The best way to buy real estate: that depends entirely on what your goals at that moment are.
Are you buying a place to live? Are you buying a vacation property? A short term rental property? An industrial space? A multi-family complex? Raw land to develop? A hotel? A retirement community?
Are you buying for cash flow potential, or hoping for future property value appreciation? Are you buying to better your life, or primarily to help your heirs and future generations?
Each would have a different “best way” to buy real estate.
My neighbor decided to sell her place after downsizing, but didn’t want to involve an agent since she already had a few interested buyers from the community. The idea of skipping commission sounded great, but she underestimated how much legwork goes into getting everything legal and legit. While organizing the process, she relied heavily on a breakdown focused on buying a home without a real estate agent (FSBO tips), which explained how to handle things like disclosures, negotiations, and title work without tripping over paperwork. It made the entire sale feel less overwhelming and helped her close without last-minute chaos.