On the face of things, it seems like the choice between using a local real estate agent or a general, non-local real estate agent to find your luxury Malibu real estate wouldn’t be that big of a deal. After all, property is property, right? Wrong.

In almost every case, it’s better to go with a local real estate agent. The most important benefit of using a local real estate agent is that they know the area. While this may not sound like a huge deal, knowing the area in and out ensures that they are better able to match you to a neighborhood that you like; tell you whether a certain property is really all that great (or whether it’s going to lose value because it’s next to a local dump); and they can even tell you about the little things where the closest gas station is to your home, or if you need a permit before throwing a large party. Basically, your local real estate agent isn’t just a broker; rather, they can be your guide to the area.

Though you might worry about a smaller local company handling a large real estate transaction, don’t let that throw you the benefits of working with a local agent far outweigh any disadvantages.