A house or apartment is the most expensive thing most people will ever buy and most would never dream of making such a big purchase without the help of an experienced professional. A dedicated realtor can help speed up the process of buying a home and make all the difference between getting a good deal on a house and getting ripped off.

But what about buying a car, which for most people is the second-most-expensive thing most of us will ever buy?

Depending on the make and model, a new or used car can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Still, few car shoppers think to hire a broker to help them find the best deal on a new vehicle. There are lots of reasons why using a car broker to help guide your search for a new or used vehicle can help save you money, time and headaches.

Here are some of the reasons why you should hire a car broker to buy your next new or used vehicle.

Narrow Your Search

When you have a professional car broker working for you, you only see the vehicles that match your desired price, make and model. That means no more hunting online or flipping through printed catalogs of vehicles that don’t meet your guidelines. Your broker will do all that work for you and present to you only those cars that fit what you’re looking for.

Save Money

For most people, haggling with a dealer or private seller over the price of a new car is a nightmare. However, car brokers generally are experienced in negotiating for the best price on behalf of their clients. After all, that’s their job. A broker may already have professional relationships established with car dealers and therefore know how much the dealer needs to get for a car in order to turn a profit. With that sort of information on your side, you have a much better chance of getting that new car you want for the best price.

An Inexpensive Solution

While details vary, car brokers generally work on either a flat fee or a fee figured as a percentage of the car’s purchase price. While a flat fee means you pay an agreed fee to the broker, a percentage-based fee means the more expensive the car the broker finds for you is, the more you will pay the broker. Nationwide, car broker fees generally range from about $200 to $1,000, depending on factors such as the experience of the broker, how long the search for a new car takes and the location and price of the car.

Fewer Headaches and Hassles

Searching for new and used cars for sale can be an exhaustive and frustrating adventure. Most people are so busy with family, work and other obligations that they just don’t have time to look for a new car. With a car broker working for you, there is far less time spent browsing listings of cars for sale or driving all over to see and test drive cars. Instead, your broker does that leg work for you and simply presents the vehicles that match your criteria. The result is more time and less headaches and hassles for you to deal with.

By Samantha B. Rivers

Samantha is a freelance writer based in Chicago who writes about automotive and insurance topics online. Follower her on Twitter @SassySammyBee.