Key Takeaways

  • Bank-sponsored educational tools help agents improve buyer preparedness and confidence.
  • Educational self-serve tools, such as PNC Home Insight® Planner, can serve as a valuable resource that allows your clients to explore the home buying process by building customized loan scenarios with personalized rate options that fit their budget. Additionally, they offer the ability to browse active home listings to find the perfect home that meets their needs.
  • Real estate agents may collaborate with banks and other real estate industry professionals at community events, such as road shows and webinars.
  • Offering these resources may help boost your professional value by demonstrating to prospective clients that you are committed to helping them better understand and prepare for the home-buying process.
  • Homebuyer education may help reduce buyer fallout and even shorten the home-buying process by aligning client expectations more closely with their budget, while also enabling clients to better understand and prepare for the mortgage application process.

Homebuyer education is more than a courtesy — it's a competitive advantage. By aligning with banks that offer free or low-cost educational tools, you may be able to set more realistic expectations early, streamline the home search process, and enhance the buyer experience from start to finish.[1]

The modern homebuying journey is more complex than ever, and buyers, especially first-timers, may feel overwhelmed by financing, budgeting, and market realities. As a real estate professional, partnering with financial institutions by encouraging your clients to use their educational resources may be a game-changer. Banks like PNC offer valuable tools such as homebuyer webinars, community event roadshows, and digital self-serve tools like Home Insight® Planner, a complete set of home lending calculators, and a wide range of learning articles that help demystify the mortgage process.

When you actively integrate these bank-provided resources into your client services, you not only build trust but also enhance buyer readiness. This may result in smoother closings, fewer surprises, and a more confident and committed client. Here's how to effectively utilize these tools and why you should.

Why Homebuyer Education Matters

Today's buyers are seeking guidance to help them secure the best deal and feel confident in their housing choice. Many of them are navigating high interest rates, student loan debt, or uncertain financial futures. Others may not be aware of how much home they can actually afford, what it might cost them upfront, or how mortgage rates impact their monthly payments.[2]

No matter what kind of home a buyer is looking for or what features they want in it, they could back away from moving forward on a house if they don't have good information. In short, without a clear roadmap, even serious buyers may stall or even decide not to buy.

That's where homebuyer education comes in. By introducing your clients to bank-sponsored programs early in the process, you may empower them with clearer expectations about affordability and mortgage readiness. Then, they may be better equipped to make more confident choices about purchasing a home.

Homebuyer education also offers buyers a deeper understanding of the home loan process. Many buyers may want this knowledge, but may not be clear on where to find it. After all, there's a lot of conflicting information out there. When you guide your buyers toward trusted educational resources, you give them the confidence to make informed decisions faster and be better prepared to meet all the requirements of the home-buying process.

Additionally, this provides buyers with the financial tools to explore different budget scenarios, enabling them to determine if the size and style of home they want will fit within their budget. This may lead them to make financial adjustments, explore different neighborhoods, or address credit concerns, so they're prepared to move forward when they find a home they love.

Better-informed buyers tend to be more decisive and less likely to be derailed by financing hiccups or minor inconveniences that may arise during the buying process. That's a win for everyone and may help you close more deals for homebuyers looking for a place to call their own.

Types of Bank-Sponsored Resources Available

Many financial institutions have a wide range of free or low-cost educational tools that real estate agents like you might introduce to their clients. These tools may complement your services and help buyers navigate their path to homeownership.

Interactive Budgeting Tools

At PNC, we offer the PNC Home Insight® Planner. It's a user-friendly digital tool that allows clients to:

  • Customize and compare multiple home loan products - get personalized rates.
  • Explore monthly payment options - find the one that matches their budget and financial goals.
  • Search active home listings – find their dream home.
  • Access home lending calculators and other educational resources – take the time to do their own research.
  • Connect with a PNC Mortgage Loan Officer – get the professional hands-on support they deserve.

The Home Insight® Planner tool is an innovative self-serve digital tool that provides a one-stop shop for all your client's upfront home-buying needs. It can help them better understand what they may be able to afford, which can help avoid future heartbreak over finding a home that doesn't match their budget. It may also help open doors for them to explore other neighborhoods or homes in different price ranges that they may have ruled out or not yet considered. 

Consider introducing the tool during your buyer consultations and walking clients through it step by step. You can also simply send them a link to the Home Insight® Planner tool, allowing them to use it independently and explore their customized home buying options.  That lets them generate a realistic home budget and customized home loan options before you begin showing them properties in person. You'll waste less time, show more relevant homes, and potentially close deals faster.

Educational Webinars and Online Courses

Along with digital tools for homebuyers, banks regularly offer free webinars and virtual workshops. These cover a variety of essential home purchasing preparedness information, including:

  • The homebuying and mortgage process
  • Credit and budgeting fundamentals
  • First-time buyer programs and down payment assistance
  • How to choose the right mortgage product

These sessions are often hosted by lending professionals who may be able to answer questions in real-time, making them especially helpful for buyers who are unfamiliar with mortgage terminology or have unique financial circumstances.

You may want to share webinar schedules with clients and encourage them to attend before starting their home search. Even seasoned buyers may benefit from refresher courses, especially in a changing market.

Community Events and Roadshows

Some financial institutions host in-person events to promote affordable lending programs and homebuyer education. For example, PNC offers Affordable Lending Roadshows in select markets. These events often feature:

  • On-site loan officers for pre-qualification
  •  Informational sessions on budgeting and financial wellness
  • Local housing agency representatives who offer additional support
  • Information on current down payment assistance grant programs and specialized lending products that may help make home ownership more affordable for your eligible clients

These events are an excellent opportunity for buyers to get pre-qualified and ask questions in a low-pressure setting.

If you attend these events yourself, you may build relationships with local lenders and stay informed about available programs. Encourage your clients to join you. It shows you're invested in their success and gives them access to real-time resources they might not have discovered on their own. Check out our PNC Agent Alliance page to view our upcoming roadshow events that may be taking place near you!

Big Benefits for Real Estate Professionals

Incorporating bank-provided educational resources isn't just helpful for your homebuying clients. It's also a smart move for your business. Here's why.

You Become a Trusted Advisor, Not Just a Salesperson

Clients who view you as a guide and advisor are more likely to refer you to others and return to you for future transactions.

You Save Time and Reduce Friction

Educated buyers are more aware of their budgets, timelines, and loan options. That means fewer back-and-forths, fewer surprises, and faster decision-making, which equals a more straightforward transaction for everyone.

You Reduce the Risk of Deals Falling Through

Buyers who understand their financing are less likely to back out at the last minute. That means fewer lost deals and more predictable closings, to potentially helping grow your book of business while helping buyers find their dream home.

You Build Stronger Partnerships with Lenders

Referring your clients to bank-sponsored education programs may strengthen your relationships with local loan officers. That may translate into better service and faster response times when your clients need help, allowing you to get them into their new home.

How To Introduce Bank-Provided Resources to Clients

Clients often don't know where to start, or they may feel intimidated by financial jargon. Your role is to make it easier. To do that, you should start early. Introduce tools during your first meeting or buyer intake session, and be proactive in doing so. Send your buyers links, flyers for upcoming bank events, and webinar invites.

Also, take the time to personalize your recommendation. Consider the information your buyers need most, such as down payment assistance or credit building, and suggest options that will provide them with the most crucial information. When you partner with lenders, you might consider setting up joint consultations or inviting loan officers to attend your open houses or buyer workshops.

Lastly, don't forget to follow up with your clients. Ask them what they learned and how they feel about it. Discuss with them what they still need to know and whether they're deriving value from your recommendations. Then, you'll have information that may help you adjust your approach based on the feedback you're receiving. 

Customizing Education Based on Buyer Type

Different types of buyers respond to different formats and resources. When you tailor your recommendations, that makes your service more relevant and personal, keeping buyers happier and your transactions moving forward. For example, you could customize your formats and informational offerings this way: 

  • First-time buyers: Budgeting calculators, webinars on mortgage basics
  • Relocating families: Webinars on regional home values, cost-of-living tools
  • High-income buyers: In-depth investment options, webinars on jumbo loans
  • Credit-challenged buyers: Education on improving credit, bank-sponsored counseling

Empower Buyers and Elevate Your Business

In today's competitive real estate market, agents who provide this extra layer of support stand out from the crowd. You may not only win client loyalty, but you may also close more deals, more efficiently, with fewer bumps in the road. That's a win for everyone involved in the transaction.

Interested in exploring our home lending educational resources? Get started today by checking out Home Insight® Planner to see for yourself how this powerful tool could make a difference for you and your clients.