Many buyers, particularly while using the Internet, enjoy the relative anonymity of shopping for homes alone. They like to get their feet wet looking at homes online and then driving by the homes they find for an in-person peek. Some buyers may believe that if they find the home they want online, that they don't need a Realtor. Realtors are for finding homes, aren't they?

Not anymore. That's out-of-date thinking. It was the National Association of REALTORS, among other early Internet pioneers that pushed to put homes on the Internet in the first place. Were they trying to put themselves out of work? No, they were trying to automate the home search process because that is the most time consuming for their clients as well as themselves. Even so, not every home reaches the Internet. Some Realtor associations claim that as many as 1/4 of all listings never reach the Internet for a variety of reasons. Some sellers don't want their homes displayed on the Internet

The fun only begins with the selection of a home. There are still weeks and sometimes months of work left to do. First there is your offer to manage. Sellers are adversaries, with opposite goals from you. They want the most money and the best terms. You want to buy for the least money and the best terms for you and your family. Realtors serve as intermediaries to make sure your offer is presented without delay, rancor, or misunderstandings. Then you have competition to worry about. In many markets your offer won't be the only offer on a home. Your Realtor knows what "it takes" to get the home you want.

Once your offer is accepted, your Realtor manages your transaction to make sure that all the many players who have a piece to contribute from lenders to appraisers, inspectors to closing agents, are all doing their jobs and supplying their "piece" of the transaction at the appropriate time and place.

The real estate transaction has become more complex, not less so. With the aging of American homes, for example, the discoveries of health hazards such as Radon, asbestos, lead in paint and mold have created much more liability sellers and for buyers. A Realtor can help buyers navigate the maze of disclosures and inspections which assure the home they are buying is safe.

Your Realtor sees to the details that you may not think about. S/he is experienced at picking up the nuances of contract language. What if you are relocating from another state. Customs differ. It may seem okay to you to pay the seller's closing costs, but if that is not customary in your new area, you may be over paying. A Realtor will step in and tell you what goes on your side of the ledger and what is paid by the seller.

S/he will also keep her ear to the ground. Overhearing that the neighbor installed a new fence after the seller purchased the home may be a fact of only mild interest to you. "Good," you think. "At least I won't have to repair a fence on that side yard for a long time." But to a Realtor, that is a heads-up to get a survey performed pronto. What if the fence "accidentally" encroaches a few feet into your yard? This needs to be determined before closing or you'll lose.

Buying a brand new home? The home should be under warranty, but having a Realtor at the table will assure total accountability from the builder. S/he will insist that you get a title search done even if the property was a corn field before the development was bulldozed. S/he'll insist on an independent inspection to make sure your home was built to "code." Remember, without a Realtor by your side, the builder represents his/her own interests, not yours.