One of the first decisions that you will have to make when you’re buying beachfront property with whether you want to use a real estate agent.  There are many benefits to going through a realty agency, but they also come at the cost of some money to you.  This is a simple guide to help you figure out whether or not you need an agent to help you find oceanfront homes for sale.

The biggest consideration in whether you need an agent or not is how familiar you are with the local real estate market.  Even if you do have some experience with real estate deals in the past, all real estate is extremely localized, and someone with specialized knowledge can really help you pick out the right home for you.  An agent will be able to tell you about good areas, areas that are up and coming and areas that are possibly going to be seeing declining property values in the future.  Most agents are also part of a national network that will be able to help you find the right property regardless of where you want to look.

If you’ve never had experience with beach real estate deals before, agents can also help you in a variety of other ways.  They can help with paperwork, negotiations on your behalf, and even on helping you prepare for the move.

All of the services that a real estate agent provides however, come at a cost.  A realtor will take a few percent of the final sale price for their services, usually split between the realtor that is showing the house and the one that help to facilitate the sale.  If you want to save some money and don’t mind putting in some legwork yourself, finding properties that are listed “for sale by owner” either online or in your local classifieds can be a great way to find the beach house of your dreams at a more affordable price.