Buying a house can be really stressful, time-consuming and complicated, especially if its your first one. I'm very grateful I had a Real Estate agent that guided me through the process, helped me understand what are "must haves" vs "nice to haves" when looking for a home, showed me countless properties and answered a million questions since I was so new to the home ownership process. It makes a giant difference having someone with your best interest in mind that will give you the assurance that everything is taken care of and will go well. His references, team and connections helped me streamline through all the little details I didn't even think of like getting a good inspector, a home insurance, home warranty and even some home improvement projects. As needy as I was with my questions and helped needed, I was happy to always get a timely and thorough answer so all my worries went away. I know people will usually go with friends/family recommendation because it feels comfortable but I believe in shopping around to find an agent that best fits your needs and ensures you will have a successful home purchase.