7 Great Reasons to Use a Real Estate Agent to Buy a Home

For years now, websites like Zillow and Redfin have given us the ability to house hunt without any help. With tools like this at our fingertips, why use a realtor to buy a home?

If you want, you can buy property by yourself, without a realtor. But just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should. The process of buying a house is complicated, and there is a lot of money on the line. The benefits of a buyer’s agent are significant, which is why 88% of people use one for the purchase. It doesn’t make sense to go it alone and risk making a mistake when their valuable assistance is available

Zillow’s 2024 Consumer Housing Trends Report found that 56% of buyers said their agent was their most helpful resource in purchasing their home. Only 36% felt that a website or app was their biggest help. Online tools have not taken the place of realtors—and we don’t believe they ever will.

Only a real estate agent will take the time to get to know a client and understand what they’re looking for in a home. They’re able to read between the lines, getting to the heart of the buyer’s wants and needs. This allows agents to know when to stand firm on the buyer’s wishlist items and when it’s safe to think outside the box, uncovering wonderful options that the buyer may never have considered or found on their own.

At Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties, our agents apply their experience and knowledge to every client interaction. They become partners in the process of finding properties that fit their new owners, guiding and assisting them every step of the way. 

We’ve identified seven benefits of buyer’s agents that bring the most value to home buyers.

1. They’ll Help You Identify Your Dream Home

Sometimes a buyer has a clear picture of their ideal house, neighborhood, etc. Others aren’t so sure. If it’s a first home, if they’re relocating to the area, or if they’re just open-minded, they might welcome some fresh ideas about what’s available in their price range.

Real estate agents can review various options with their clients to find what works. They can help make decisions about whether to look at condos or houses, existing homes or new builds, and choose between subdivisions, urban settings, or rural properties. For people new to the area, Select Properties has branches all over the St. Louis region so they can help make sense of the various counties, municipalities, and neighborhoods in and around the city.

2. They Can Define—and Stick to—Your Budget

Knowing how much you can spend on a house is an important early step in house hunting. But without knowledge of the local market, you can waste a lot of time and effort trying to find homes and neighborhoods in your price range.

Realtors know that buying a house isn’t just about the sales price. Buyers need to understand how much they’ll need for a down payment, what their mortgage rate will be, and about the hidden costs of owning a home. A good agent will steer you toward homes that are realistic. They may also know about affordable new developments or revitalized neighborhoods that you may not have heard of.

3. They’ve Got the Inside Scoop

While Zillow and other platforms are great for seeing what’s for sale in a specific area, their usefulness is limited. Information may be outdated or inaccurate. Estimated values are based on an algorithm instead of real appraisals, and some real estate sites don’t show that a seller has already accepted another offer.  

A real estate agent has access to complete, current listings and the ability to search based on the buyer’s specific needs. They also know when a home is no longer available or if a pending contract might fall through, and might even get advance notice before a property hits the market.

4. Protection Against Bad Decisions

There’s no guarantee that you’ll love everything about the house you buy or that it will be completely problem-free. But a realtor’s sharp eye can spot things that an excited buyer might miss or overlook. Real estate agents become experts at spotting red flags like leaky basements or sloppy remodels. They also understand home values, allowing them to spot a great deal or a diamond in the rough. 

The best agents will tell you if a house is overpriced, how to interpret inspection results, and when to keep looking for something better.

5. They Welcome Questions

Agents understand and can explain real estate lingo and the complexities of the process. They’re there for their clients every step of the way. For example, it can be confusing for buyers to understand the difference between a home sale that’s pending and one that’s contingent. They can walk people through each step and clear up confusion about:

• Attending open houses
• Obtaining financing
• Making an offer
• Arranging for inspections
• What to expect on closing day

First-time home buyers, especially, are grateful to know that an expert is in charge and ready to address all of their questions and concerns.

6. They’ll Have the Tough Conversations

Few people are skilled at negotiations, so a big benefit of a buyer’s agent is having them do the talking. With knowledge of home values in the current market, they’re able to prepare an offer that is competitive and appealing to the seller. It’s also helpful to have someone negotiating who is not personally involved in the outcome. If you’re making the deal yourself, emotions could have you getting into a bidding war and going over budget.

Along with calculating a competitive offer, realtors can also find other ways to negotiate. For example, leveraging flaws uncovered during an inspection to ask for a price reduction. Or negotiating contingencies like a new roof or fence repairs before the deal is signed.

7. Juggling the Timetable

Timing plays a significant part in many home sales, especially if you're buying and selling a home at the same time. It’s not easy to coordinate inspections, closing dates, and moving dates. Sometimes, a seller needs to stay a few days or weeks beyond closing. Or a buyer might need to arrange to keep their things in storage until their new house is ready. Benefits of a buyer’s agent and a seller’s agent include skills in choreographing all of the moving parts that come with buying and selling houses, making sure that everyone is happy.