It used to be that a homebuyer had to see an agent to get access to The Book — the phone-book style multiple listing service containing lists of nearly all the homes on the market.

Now, online real estate data is so abundant, buyers and sellers can do most of the research themselves, according to speakers at the 45th annual conference of the National Association of Real Estate Editors.

Nonetheless, speakers maintained, the Internet won't replace the real estate agent the way it did the travel agent.

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