In a world where the Internet makes marketing miracles possible and home data seems to flow free, every once in a while you'll hear of someone attempting to buy or sell without an agent.

While some stories speak of success, they also reveal the time, expertise, and energy that go into a sale and the indisputable benefits of having an agent.

Here are four ways marketing and managing a home is a time-consuming undertaking and why now, more than ever, smart consumers need to use a real estate agent. One story was that, thanks to social media, a homeowner sold his Californian bungalow for $A1.05 million, $135,000 above the asking price.

1) Online marketing takes time and expertise. The owner set up a website, blog, Twitter feed, YouTube videos, and a Picasa photo page for his home.

This home sold above its asking price as a result of the interest generated by a professional's online marketing efforts -- the owner is a professional online marketer who spent many hours every day promoting his home through these multiple channels. Most sellers don't have this level of expertise or the time to spend on the effort.

2) A home's information alone is not enough – every home lives in a market

"I know my house better than any agent. Who better to sell the house than me?"

This comment is typical of someone who doesn't realize that knowing about a home is just the first step. The real key to moving a listing is knowing how that home fits into the market – and only a professional brings that kind of focus and real experience.

3) Showings and connections sell homes

"I aim to bring as many buyers to the home's blog as possible, giving them a personal insight into the house.""

This means developing a following and creating connections online. This is easy for agents, who are already tapped into a network of people buying and selling.

4) Even the smartest use an agent for expertise

Even with all of the homeowner's social media efforts to help sell his home on his own, in the end he hired an agent.

Buying and selling Angel Fire and Taos real estate can be even more complex due to land grants, water rights, extensive title searches and other issues that may not arise elsewhere. Your local Realtor has the expertise to navigate through the unique problems of buying and selling Taos real estate.