Buying a rehab property, do I need an agent to make an offer?

[Jay Garrison]

Hello,

I am pre-approved for a mortgage and two days ago I walked through (with the listing agent) a 30K two flat that I am interested in. This is my first time buying a home, and I have a home inspector that I will work with to assess what needs to be done. I know that it will need a ton of work and that's fine, but what kind of agent do I need to make an offer? A friend of the family is going to help me, but I don't know if she has experience with distressed properties.