Building a house? Small Things That Get Forgotten:

[mbperrin]

13. Of course, some brokers are fine professionals. But too many

are "doing real estate" because it's easy to get into, as most commission-only jobs are.

I've angered more than my share of them through the years, by pointing out undisclosed termite damage, insufficient electrical grounds, collapsed sewer lines, bad roofs, and poor construction methods and materials that the broker didn't know about.

Trouble is, when you buy a house with all that, you accepted it, disclosed or not, and whether you can live there or not, you have to pay for it.

Or unload it on the next sucker.

Building with cash along will save you 75% or more of the total cost of a mortgage, not trivial, And since you're doing cash, you always own it, no matter the economy.

It's also fun to get things just as you want them without having to argue paid strangers into it.

But I agree, if you feel uncomfortable doing anything but buying through a Realtor, then do that. It's about being happy and satisfied.