Last Saturday I had a meeting with a young couple who are buying their first home. At the end of the meeting, I asked them “What do you need from me to make your home buying experience a 10″. They both replied without hesitation “Communication!”.

I spent about an hour with this couple explaining the home buying process in detail including money that they would have to pay out of pocket, the inspection process, the escrow process, etc. etc. They both listened so attentively that I almost felt like I had lost them however when I checked for understanding they were right with me.

When they first contacted me they had already chosen a lender and were prequalified. However, the level of communication with their loan officer left them with more questions than answers. That explained their quick response to my home buying experience question.

I took this opportunity to let them know that they have the right to expect the highest level of customer service possible. I encouraged them to set their expectations up front with anyone that is assisting them in this transaction. I also encouraged them not to be intimidated by the process and that as real estate professionals our job is to assist and clarify, not confuse.

So my message today is, remember, we do this for a living and the process is not new to us. If we keep clear and frequent communication as the key to our relationships, I guarantee many more doors will open.