Transaction Coordinator Certification can teach you a lot about contracts, documents, and deadlines, but there’s another part of the job that’s just as important: learning how to work with the agent you’re supporting.
A good agent-TC relationship shouldn’t feel like two people trying to do the same job.
The agent has their responsibilities. The Transaction Coordinator has theirs. Things tend to run much better when both people know who’s handling what before the transaction gets busy.
Have the Conversation Before You Start
Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of a transaction to figure out what the agent expects from you. You should ask:
- “What do you normally want your TC to handle once a property goes under contract?”
- Talk about documents, emails, calendar reminders, file updates, and follow-ups.
- Find that one agent wants you involved in nearly every administrative part of the file. Another may prefer to handle certain things personally.
Neither approach is necessarily a problem. You just need to know what you’re responsible for.
Learn How the Agent Likes to Communicate
Some agents live in their email, while others would rather get a text if something needs their attention.
Find out early. You can also ask how often they want updates. An agent handling several transactions may appreciate a quick summary of what’s outstanding rather than separate messages throughout the day.
For example: “We’re still waiting on the signed document for Smith. Everything else on the file is current.”
That’s usually more useful than sending an email that just says, “Checking in.” The goal is to give the agent the information they need without making them search for it.
Don’t Assume the Agent Saw the Email
You copied the agent on an email, so they saw it. Right? Maybe.
Agents may be driving between appointments, showing homes, sitting in closings, or meeting with clients. Something important can easily get buried in a busy inbox.
If there’s something the agent actually needs to address, tell them. A quick “I sent you the email from title. There’s a question in there they need you to answer” is much clearer than assuming they’ll eventually find it.
Don’t Do the Agent’s Job for Them
This is where a new TC can get into trouble. You want to be helpful, so when someone asks a question, your first instinct may be to answer it.
Before you do, think about whether the question is actually yours.
If a client wants to change something in the deal, that’s a conversation for the agent. If there’s a negotiation happening, the agent needs to handle it. Financing questions should go to the lender, and legal questions should be directed to the appropriate professional.
Sometimes your answer really is: “Let me have your agent give you a call about that.”
That’s not passing the problem off. That’s making sure the right person handles it.
Keep the Agent in the Loop
A TC may be the person who notices that something hasn’t come in yet or that an important date is getting close. Tell the agent before it becomes a last-minute problem.
You don’t need to sound an alarm every time you’re waiting on something. Just give them enough information to know what’s happening.
For example: “We’re still waiting on this document. I followed up this morning, and I’ll check again tomorrow if I don’t receive it.”
Now the agent knows you’ve already handled the follow-up and can decide whether they need to get involved.
Learn When Something Needs More Attention
Not every missing document is an emergency. If something was supposed to arrive this morning and it’s noon, you probably don’t need to start calling everyone involved.
But if an important deadline is getting close and you’re still waiting, that’s different.
Part of becoming a good TC is learning the difference.
When you’re new, ask the agent or broker how they want those situations handled. Over time, you’ll get better at recognizing what’s routine and what needs someone’s attention right away.
Don’t Let Small Tasks Disappear
The agent may be focused on the bigger picture while you’re keeping track of the details.
That can mean following up on a document, checking whether something was signed, updating the file or reminding the agent about something coming up.
Those aren’t always big tasks, but forgetting several small things can turn into a bigger problem later.
If you tell the agent you’re going to handle something, put it on your list and close the loop when it’s done.
Every Agent Will Be a Little Different
Once you’ve worked with a few agents, you’ll see this pretty quickly. One agent may want everything documented in the transaction management system. Another may ask you to send a quick text when something important happens.
Some will want frequent updates. Others may only want to hear from you when they need to do something.
Don’t expect every working relationship to look exactly the same.
What matters is agreeing on a process that works for both of you and still follows the brokerage’s requirements.
Speak Up When You Need Something
Working with an agent is not a one-way relationship.
- If you need a document, ask for it.
- If the agent hasn’t answered a question you need resolved, follow up.
- If you’re getting files without the information you need to do your job, talk about it.
You don’t have to make it confrontational.
“Can we start including this when you send me a new file? It’ll save me from having to come back and ask for it each time.”
Small conversations like that can make working together much easier.
Learn the Role Before You Step Into It
Knowing how to work with an agent is easier when you already understand what a Transaction Coordinator is there to do.
That’s part of what you’ll learn through Transaction Coordinator Certification at LEAP Real Estate Academy in Orlando.
The training covers the transaction process, document management, deadlines, the law, and knowing your role in the transaction. Just as importantly, you can ask instructors about situations that don’t always have a neat answer.
What happens when an agent doesn’t respond? When should you follow up again? What should you do when someone asks you a question outside your role?
Learning from people who have worked through those situations can give you a better idea of how to handle them when they eventually happen to you.
A Transaction Coordinator isn’t there to replace the agent. You’re there to help keep the administrative side of the transaction organized so the agent can take care of their responsibilities and their clients.
When both people understand that, working together gets a whole lot easier.
Enroll in Transaction Coordinator Certification at LEAP Real Estate Academy in Orlando and learn how to become the kind of TC agents want on their team.
