Buyers may still qualify for a mortgage after bankruptcy, but they should connect with an experienced loan officer before the home search begins.

Brokers can reduce the risk of supervision problems by offering training, remaining accessible, monitoring advertising and maintaining complete transaction files, real estate attorney Danny Villazon told attendees at the recent Florida Real Legal Summit. He said FREC is closely examining whether brokers are actively overseeing their associates and can document how that supervision works.

A LendingTree survey found many buyers hold back their reactions, budget and offer strategy when they believe sellers may be watching or listening.