Here are the top 10 reasons for using a buyer's agent.

1. It's FREE - That's right, hiring a buyer's won't cost you a thing. It's the seller who pays the commission, not the buyer.

2. It's Convenient - Owner of One Source Realty, Eric Bramlett, pointed out that targeting the right neighborhoods,  finding homes that fit your criteria and scheduling showings can be a full time job. If you already work 9-5 it can become daunting and overwhelming very quickly.

3. Market Knowledge - As great as convenience is, Eric also stressed that the most important service a buyer's agent brings to the table is market knowledge. Understanding the local market is key to finding the best home at the best price possible. And market knowledge is something that isn't easily attained in a short period of time.

4. Professional Negotiation - Making an offer and negotiating with a seller is by far one of the most specialized parts of the home buying process. Maxwell Carr Realtor® and Designated Luxury Specialist at First Team Real Estate puts it this way:

"Imagine sitting at a poker table, and there's $200,000 in the center of the table. You're emotionally involved, nervous - get the idea? Rather than risk making a mistake, find representation! A Realtor® is a professional negotiator, with a fiduciary duty to act in your best interest."

5. Professional Connections - Getting to the closing table requires the expertise of a number of professionals. Lenders, inspectors, surveyors just to name a few. Buyer's agents have worked with a number of providers, both great and not so good. When you hire a buyer's agent you get access to their network rather than having to research and build relationships from scratch.

Heather M. Burke, Broker Associate at Main Street Realtors, listed this as a serious benefit: 

"Buyers agents have a pool of professionals they can call on or recommend to buyers, people that will get the job done, like the best home inspectors in the area."

6. Insider Knowledge - Wouldn't it be great to know about a home that's going up for sale before it's listed? Again, Maxwell Carr: "A (well-networked) Realtor has access to many properties not yet on the market! In a territory like mine (Orange County, CA), many transactions happen behind closed doors - before the property ever hits the market.

What about having sellers call you to let you know they are interested in selling their home? It's possible if you have a buyer's agent like Michael Garard, owner of Garard & Associates, LLC. " When there was not much inventory in a particular neighborhood, we sent out a marketing letter to the 65 homes that the buyer had interest in, based on curb appeal, and within 2 months one of the sellers called us, before it went on the market."

7. Access to Comps/Sales Info - Comps, or comparables, are extremely valuable when you're considering how much to offer on a home. Agents have access to the latest sales prices of comparable homes and can help you submit an offer that will be acceptable to both parties, which Jennifer A. Chiongbian, SVP and Licensed Associate Broker in Manhattan, says is one of the biggest reasons to hire a buyer's agent. "A real estate buyers broker researches and conducts a Comparable Market Analysis for the property type, market and neighborhood to ensure that you do not pay more for the property."

This is just one way that a buyer's agent can save you money during the home buying process.

8. Help Identifying Your Needs - Peggy Aguayo, principal broker of Aguayo & Huebener, said that this is one of the significant benefits of using a buyer's agent. "A buyer's agent will help them [buyers] prioritize their needs. Most people have so many wants that it is very difficult for them to narrow it down to a place where they might actually find a home that fits at least their top needs."

As mentioned by other real estate professionals, buying based on wants rather than needs is one of the biggest mistakes that buyers make.

9. Mitigator of Emotions - Buying a home stirs up a lot of emotions, which is to be expected. However, if those emotions aren't kept in check it can cause many problems that could otherwise be avoided. As Stephen O'Hara, broker at RE/MAX Select One in Orange County, CA, explains being a mitigator of emotions is one of an agent's most important roles. " A good agent removes the 'emotion' in a transaction and helps all the parties keep on track with their goals and more or less 'neutralizes' most situations."

10. Knowledge of Industry Standards, Legalities and Writing a Contract - "Buyers representing themselves will always leave too much on the table. They don't understand the issue of disclosures, they don't understand negotiating and they don't understand that this is a legal contract. It is probably the single largest purchase they will make in their lives, they need to know they are well represented, legally protected and getting real value for their money," said Heather M. Burke, Broker Associate at Main Street Realtors.