Co-Hosting Homebuyer Workshops With a Lender: A RESPA-Smart Guide
Homebuyer workshops build trust and pipeline for agents and loan officers. Here's how to plan one that educates buyers and stays on the right side of RESPA.
Some of the most productive relationships between agents and loan officers start in a room full of future buyers. A well-run homebuyer workshop does three things at once: it helps real people understand a confusing process, it shows your expertise, and it builds a pipeline of clients who already trust you. It also needs to be set up correctly, because RESPA applies to how agents and lenders work together.
Why workshops work
- First-time buyers are hungry for clear, unbiased information
- A room of attendees is a room of warm relationships, not cold leads
- Agents and loan officers can show how they work together as a team
- Recorded or recapped content becomes social media and email material for months
Keep it RESPA-smart
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act prohibits giving or receiving anything of value in exchange for referrals of settlement service business. Co-marketing and joint events are allowed, but they need to be structured fairly. Practical guidelines many teams follow:
- Share costs in proportion to each party's participation and benefit. If both of you present and both promote, split venue, food, and marketing costs fairly.
- Don't have one party quietly pay the other's share. Covering an agent's marketing costs in hopes of referrals is the kind of arrangement RESPA targets.
- Document the arrangement in writing, including who pays for what.
- Run it by compliance. Your brokerage and mortgage company likely have specific co-marketing policies.
The CFPB's Regulation X covers the details. When in doubt, ask before you spend.
A workshop agenda that works
| Segment | Who leads | What to cover |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome and goals | Both | What attendees will leave knowing |
| Budget and pre-approval | Loan officer | Debt-to-income, credit, documents, why pre-approval matters |
| Loan options | Loan officer | Conventional, FHA, VA, assistance programs |
| Finding and winning a home | Agent | Search strategy, offers, contingencies, negotiation |
| Escrow to keys | Both | Inspection, appraisal, insurance, closing |
| Q&A | Both | Real questions, plain answers |
Content that keeps it compliant and useful
Stay educational. Avoid quoting specific rates, payments, or down payment amounts in presentation materials unless you include all required disclosures. Instead, teach concepts and invite attendees to schedule private consultations for their own numbers. Helpful handouts include a document checklist, a glossary, and a step-by-step roadmap like my first-time homebuyer roadmap.
Promotion ideas
- Invite your sphere and past clients to bring friends who are thinking about buying
- Partner with local employers, community groups, or credit unions
- Promote on social media with a clear promise of what attendees will learn
- Offer both in-person and virtual options to widen the audience
Follow-up is where the value is
Most of the value comes after the event. Send a recap with slides and resources within a day. Offer every attendee a private consultation. Then stay in touch with useful content over the following months; many attendees won't buy for six months or more.
Teach first. The clients follow the trust.
Measuring whether it worked
A workshop isn't a one-night event; it's the start of a relationship pipeline. Track a few simple numbers so you know what's working and can improve next time:
| Metric | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Registrations and attendance | Shows whether your promotion and topic resonated |
| Consultations booked | The clearest sign attendees trust you |
| Pre-approvals within 90 days | Measures near-term buyers |
| Closings within 12 months | Captures the real long-term value |
| Attendee feedback | Tells you what to keep and what to cut |
Workshop formats to try
- First-time buyer basics: the classic, always in demand
- Self-employed buyers: a smaller, focused session on documentation and loan options
- Veterans and service members: VA benefits and myths, ideally with a local veterans' organization
- Move-up buyers: buying before selling, equity, and timing
- Spanish-language or other language sessions: if your team can serve that community well
Rotate topics across the year and keep a simple calendar so your sphere knows what's coming. Over time, a regular workshop series becomes a recognizable part of your brand in the community and a reliable source of clients who already know how you work.
Simple logistics checklist
- Book a venue with good parking, or a reliable virtual platform
- Prepare slides, a one-page checklist, and a glossary handout
- Set up an easy registration page and reminder emails
- Plan for questions; budget at least a third of the time for Q&A
- Have a simple way for attendees to book private consultations on the spot
- Agree in advance who follows up with whom, and how quickly
Small details like name tags, a clear agenda, and starting on time signal professionalism. Attendees are evaluating whether they want to trust you with one of the biggest decisions of their lives; the experience of the workshop itself is part of that decision.
The takeaway
Homebuyer workshops are one of the best ways for agents and loan officers to serve their community and grow together, as long as the partnership is set up fairly. Share costs properly, stay educational, follow up well, and run it by compliance. If you're an agent in Southern California who wants to co-host one, I'd love to talk about it.
