If you are just starting to look for a new home, you may think that things will go smoothly by not using a real estate agent to conduct your search. That may not be true, since there are a few reasons why it is worth working with a residential real estate agent throughout the entire process.

You Will Be Able To Schedule Showings Much Easier

Looking at listings online will eventually not be enough, and you'll want to tour a home in person. Unfortunately, setting up a showing can be a bit of a hassle when you are not working with a real estate agent. You either have to wait for the seller to host an open house, which may never come, or schedule a showing with the seller's agent. This can take more time and effort than you would like since every home is going to have its own selling agent that you need to get in contact with. When you are working with your own real estate agent, they can line up several showings in a row to maximize your time and see as many homes as possible. 

You Will Have Access To Pocket Listings

One of the secrets of real estate is that some sellers decide to create a pocket listing to sell their home. This means that they want to gauge interest in the home before officially listing it for sale, so they avoid listing it on the MLS and only let people know the home is for sale through word of mouth. This means that you'll never see these homes for sale when searching online real estate websites since the only people that do know are real estate agents. Your agent will be able to tell you about these pocket listings before they are made public, giving you an advantage when it comes to seeing a home first and making an offer. 

You Will Have Someone Else Searching For You

When you are doing your home search, you may find yourself limiting your search to certain towns, price ranges, and search criteria. Your agent is going to know what you're looking for in a home and help you discover homes that would otherwise be off your radar. This can help you potentially find a home that you like, even if it doesn't meet the exact criteria that you have been searching for when looking at homes online.