There are many situations in life where the proper etiquette has not been explained and you are left to your judgment, natural inclination, past learning and what you have learned along the way, to determine the right and wrong way of behaving. One of those areas where you would not have received any guidance would be real estate, and (not surprisingly) there are all kinds of behaviors and attitudes that buyers and sellers bring with them. Here are my top four suggestions on this topic, that may make more of a difference than you would suspect.

1. Express, Don’t Demand— Acting like a dictator might get you what you want in the short term, but it sure won’t put you in the favored client position that everyone wants to jump through a hoop for.

2. Respect Other’s Property—At the risk of sounding like a school marm: until you are the purchaser of a property, you are a guest in someone else’s home and should treat it with all the respect that you would like someone to treat your home. Do not lie on the beds, help yourself to a seat and put your feet up on the coffee table, walk through the house with a Starbucks that could have the potential of spilling and staining, or touch things as you go through the home.

3. One Man’s Treasure is Another Man’s Trash—I have seen buyers walk into a home and share some uncomplimentary opinions in front of the listing agent. This is not only impolite, but you never know who the listing agent is, as in one case, where the agent was representing a new residential build that her son’s firm had completed. Hold your comments while visiting a property and share your thoughts once you are alone with your agent.

4. It’s Both What You Say and How You Say It—Granted, residential real estate can be a highly emotional experience. Being conscious of tone, volume and the words you choose can impact the experience.