> Today when you see a home you're more likely to know more than the broker I don't think that's true. - First time buyers. As a first time buyer, you are lik

> Today when you see a home you're more likely to know more than the broker I don't think that's true. - First time buyers. As a first time buyer, you are likely to know very little about the process, as well as what to look for. Red flags and such. You'll have seen the photos and read the MLS facts. This is just trivial info. - Local conditions. If you're not buying in a neighborhood where you already live, you need local expertise. - Inspection. For states where the seller shows you an inspection report, you want someone who has seen it all, to read between the lines for you. - Pre-filtering. Brokers get to go on broker tours, before the house hits the market (if it hits the market!). So the good local agents will already be familiar with the property when it hits MLS. This can be a valuable time-saver. That said, most agents are noobs and provide none of that value. They are worthless. The experienced and good ones are worth every penny. I've done about a dozen real estate transactions, incl. 1 commercial transaction. I know almost all of the things by now. I still use an agent. I think the real problem is that there is no certification process. I mean, there hardly could be. A real estate license is garbage, easily obtained. Agents get into the field very easily, and new buyers have no idea how to assess their agent. At least for licensed trades, their is the local board and Yelp. We need such a thing for agents as well, because they do provide value, if you have a good one. This is really coming to a head now, with the super tight market. In this market, the value of an agent seems low to most, because as seller you think you'll get premium price regardless, and as buyer you think you need to make a top offer, again, regardless. That said, it is definitely a cartel and needs to change.