Buying house with no realtor

[Brandon Ellis]

So I found a house down the street from me and I noticed nobody seemed to be living there.  Good Neighborhood.  I checked the local govt tax records and found an address where it appears the owners are in Florida.  So say I contact the owners and they decide to sell.  What do I need to do to purchase this property?  Would I still need a realtor or some kind of agent?  (FYI I'm located in NC.)

Thanks for any help.