Most homeowners use a real estate agent to sell their homes for many good reasons. But why hire a real estate agent when you can do the job yourself?

Real estate agents are trained and licensed to help their clients get the best deal possible. They are actually experts at knowing what neighborhoods match the needs and wants of their clients, which homes fit both budget and dreams, and how to negotiate a much better price.

But if the statements above do not prove to be good reasons, take a look at 4 more considerations below on why you should look for your own real estate agent.

1. REAs are licensed. Real estate agents are licensed by the state and if they are associated with the REALTORS® association, they are kept abreast all changes in the law-as they pertain to real estate.

2. REAs do all the grunt work so you don’t have to. If you’re the buyer, they’ll check out houses that look like a good fit for you, prior to asking you to view the house. That way, they can tell you if a house is worth your time or not. They’ll also check into disclosures on the property and other valuable information you should know before you by. And they’ll direct you to the resources you need to make informed decisions instead of throwing out statistics and information that may be misinterpreted or misquoted.

And if you’re the seller, they’ll do all the advertising, networking to find qualified buyers, open houses, and whatever else it may take to sell your home-within reason. And they’ll deal with all those lookey-lous who have no intention of actually buying your place.

3. REAs are knowledgeable. While real estate agents cannot tell you what to sell your house for, they can tell you what the market will bear, what the house down the street sold for, what deterrents can prevent your home from selling at a good price, what things can be done to your property to increase its value, and then based on market supply and demand help you sell your home for as close-if not right on target-to your asking price as possible.

4. REAs handle all the paperwork. Real estate agents are trained to understand how purchase agreements work and what needs to be filled out where. This alone can save you thousands of dollars because if this is filled out incorrectly, it could prevent the sale of your home. And let us not forget those pesky disclosure agreements. Do you really know what all the legalese means?