Home buying or selling can be stressful, but that doesn't mean that you take it upon your real estate agent. Remember your sister's story about being yelled at by her agent when in her mind she hasn't done anything wrong? Well...
While there are rules that you can impose as a seller or a buyer, agents also have their own that you need to recognize and respect, whether you like it or not. Knowing these simple rules will help for that effective client-agent relationship and eventually a successful deal.
Here are real estate rules for working with agents according to About Home:
Understand agents work on commission
The reality is majority of real estate agents work on commission; which means that if they don't close a deal, they do not get paid. So before you make an agent go back and forth and do things that are sometimes beyond their scope, think again, especially if you plan to cut them out of your deal.
Keep appointments and be on time
Not because the agent will make money out of your deal (if it's successful) means that you can just expect them to drop whatever they are doing to take you to a home showing. Since these agents work on commission, they would have several clients / prospect at the same time so be respectful and show up (and on time) in an appointment. If you can't avoid being late, give your agent a heads-up of the exact time you arrive.
Practice open house protocol
Is it okay for you to attend open houses by yourself? Your agent should tell you if it's a proper thing to do as some areas frown upon attending open houses unescorted. To be safe, hand your agent's business card to the open house's host agent to put it out there. And remember to avoid asking questions that are for your agent to ask.
Always ask for and sign an agency agreement
The law requires agents to provide clients with an Agency Disclosure. This will serve as a proof of receipt and is solely a disclosure and not an agreement to agency. Make sure to read it before starting the deal.
Make your expectations known
Don't expect your real estate agent to know what you want. Do you need the agent to pick you up and drive you home after showing homes or you are okay with meeting at the office? Also setup guidelines on how the communication will be, how often, and through what (phone calls, e-mails, text messages, IM's). And of course, if you find something that doesn't please you, voice out.