While the real estate journey can be a long and winding one, it can be made shorter and straighter by making good choices from the beginning - starting with hiring a real estate agent you know you will mesh well with. An agent acts as your helper in many capacities to get you through the process without pulling all your hair out. Here are some of the different capacities your agent will help with:

A real estate agent will become your sounding board as well as your guide, helping you decide what you want. It can be difficult to know right away all the features you want. A realtor can go back and forth with you and help you to narrow down your list of wants and needs, so you will have an easier time recognizing what should be your next home.

They will also educate you on everything you should know going in so that you aren't caught off guard by surprises. For example, if you are trying to get a house under a certain type of loan, such as a VA or USDA loan, then they can have somewhat strict rules regarding what types of houses will pass and be acceptable for their loan program. Also, there will be other rules, such as you must reside full-time in that residence and you must own it for a certain amount of time until you can put it up for sale.

An agent can help you negotiate too. When you are going to be putting in an offer on a house, there are times when you may be able to put in a lower offer and have it accepted and there are other times when trying to put in a lower offer may be a bad idea and could cost you your chance to own that home. The agent can explain these things to you and let you know what offer they feel would be the right one to start out with on the home you decide you want. Along with making sure you know the best price to offer, they can also help you to negotiate better terms, such as carpet allowance, roof allowance, or anything else the house may need.

When you are house shopping there are some things that may get past you, since you aren't a professional with regards to real estate. A real estate agent knows what to look for with regards to bad deals, good deals and other things that can help ensure you end up in a house you will love for a long time.