Having an real estate professional with investing experience is imperative. They know what to look for and can weed out things that wont work (based off your parameters). They have insight to whats selling and for what price, in a specific area and how that fits into your potential project. During the process they can make recommendations for lenders, contractors, staging companies, etc.
If you are an experienced real estate investor the role of the agent will certainly be more hands off, so the previous experience isn’t as crucial. With that said, its still nice to work with someone who is on the same level as you.
Buy Side:
locate undervalued or underutilized properties on MLS
run deal analysis
locate off market and pocket listings via vast network
provide introduction to hard money and commercial lenders if needed
During Project (if flip or conversion):
provide contact to contractors if needed
act as sounding board for potential hurdles that may arise
Sale Side:
run market analysis to help determine list price
provide staging contacts if needed
professional photos, video tours, etc.
get it sold fast and make you money!