Don't just take it from me..... even HUD, the department of Housing and
Urban Development recommends using a real estate broker in the search of a home.
See below:
Item number (5) on the list of most common questions for first time
homebuyers on the HUD website http://www.hud.gov/buying/comq.cfm is excerpted as follows:
5) Should I use a real estate broker? How do I find one?
- Answer: Using a real estate broker is a very good 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 process and make the experience much easier. A real estate broker will
be well-acquainted with all the important things you'll want to know about a
neighborhood you may be considering...the quality of schools, the number of
children in the area, the safety of the neighborhood, traffic volume, and
more. He or she will help you
figure the price range you can afford and search the classified ads and
multiple listing services for homes you'll want to see. With immediate access
to homes as soon as they're put on the market, the broker can save you hours
of wasted driving-around time. When it's time to make an offer on a home, the
broker can point out ways to structure your deal to save you money. He or she
will explain the advantages and disadvantages of different types of mortgages,
guide you through the paperwork, and be there to hold your hand and answer
last-minute questions when you sign the final papers at closing. And you don't
have to pay the broker anything! The payment comes from the home seller - not
from the buyer.
