Your name saw this post on The ActiveRain Real Estate Network and thought it might be of interest to you. Please see the link below to review the post.

Q&A: "Do I really need a Realtor to buy a house?"
Do I really need a Realtor to buy a house?  The simple answer is, "No."  The smart answer is, "Yes."  Anyone can buy a house without a real estate agent, but there are advantages to having an agent represent you in a home purchase. 
Last year, I sold a property for a wondeful family.  They had bought their home directly from the seller without representation.  When I did the preliminary CMA to determine value, I was surprised at what they paid for the home considering they bought it on the down side of the market collapse of 2008.  In my estimation, they paid $60,000 higher than the market was demanding at the time.
When we listed their home, they received an offer that was quite a bit lower than the list price, and they ultimiately gave concessions that dropped their return approximately $60,000.  With their original purchase price coupled with their concession dollars they actually lost $120,000 on their home.  Buying with an agent could have prevented them from spending more than they should have.
Why should you use an agent when buying a house?
An agent can help a buyer purchase in the price range a home should sell ... more

__________________________________________________
Are you on The Rain? Grow Your Network!