Real Estate Faux Pas: 3 Etiquette No-Gos to Avoid

When you’re buying or selling a home, the rules aren’t always clear. But check out these three common mistakes many people make.

Real Estate Faux Pas: 3 Etiquette No-Gos to Avoid

These are three common mistakes you should avoid:

1. Calling a listing agent directly when you already have a buyer’s agent
2. Making an offer without mortgage preapproval
3. Skipping home showings

Scroll down for a closer look at each.

Real Estate Etiquette No-Go #1: Calling a Listing Agent When You Already Have a Buyer’s Agent

It’s very tempting to pick up the phone and call a listing agent when you see in a home you like online. However, if you’re already working with your own real estate agent, proper etiquette dictates that you call your own agent. Then, your agent will arrange a showing so you can see the home in person. There’s an added benefit to this, too: Your agent is looking out for your best interests, while the listing agent is looking out for their clients best interests.

Related: 4 tips for finding the right mortgage lender

Real Estate Etiquette No-Go #2: Making an Offer Without Mortgage Preapproval

If you really want to compete against other buyers for a home, you need mortgage preapproval. Many sellers won’t even take an offer seriously if it doesn’t come with a preapproval letter. Also, you need to know that a pre-approval is different from a prequalification. Preapproval requires you to submit some documentation to your lender to prove that you are financially able to take out a loan, while prequalification is simply a lender saying, “If your financial situation is what we think it is, we’ll probably let you borrow this amount.”

$379,000 Active

1704 W Wildwood Court Tampa, Florida

4 Beds 2 Baths 1,748 SqFt 0.220 Acres

$875,000 Active

10254 Arbor Side Drive Tampa, Florida

5 Beds 4 Baths 3,463 SqFt 0.380 Acres

$395,000 Active

6024 W Idlewild Avenue Tampa, Florida

4 Beds 2 Baths 1,073 SqFt 0.140 Acres

$175,000 Active

5048 Terrace Palms Circle 102 Tampa, Florida

2 Beds 2 Baths 879 SqFt 0.020 Acres

Real Estate Etiquette No-Go #3: Skipping Home Showings

When you schedule a home showing, be on time – and certainly don’t skip it without letting your agent know. In addition to being poor manners, this shows your agent that you can’t establish a good working relationship, and they’re less likely to want to represent you in a home-buying transaction.

Are You Buying or Selling a Home in Tampa Bay?

You can use this website to search homes for sale in Tampa Bay and all its communities. Our site is directly connected to the Tampa Bay MLS, and we update our listings every hour. You can even use our site to create your own account and get emails as soon as a new home hits the market, price change alerts and so much more.

While you’re here, check out these listings:

• Tampa Bay homes for sale
• Condos for sale in Tampa Bay
• Waterfront homes for sale in Tampa