hand, will help you look at homes as investments first, giving you context for whether the neighborhood appears to be appreciating in value or on the decline, and for any features of the house that could make it difficult to resell down the line.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you’re looking at homes, a good agent is going to walk you through the pros and share what values are doing in that neighborhood. For instance, there are some floor plans that might be suitable for your lifestyle but when you go to resell, they\u2019re not going to hit the larger buyer demographic so that can pose a future challenge,\u201d shares Grace Henrikson<\/a>, a top real estate agent in Marysville, WA with over 260 transactions to her name.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s some examples of value threatening features your agent can spot:<\/p>\n