You tip everyone else, so why not your real estate agent?

A great gesture for a job well done, perhaps. But tipping goes against the National Association of Realtors' Code of Ethics.

An agent should never accept money directly from a client, even if he's gone above and beyond on their behalf. All monies should pass through the agent's broker, and be reported on the HUD-1 settlement sheet.

Here's how Ranee Bray of TCP Real Estate in Austin, Texas, handled it recently when she was handed a substantial tip from a client who was more than satisfied with her work: She gave the money back and sat down with the client to come up with an alternative way to show her gratitude.

Their answer, or as Bray calls it, "an alternative blessing they could bestow upon me," was a generous donation to the agent's favorite charity in the agent's name. "What a beautiful gift of gratitude," the agent says. The donation "is a true blessing that I am proud to accept."

Starting next January, lenders will be required to collect escrow funds from borrowers who have flood insurance, just like they do for property taxes and hazard insurance.

Though the proposed rules won't take effect until almost a year from now, it won't hurt borrowers to start getting familiar with them so they won't be shocked when their house payments go up come Jan. 1.

Under the rule, which is still subject to a few changes, regulated lending institutions must escrow premiums and fees for flood coverage on loans secured by residential properties starting next year. Besides new mortgages made after that date, the rule also would apply to older loans that are increased, extended or renewed.

Also, come the first of the year, borrowers already on the books must be given the option of escrowing their flood insurance premiums if they so desire.

In a key change from previous proposals, the rule would eliminate the requirement that would have forced borrowers to obtain coverage for a structure that is a part of a residential property located in a special flood hazard area if that structure is detached from the house and does not also serve as a residence. But lenders can require insurance on the detached structures if they determine that it is necessary to protect the collateral securing the mortgage.

After several false starts, the latest federal edict on escrowing for flood coverage was issued late last year by five regulatory agencies: the Federal Reserve Board, Farm Credit Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., National Credit Union Administration and the Comptroller of the Currency.

The rules implement changes required by last year's Homeowner Flood Insurance Act, which itself amended the Biggert-Waters Act of 2012.

What's the optimal number of photographs of your property that should accompany your listing? The answer is 10-15, according to Point2, an online marketing service for real estate professionals.

While too few photos are not likely to pique the interest of buyers, too many won't necessarily kill their curiosity. But too many might be just enough to allow people to move on to the next property without ever contacting your agent, the company says.

"Too many photos may answer a potential buyer's questions, meaning there's less incentive to contact the listing agent," according to Point2. "Like any good sales pitch, you want to give enough information to interest people, but not so much that they don't need to contact you."

Too many sellers unwittingly put their homes at risk when they buy combination lockboxes at their local hardware stores so agents can gain access to their properties. That's the warning from super agent Rhonda Duffy, Georgia's No. 1 realty sales professional for 10 consecutive years.

Duffy says using store-bought lockboxes is akin to using weak online passwords. They're not secure at all, the Atlanta agent says, about as dangerous as broadcasting your passwords on national television.

The solution? "Always use a real estate agent's lockbox," she advises. "It has accountability, security and no combination dials to turn. Only actively licensed real estate agents can gain entry."

Another benefit: Agents can run "showing reports" telling sellers exactly how many agents came into their home, when and who they were."

You apply for a mortgage. You fill out all the paperwork and send it in. And then a few days later, you get a call from a complete stranger asking questions such as, "Please explain the NSF on your VOD."

What's up with that? This isn't the same guy or gal you spoke with when you applied. So what's going on here?

The person on the other end of the line is part of your loan officer's mortgage team. If the loan officer was on the ball, he or she should have told you about them.

Indeed, Karen Deis, who has been mentoring loan officers and real estate professionals for more than a decade, tells her students to give their clients a handout up-front introducing their team, including names, phone numbers, photographs and each person who may contact you.

Deis, of Hudson, Wisconsin, used such a handout during the 15-plus years she was a loan officer, and she swears the simple introduction eliminated half her phone calls -- and a lot of her clients' confusion.

"At every face-to-face loan application, my clients received a printed flyer with the names, pictures and general job description of what each staff member does and how to contact them directly," she says. "If they applied online, they received (this information in) an email."

Unfortunately, not every mortgage originator follows Deis' advice. In case yours didn't, Deis shares, below, the members of a typical mortgage team and what each one does. Here are the four key players:

-- Loan coordinator: This team member puts the pieces of the puzzle together. The loan coordinator works with everyone from the credit bureaus, appraisers, title company and inspectors to the real estate agents or builders to make sure every piece of your financial picture comes together in a timely manner.

-- Loan processor: This person does much the same thing as the coordinator, but also puts each puzzle piece under a magnifying glass. The loan processor verifies the information that appears on your application, checks your credit report, verifies your income, makes sure you really have enough money in the bank to close and makes certain the appraisal won't screw up the deal.

The processor "will call you from time to time," says Deis, just to be sure the file that's submitted for approval is complete. That way, the underwriter has your total financial footing available when deciding if you seem like a solid borrower who can make payments on time, each and every month.

Sometimes the underwriter needs more information or needs to clarify something. Consequently, the processor may call you several times for additional information.

-- Closing coordinator: This team member works with the title company to obtain a clear title to the property.

If you are buying a new house, every lender requires a title insurance policy that shows the current property owner, real estate taxes, mortgage and tax liens and any deed restrictions listing the things you can or cannot do once you own the property.

If you are refinancing, the coordinator will order a title policy on your behalf and also obtain a payoff document from your current lender, explaining exactly how much you still owe. According to Deis, there's a three-day waiting period after you sign all the documents at closing before your old loan can be paid off.

The coordinator will also advise you about obtaining or updating your homeowners insurance policy. Every lender requires this to be in place at closing; otherwise, you won't be able to close.

If you are expected to bring money to the closing table, the closing coordinator will make every attempt to advise you of the exact amount you will need. Sometimes the figure isn't known until the last minute, but the coordinator's number is usually pretty close. Nevertheless, don't be surprised if the figures don't match and you have to ante up a few more dollars.

-- Loan officer: This is the person you applied with in the first place. He or she is the team leader, who will strive to make sure the process is as smooth as possible and that your loan closes on time. According to Deis, the loan officer should know the status of your application at all times.

Nothing is more of a budget-buster on a remodeling project than a so-called "change order." Sometimes, if the job is not well planned and properly bid, there might be several change orders, all adding up to financial disaster.

A change order is exactly what it sounds like: any deviation from the original plan. For example, as a project progresses, you might decide you want the more expensive cabinets. You request that with a change order.

According to Kevin Casey of New Avenue Homes -- an Emeryville, California-based remodeling company with an online platform to help clients through the potentially harrowing remodel experience -- one of the root causes of "change-order-itis" and the resulting blown budget is unscrupulous contractors.

Not all contractors fall into this category, of course. In fact, most don't. But the occasional bad apple uses change orders in what Casey calls a "strategic and deceitful way" to offer low bids and then work you over for additional payments above and beyond the quoted price.

Recently, Casey reviewed more than 120 New Avenue projects and all of the projects' submitted change orders. The result was a list of the 18 most common ones, and paying attention to them is a good idea. That way, you can be ready to review any bid you receive to make sure as much as possible is included.

Interestingly, Casey found that 13 of the 18 most expensive were discretionary, meaning they were requested by the customer.

"They often pop up as a project is progressing on budget because the customer had a little reserve socked away for overages that never came," the New Avenue founder says. "The good news is that a perfect project can have 20-plus changes that you willingly choose to make and still complete the work on budget."

We'll get to those changes in a moment. First, let's look at the five changes considered to be non-discretionary -- the unpleasant ones. Sometimes, the cause is something beyond anyone's control, such as an unreasonable building inspector. But other times, the architect, engineer or contractor dropped the ball or overlooked something.

"In a complex project, this happens, and a little leeway is fair," says Casey. "But if it happens too often, it becomes a real question of competence. Many professionals are quite adept at shirking responsibility."

Generally, if the non-discretionary change orders are 2-4 percent of the initial bid, Casey says it is a well-run project. But going to 25 percent, 50 percent or even 100 percent over budget is obviously worrisome.

His advice: "Any contractor heading down that path with his first invoice should be offered two options: Eat the cost or walk away so a better contractor can do the job."

Here's New Avenue's list of the five worst change orders:

-- Excavate an additional two feet for foundation improvements; fill with compacted gravel and additional concrete. Cost: $6,042.

-- Fireproof the laundry area. ($2,151)

-- Add a new water line from street to main home to increase capacity for fire sprinklers. ($5,505)

-- Add fire sprinklers due to code changes made several years earlier. ($4,360)

-- Replace electrical panel in main home with a new 200-amp service, including a wire from the street, new panel and all breakers. ($3,272)

Now, here are the 13 discretionary changes that you might want to consider as part of your initial bid:

-- Add a bay window to the home. Cost: $5,684.

-- Upgrade windows. ($4,086)

-- Install a fenced-in trash area and stone flatwork in the yard. ($3,393)

-- Add a gas line to a backyard cottage to upgrade from electric stove to gas. ($3,000)

-- Upgrade siding. ($2,325)

-- Add tile to main home entry stoop. ($1,880)

-- Add crown molding to living room and kitchen. ($1,761)

-- Install a skylight in a loft. ($1,487)

-- Additional tile wainscoting in bathroom and tile nook in shower. ($1,050)

-- Change from stained concrete floor to tile floor throughout 610-square-foot space. ($1,050)

-- Add false wood beams to living room. ($996)

-- Add extra lighting fixtures throughout house. ($835)

-- Provide and install 8-by-4-foot redwood fence and lattice for trash cans. ($771)