Mortgages & Home Loans Homeowner Guide Should You Talk to a Lender or a Real Estate Agent First? By Elizabeth Weintraub Updated on April 7, 2022 Reviewed by JeFreda R. Brown Reviewed by JeFreda R. Brown JeFreda R. Brown is a financial consultant, Certified Financial Education Instructor, and researcher who has assisted thousands of clients over a more than two-decade career. She is the CEO of Xaris Financial Enterprises and a course facilitator for Cornell University. learn about our financial review board Fact checked by Katie Turner In This Article View All In This Article Good Agents Know Good Lenders An Agent Will Help You Pick a Lender Shop Around for an Agent Find Someone You're Comfortable With The Best Time To Buy The Flip Side: Preapproval Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Photo: Richard Drury/DigitalVision/Getty Images There's a bit of debate about whether you should talk to a lender first when you decide to buy a home or to a real estate agent. There are pros and cons to both options, but the bottom line is that while your loan is important, your real estate agent is even more important. Your mortgage is actually just a part of a large transaction. Key Takeaways Real estate agents know their area and the reliable local lenders that can be trusted to close a mortgage.Shop around for both real estate agents and lenders to find the ones you like and trust.Agents prefer that you go to them with a mortgage preapproval so that neither one of you is wasting time. Good Agents Know Good Lenders First, consider what's most expeditious. Your agent can help you find a mortgage lender much more quickly and easily than a lender can help you find a good agent. Most agents have a plethora of lenders in their referral database, and a group of lenders that they've personally worked with in the past. Agents can be trusted to refer a mortgage lender with a proven record and one that can close loans, while mortgage brokers might only refer agents who send them business, which means nothing. It's not necessarily a declaration of professionalism or experience. Those agents could be—and often are—brand new and still learning the ropes. The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) prohibits agents from receiving a "thing of value" from a lender in exchange for sending you its way, and it inhibits them from entering into quid pro quo arrangements that might not be best for their clients. The agent will know which lenders perform and which can be counted on to hold up closing. You probably won't be privy to that type of information on your own. Note What you absolutely don't want to do is find a house first, even if that seems to make the most sense. If you find one you like, you won't be ready with a loan preapproval or an agent to help you through the process. An Agent Will Help You Pick a Lender Your agent can also help match the loan you want to a lender that specializes in that particular type of financing. Another advantage to choosing an agent before a lender is that your agent will probably refer you to a local lender. Buyers sometimes want to work with lenders in another city, or even in another state, but you could be at a disadvantage during offer negotiations if your lender isn't local. You don't want to lose your dream home just because the listing agent has never heard of your lender. Shop Around for an Agent Don't be afraid to tell a potential agent that you're meeting with their competitors. They might wonder what else you're keeping from them if you don't share your intentions, and they will find out later, so you might as well just tell them. It's OK. Zillow recommends meeting with at least three agents before you lock in with anyone. However, most buyers don't do that. The National Association of Realtors has reported that 52% of first-time buyers took a recommendation from a friend and jumped right in, and two-thirds signed up with the first agent they spoke to, without looking any further. Find Someone You're Comfortable With Real estate agents are generally pretty busy, at least if they're making money, and that is the kind of agent you want to work with. Those who are busy generally have a good deal of experience, and their experience will help you to avoid problems. Liking the individual counts a great deal, too. Note You might want to interview agents to determine who will be the best fit for you before you decide on someone. You'll be in an intimate relationship with that person for weeks and maybe months, so you'd better like whomever you choose. Call an agent, and ask for a 30-minute meeting at their office. You can interview over the phone, but in-person is better. Be upfront, and explain that you're planning on talking to two or three agents before hiring someone. The agent will understand. An Agent Can Help With the Best Time to Buy A good agent can also help you figure out whether the time is right for you to buy. You can toss about scenarios about moving to various communities and discuss the pros and cons. You can bounce ideas off your agent. They'll be your rock, your sounding board, and, hopefully, a person you can trust. Note Your agent will walk you through the home-buying process from A to Z and will hold your hand for as long as necessary. They'll be the most important person in your life until the day you close. The Flip Side: Preapproval Nothing says that you can't find an agent, then take a deep breath and get preapproved for a mortgage before you start looking for a home. In fact, the agent you select might even urge you to do just that. The 2017 Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report indicated that 92% of all buyers that year were preapproved and that 83% of those who worked with agents were preapproved. The takeaway is that agents prefer that their clients get preapproved, according to Zillow. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Where do I start when buying a home? The first thing to do when considering a home purchase is to take stock of your financial situation. You need to assess whether you can afford a down payment, mortgage payment, and ongoing home maintenance costs. It's also a good idea to check your credit score and see whether you're in a good position to get approved with good loan terms. How do I choose a real estate agent? A real estate agent is a crucial partner in your home search, and you want to be sure it's a good fit. Ask for referrals from friends and colleagues, and interview a few different agents to compare how they will approach helping you find a home and negotiating a purchase on your behalf. Ask them questions about their experience, communication style, and commission structure to get a feel for which one fits your style best. How do I choose a mortgage lender? Ask your agent, as well as friends and family, for lender recommendations before you start house shopping. Get loan preapprovals from several lenders, and ask them key questions about loan rates and terms, origination fees, down payment requirements, and loan process. Choose the lender that offers you the best service and terms for your needs. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Association of Realtors. "Following RESPA Rules." Zillow Group. "How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent." Realtor.com. "How a Real Estate Agent Can Help Buyers Choose a First Home, Mortgage, and More." Zillow Group. "What to Do Before Talking to a Real Estate Agent."