In this fast-paced “I want it now” society in which we live, today more than ever, searching for that new home for your family begins on the internet. There are a plethora of websites that cater to home seekers who are either serious about a move, or do it as a hobby just to see pictures of various homes and what price range they are selling for.

There are websites to search for homes that have been made famous on Saturday Night Live, some owned by huge conglomerates looking to sell you something other than homes, and then there is the one website supported by your local Realtors through the National Association of Realtors at Realtor.com. Realtor.com allows you to search for all types of residential properties including houses and condos, but also search for rentals, get preapproved for a mortgage, and get a value estimate for your current home if you’re thinking of selling.

While many home buyers are distressed in today’s market with the lack of inventory, believe it or not, finding the house is the easy part. It is only the beginning of a very complicated and time-consuming process, and buyers and sellers alike should definitely have a real estate professional in their corner who can look out for their interests.

Realtors are members of the National Association of Realtors and subscribe to its strict code of ethics. When you’re buying a home, here’s what an agent who’s a Realtor can do for you.

• Act as an expert guide. Buying or selling a home typically requires a variety of forms, reports, disclosures, and other legal and financial documents. You want to work with a professional who can speak the language. A knowledgeable real estate agent will know what’s required in your market, helping you avoid delays and costly mistakes.

• Offer objective information and opinions. A great real estate agent will guide you through the process with an unbiased eye, helping you meet your buying or selling objective. Agents are also a great source when you have questions about local amenities, utilities, zoning rules, contractors, and more.

• Give you expanded search power. As a buyer, you want access to the full range of potential properties. As a seller, you want your property exposed to the maximum number of potential buyers possible. Using a cooperative system called the multiple listing service, an agent can help buyers evaluate all active listings that meet their criteria, alert them to listings soon to come on the market and provide data on recent sales. Agents can save you time by removing homes from consideration that are still appearing on public sites but are no longer actually on the market.

• Stand in your corner during negotiations. There are many factors up for discussion in any real estate transaction – from price to repairs to date of possession. A real estate professional who’s representing you will look at the transaction from your perspective, helping you negotiate a purchase agreement that meets your needs and allows you to do due diligence before you’re bound to the purchase.

• Ensure an up-to-date experience. Most people buy only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years between purchases. Even if you’ve bought a home before, laws, regulations and the process changes regularly depending on the locale. Real estate practitioners may handle hundreds or thousands of transactions over the course of their career and stay up-to-date to protect you.

• Be your rock during emotional moments. A home is so much more than four walls and a roof. And for most buyers, a home is the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on the issues most important to you when emotions threaten to sink an otherwise sound transaction. They provide a buffer between you and the other party so that you don’t feel pressured into agreeing to something you’re not 100% comfortable with.

• Provide fair and ethical treatment. Whether buying or selling, when you’re interviewing agents, ask if they’re a Realtor, a member of the National Association of Realtors. Every member must adhere to the Realtor Code of Ethics, which is based on professionalism, serving the interests of clients, and protecting the public.

And don’t forget ... start with a Realtor at Realtor.com.

Tony Veldkamp is president of the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. 

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tony Veldkamp: Reasons to include a Realtor in your buying process