I love using a TA, you can't beat the price. My agent got me a room and secured a bib for the Star Wars race in 2020, which isn't available to the public yet. I think it basically means my spot is reserved, but I still need to register when regular registration opens. I also love just sending an email saying I'm looking for a room for a race on these dates, and they do all of the work of finding rates and packages.