There are alot of home buyers today who like to checkout the internet for houses when they are ready to buy. This is a great idea. It is very helpful to have the ability to check out neighborhoods, schools, houses, floor plans, etc. in the comfort of your home or office. But let me caution you about a couple of pitfalls with this system. Although the internet is a great tool, it is only a tool and not the whole process. There is an expression in the real estate business: "the house shows well". This means that it looks great and should attract buyers. All too often I have taken a buyer to the "perfect" home for them buy they would rather not get out of the car. Why? It did not look right to them. Most of the time the exterior of a home can be changed with landscaping, a color change, or other cosmetic remedies. So, they decided about the entire house from the outside. This can happen with the internet. A house may copy great on paper or on the screen of your computer but be completely different on site at the property. My concern is not that bad properties look good, it is that excellent properties may not look as good as they really are. In this case a buyer may never see the property which was best for them. There are three major services that a real estate professional adds that the internet cannot provide. First, is an understanding of the local market. Experience and exposure to what the market is doing is difficult to get from the two dimensional facts offered on the web. Secondly, although virtual tours are good, they cannot replace actually walking around the yard, the home and the neighborhood. A real estate professional can get you in to see any house in the area. (Even for sale by owner houses) And last, a real estate agent can help with the negotiations. Having a knowledge of the local market and experience with other local agents helps. When taking into consideration the value of these services of a real estate professional compared with what neglect in these areas could cost the price is reasonable. Did you notice anything left out of those services which a real estate professional adds? I did. The amount of time and effort invested from contract to closing can many times be more involved in the negotiations of the contract. Although the knowledge of the local market, ability to get into each property and negotiating the contract are valuable, having someone working through the snags during the closing process for you certainly are as well. I trust this has been a benefit for you as well as you search through the internet for your dream home.