Buying a house is a huge investment. Sure, you can do it all on your own to try to save some money but not without risks. I like to think of an agent as a sort of insurance charge to ensure I am not wasting my money and that I'm getting the best possible price on the best home on the market that fits my needs. I also don't want to spend all day looking for listings on my own. Had I not used an agent I wouldn't have bought the home I live in (and love) today since it didn't fall into the specs I was set on going after.