For this discussion, use online real estate listings, your local newspaper, Craigslist, or even local "For Sale" signs to locate two kinds of property listings. The first listing should be a property represented by a real estate agent; the second one should be one that is for sale by owner.

Call or email each realtor and ask questions about the property for sale. Ask about the next steps to take if you were interested in the property. What other real estate professionals might you need to contact? Keep notes about your interactions with each party, including how you were dealt with by the agent versus directly by the homeowner. Did the agent seem to be a help or hindrance? In what way? Which route do you think is more prudent for consumers: selling/buying through an agent or selling/buying through "for sale by owner"?