In this day and age of online selling and purchasing, there is concern over the safety and security of conducting real transactions via Amazon, Zillow, Self-Directed IRA Real Estate Investment Companies and other online sources.

More often than not, an individual seeking to purchase or sell real estate is not educated on the process and is "flying blind" so to speak.

In my professional experience, nearly one-for-one, any upset over a real estate transaction can be traced back to the client/customer not knowing and/or not understanding the procedure.

By survey the two most important qualities that clients look for in Agent representation are trust and good communication. These go hand in hand, i.e. if the Agent is not communicating when he/she should be, clients tend to get anxious as they want to be kept informed. They need reassurance that they are in good hands and that their Agent has their back.

That said, it is far better to go with a Realtor (R) than a Real Estate Agent and do the transaction in-person rather than on-line. Note: I have included a link below to a very informative article on inman.com that explains the difference between a Realtor (R) and a Real Estate Agent. Please note, any on-line transactions would not be performed by a Realtor(R).

https://www.inman.com/2016/04/04/difference-real-estate-agent-realtor-explained/

Next... What about on-line vs in-person? Honestly, I think its a no-brainer. Even if I wasn't a licensed Realtor (R), I would never, ever purchase or sell a propery on-line. But, it all depends on the person and their needs and wants as well as the risks they are willing to take.

Ask yourself, "If something goes awry, am I protected?" "And if so, what is the process and is it simple or complicated?" Please note, in an in-person transaction you have near immediate access to resolution either with the Realtor (R), the Broker, Real Estate Commission, Mediation (if you didn't waive your right to mediate) and last but not least, litigation.

As for on-line, you have never met the person and are usually clueless as to where they are located, let alone who their supervisor is or how to contact him/her. Further, the on-line "agents" are not Realtors (R) , so are not bound by any codes.
All too likely they will require that you sign waivers and non-disclosure agreements, which could wind you up in a mess with no recourse.

Personally, I pride myself in being a "relational" as opposed to a "transactional" Realtor (R). Its not about the money for me, its about truly helping people. The photo at the top of this article is one of a family I helped and bonded with. I have many more photos of them and their children. Its the relationships in my profession that bring joy to my life. The transaction simply made the introduction.

In ending, whatever route you decide to take, I strongly advise you seek legal counsel as needed and meanwhile do not sign anything that you don't understand, let alone anything that would waive your rights to recourse or free speech.