Welcome to the 21st century – the consumer-empowered, internet-fueled, DIY era, where people feel that they are able to tackle most of life’s obstacles on their own. Consumers are increasingly savvy and budget minded – something we see often in the real estate market. Any given neighborhood will surely have a few “For Sale By Owner” signs in yards – promising potential home buyers a friendly, easy, and inexpensive alternative to dealing with real estate agents and “red tape”. While we are all for the empowered consumers who can handle things on their own, remember that buying or selling a home is a tremendous financial transaction with real-world legal obligations …