Realtors are still key when making purchases

Realtor plug:

"I purchased a property in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, this summer. I've been in this business for 15 years and as we all do, think I know what I'm doing. Did I appreciate and take advantage of the information and ease of access to that information over the Internet? Yes. Was that access a key to the successful completion of my transaction? Yes. Would I dare risk doing the deal without a local agent, even as capable and knowledgeable as I am? No. Did the agent provide information and service invaluable to the deal? Absolutely."