Today, a lot of homes are already online. You can look at properties for sale in your area if you want. But there's a reason why people pay for real estate agent services. Real estate agents have the experience necessary to notice potential red flags and ensure that properties are suitable — often before even looking at them.

With that in mind, there are some things real estate agents notice in listings that ordinary people won't. Here are some of the most common.

Deceptive Photos

There are a few ways a seller could make their photos deceptive. Fish-eye lenses make properties look larger, but they distort the sides of the images. HDR images make the property look brighter and livelier, but they are mostly fiction; they display color, depth, and saturation that just doesn't exist in real life. Further, photos may conveniently leave out certain areas of the property, such as entire rooms. A real estate agent will notice if a bathroom isn't pictured.

Buzz Words

There's an assortment of buzz words commonly used throughout real estate agent services that only real estate agents may be privy to. If something says "handyman special," for instance, it means that the price has been discounted because there is a lot of work that needs to be done. Not all buzz words are easily read by laymen and it could convey something very important about the listing.

Legal Issues

What does it mean when a seller says "cash only"? It can mean that the seller wants to close fast, sure. But more often than not it means that the property isn't going to pass an inspection. Mortgage lenders require inspections and need to look up permits. Cash buyers don't. Real estate agents can spot problems like this from a mile away -- ad these can be some pretty costly problems.

Price Problems

Real estate agents already know what to expect for a given area. Consequently, most real estate agents can glance at a listing and determine whether it's priced too high or drastically too low. Too high, and the sellers may not be satisfied with any offer. Too low, and it could indicate that there are serious issues with the property that the seller doesn't want to disclose. 

These are only some of the most common issues a real estate agent might notice. Many agents can immediately look at a listing and tell you whether it's worth the time and why. It's this expertise that you pay for.