Good relationships are important. This is true whether you’re talking about a relationship with your parents, siblings, children, friends, neighbors or real estate agent.
 
Yes, that’s right. If you’re buying or selling a home, a good relationship with your real estate agent is very important to ensuring the process goes as smoothly as possible. Most people understand that working with a real estate agent can save you time, money and paperwork, but how to treat your agent and how they should treat you aren’t always as clear.
 
At Network Real Estate, we pride ourselves on our relationships with our clients. Many of our Realtors stay in touch with their buyers and sellers as friends after their professional relationship has ended. Because of this, we understand how to build great relationships, and have distilled our best advice into four easy steps. Follow them and in addition to making your real estate dreams come true, you may just find a friend for life.

1. Get preapproved for a mortgage. Buying a home is exciting, and many people want to get to the fun part – looking at homes – as soon as possible. It’s better to slow down and get preapproved for a mortgage before the search begins in earnest. You don’t want to waste your time or your agent’s time by looking at homes outside your price range, and knowing what you have to work with will make the experience smoother for everyone.
    
2. Get a good referral.  Ask friends and family who have recently bought or sold a home for references. Chances are they’ll be more than willing to share their experiences. You can also search for an established real estate agency such as Network Real Estate, which has been operating in southeastern North Carolina since 1982. Once you find a real estate agent you connect with, ask if you can speak with his or her past clients. The agent should be happy to pass on the names of a few satisfied clients, which can be a huge help.
    
3. Be honest. Honesty and trust form the foundation of all relationships, including the one you’re building with your real estate agent. Remember, your agent is on your side and wants to help make your dreams come true. The best way to ensure that she can do her job effectively is to be open and honest with your situation. That includes your finances, your credit score, and whether you plan to use the home you’re buying as a vacation or rental property.
    
4. Commit. A good real estate agent will put a lot of time and energy into helping you buy a new home or sell your current one. Agents search listings, schedule viewings and take you to see homes. Because of this investment, it’s common courtesy to working exclusively with one agent for the duration of your relationship.