When buying a home, here's what you can learn from a Realtor®'s knowledge and skill:

* A Realtor® can help you determine how much home you can actually afford. Often, a Realtor® can suggest additional ways to accrue the down payment and explain alternative financing methods. Price Calculator

* A Realtor® can help you determine the home best suited to your family's needs and size, style, features, location, accessibility to schools, transportation, shopping, etc.

*  Realtor® has access to thousands of listings of available homes, and can match the features of currently listed homes with your needs and within your price range, saving you time and frustration on unsuitable homes.

* A Realtor® can offer suggestions on how, with a few simple changes, a home could be made more suitable for you and improve its utility and value.

* A Realtor® can supply information on real estate values, taxes, utility costs, municipal services and facilities, and may be aware of proposed zoning changes that could affect your decision to buy.

* A Realtor® has no emotional ties to the homes he or she shows, can be objective about them, and can point out advantages and disadvantages while answering your questions.

* A Realtor® usually knows his or her local money market and can tell you about financing. A Realtor® can also tell you what personal and financial data to bring with you when applying for a loan.

* A Realtor® can help you better understand the closing process by explaining it all before you get to the closing table.