Online access has changed the entire home purchasing process. It has changed the whole world. With all the technology at your hands, you may be asking yourself, “Why do I need to hire a broker/agent to assist me in purchasing a home?” Experience has shown that the answer to that question is actually quite simple. I believe Benjamin Franklin said it best when he warned, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

With all the tools and tricks of the internet, not surprisingly, according to the National Association of Realtors 2016 Profiles of Home Buyers and Sellers, 94% of buyers used the internet in their home searches. I was happy to find out that 96% of those seeking to purchase a home, and using the internet, wisely chose to also hire a broker/agent to assist them through the process. These smart buyers did themselves a great favor! Good for them and congratulations on their new homes!

The process of choosing a home to call one’s own is so much more than just “buying”. Sifting through homes online, getting a glimpse into rooms and layouts and placing your furniture in them is just the beginning of the process. Next is the excitement of walking into a home and finding out that it feels right, is the best choice for you in terms of location and pricing, and visualizing your life there…the process may appear seamless. However, from this point, the buyer enters into a journey of what may entail complexities unforeseen.

Savvy buyers depend upon a broker/agent to put and keep together all the pieces of a transaction. Navigating the complexities can become quite confusing. A savvy buyer values the investment in a broker/agent to not only assist in finding the home they will purchase, but to use the great advantage and edge of their unique knowledge, experiences, and skills to negotiate the terms of the sale and the price of the home…always with the buyer’s best interest, and legally bound to do so.

In this series, I’ll touch base on how an expert agent not only guides buyers through neighborhoods to find the perfect home, but helps their buyer-clients navigate all aspects of the home buying process. For instance, one of the most damaging contributions to not closing on a home you desire is one’s own emotional stalemate during negotiation. Having an agent on your side who guides you through the negotiation process can help you avoid losing a home you love simply because the washer and dryer weren’t thrown in the deal, for example. An expert negotiator can assist the seller, as well, in realizing another month on the market costs more than letting the appliances go. Sometimes egos can ruin a home sale. A good agent will assist all parties in seeing the bigger picture.

So how do you find a Broker/agent? It’s always important to be your own advocate, do your research, and choose the real estate professional with whom you are most compatible. Here are the top characteristics for which to look:

Honesty and integrity

Knowledge of the purchase process and real estate market

Responsiveness

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

The home buying process can have surprising twists and turns…don’t you want to make what may be the largest investment of your life and in some cases, the biggest purchase, with a more complete understanding of the process and with the least hassles? Only you can answer that, but my suggestion is to heed Ben Franklin’s old and wise advice and give yourself the advantage of the expertise of a real estate professional who will take you on the most direct, smooth and fun line all the way to closing!

**This is the first in a blog series on the advantage of being wise and hiring a buyer’s agent. Please check back to inform yourself as I highlight a few bad stories and situations you can avoid by being savvy and wise.

For more blog posts, also visit www.tracydraughon.com.