Am I Required to Use an Agent?
No. If you have in-depth knowledge of the area, know how to determine property values or can research the sales trends for houses in a particular area in the last few months, feel comfortable drafting and/or signing legal contracts, are confident during financial negotiations and have the time, energy and desire to find a home on your own, you can.

If you decide to fly solo, you will probably be working directly with the listing agent. You should remember the listing agent is hired to protect the seller’s interests, not yours. If you want an agent to protect your fiduciary interests, you should use a buyer’s agent to represent you and sign an Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Agreement.

Why Should I Use a Real Estate Agent or Realtor®?
Using a real estate professional makes buying a home easier. As experts in the field, professional agents can guide you as you search for your next home, they can offer service and assistance as you enter the maze of home ownership, and they can recommend service providers to get you what you need. By offering you the advice and resources when you need them most, an agent can save you time and money. For example, a real estate agent can:

• Manage the contractual paperwork, forms and other necessary documents
• Offer you impartial opinions on the house’s current value based on recent sales for similar homes in the area, the condition of a particular property, and investment considerations — such as future marketability
• Recommend quality professional services — from lawyers and financial officers to contractors and inspectors
• Create a list of properties that meet your criteria and show you those that interest you
• Offer you access to the previous sales and tax data on homes that interest you
• Guide and advise you during the negotiation process

Can I use the listing agent as my own agent?
Yes, you may. However, it isn’t a good idea… If an agent is serving in both roles, he/she works as a “mediator” and helps the two parties to come to an agreement, but does not help either party in as much depth. As a buyer, you are not benefited by this relationship. Just because the agent is a listing agent for one home doesn’t mean that he/she can’t be your buyer’s agent for a property that he/she hasn’t listed.