Question:  Should I use a real estate agent when buying a home?

Answer:  

 Using a real estate agent is a very, very good and smart idea. All the details involved in home buying, particularly the financial ones, can be mind-boggling. A good real estate professional can guide you through the entire home buying process and make your experience much easier and way less stressful.  He or she will help you figure the price range you can afford and search the multiple listing services and other listings for homes you'll want to see. With immediate access to homes as soon as they're put on the market, the agent can save you hours of wasted driving-around time. You would like to get daily emails of the newly listed homes and homes that match your criteria.  Many nice advertised homes you see in the Real Estate magazines and newspaper, especially the nice ones are sometimes already in escrow and may be used by the selling agent to attract new clients.  Your realtor can email you homes or condos that are still active and available and weed out the SOLD ones or those already in escrow. This will save you valuable time and effort in your search.

 When it's time to make an offer on a home, the agent can point out ways to structure your deal to save you money. He or she can have a loan officer (if you don't have one) explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of mortgages out there, guide you through the paperwork, write up your discussed offer with all necessary addendums and counter offer if needed. Your agent will discuss and order all scheduled inspections and make sure they are completed according to the contract contingency deadline to prevent buyer default.  He or she will open escrow and make sure all of the correct paper work are in the hands of the escrow officer. Your personal agent will  be there to hold your hand and answer last-minute questions when you sign the final papers at closing. And best of all, for all their hard work and effort, you don't have to pay the agent's broker anything! The payment comes from the home seller - not from the buyer after a completed real estate transaction.  Always be honest and loyal to your agent as he or she is always working in your best interest to achieve your real estate goals.