After getting personal recommendations, interviewing agents at open houses or checking reviews on Zillow, it is time to HIRE a Realtor. A Realtor is NOT a door opener. A Realtor is your trusted real estate advisor. Yes, you can find your own house on line. A Realtor will give you incites, recommendations and perspective to connect all of the “INFORMATIONAL DOTS”. 
This is the largest financial and personal decision you may ever make. You need professional guidance.
A professional will invite you to sit down for a needs assessment appointment, more often called a BUYER COUNSELLING SESSION. This appointment serves several purposes. Your agent needs to understand your lifestyle. Do you need room for 5 dogs, or are you a busy professional with no time for yardwork. Maybe it is distance to work, or more often distance from COSTCO. What are your interests? It isn’t just about the number of bedrooms and style of home. I worked with one client who had seen “100 colonials” with another agent. After assessing her needs, I showed her 2 homes, both 3 bedroom contemporaries in developments. Community was her primary NEED. She bought one that day.
Your agent needs to assess your financial capability to buy and helps to position you to be a strong buyer. Your agent will also do a REVERSE qualification, asking how much you want to spend, monthly, for your housing expense. By knowing your down payment, he/she can then work backwards to let you know the price level you should be considering.
Your Realtor will put a TEAM together around you to get you to your goal. They can introduce you to attorneys, mortgage professionals, inspectors, contractors, movers. They are there to get you through the process as well as providing emotional support and area information.
Buyer Counselling Sessions should be free and without obligation.