The way home Buyers find homes has changed drastically in the past few years.

In the 20th century, the agent had all of the information about available homes. You would tell your agent what you liked and the agent would pick homes for you to see.

Some Buyers still like to do it this way. Relocation Buyers (people moving from another area who know little about the desitnation city) still benefit from this approach. Some Buyers still want this service from their agents and don't have countless hours to spend on the Internet or touring open houses.

A good agent can still save you time and energy in your search.

If you have connected with an experienced, full time real estate professional who knows the neighborhoods that interest you, he/she WORKS FOR YOU and can narrow your search significantly.

However, in 2010 there are so many ways for anyone and everyone to obtain volumes of information about homes for sale that this is no longer the most common course of action when buying a home.

For the most part, real estate agents today no longer "find" homes for their clients. The Buyer often finds the home and tells the agent about it, or asks the agent for an opinion and advice about a home or a list of homes the Buyer has found.

The best course of action once you have narrowed your list or found a particular home that interests you, is the same in 2010 as it was in 2000, 1990 or 1950:

Let your agent help you here.

Although you can easily find a great deal of information about a home or a list of homes on your own (some would say you can find so much that you can be on information overload) your agent has still more information that the public can not see.

Ask your agent for advice on the homes you have picked out. The agent you met at the open house has probably been hired by that home's Seller to sell THAT HOUSE, and has no responsibility to look out for

YOUR BEST INTEREST.

Your agent may know of a home nearby that has many of the same features as the one you've picked out, but has been badly marketed by a discount agent so it might be obtainable at at a lower price or with better terms.

Your agent might also be able to give you a more objective confirmation that the home you've picked out really is a great choice.

Be sure to let your agent know what your wants and needs are, and what you like or dislike about each listing you see.

The more your agent knows about your unique set of likes, dislikes, wants and needs, the more time and wasted energy he/she can save you.

Your agent may know of an ideal home for you, tucked away with no sign or advertising, that is ideal for you. You may have overlooked it because it had bad photos on the Internet placed there by a poor listing agent or a naive by-owner seller.

Again, your best course of action is to have your own experienced, full time real estate professional with expertise, experience and knowledge in the neighborhoods that interest you, looking out for your best interest.

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