In Part I of our series on what Millennials seek in a home-buying experience, we discussed some non-interpersonal aspects of how this generation tends to pursue their daily lives and business.

If you need a reminder, Millennials are the youngest major generation in the U.S. They achieved early adulthood in the 2000s, and generally are in their 20s and 30s as we speak.

They’re also the largest sector of U.S., home buyers — 34 percent, according to a recent National Association of Realtors survey — so it’s wise for Millennial home buyers and homebuilding and real-estate pros to understand each other.

In Part II of our series, we examine how this combination of buyers and builders can work well together during the home-buying process.

Let the guides be the guides

Millennials grew up with smart phones, online gaming and computers in the classroom. It doesn’t faze them to instantly Google anything they don’t know. If you’re a Millennial home buyer, you know what we mean. By the time you enter a model-home center, you’ve already cruised website photos, home plans, cost per square foot and know whether a home is environmentally friendly.

But if you’ve never bought a home, all that research can’t substitute for friendly tips, tricks and advice from a real-estate pro. So don’t hesitate to say you’ve never done this before. Ply the agents, builders and designers you meet with questions, no matter how silly they might sound.

It’s the best way to learn. And the true pros are happy to help. While we’re on the subject…

Referrals are gold

A talented architect probably won’t advise a first-time home buyer on the best way to obtain a mortgage. If a pro broker or builder doesn’t know some specific answers and sends you, the Millennial home buyer, elsewhere, take that referral and run with it.

This is how you find smart, helpful mortgage bankers, accountants and home inspection pros, among others — a community of people you can count on to guide you to the home-buying finish line (it’s known as a “closing.” Google it).

Get real in a good way!

For real-estate pros and builders, truly connecting with Millennial home buyers is paramount. They’re used to drinking from a digital communications firehose, so one more Open-House-This-Weekend notification may die in their spam folder. Better to put a name to a face, or a simple personal note in their inbox, in response to their inquiries.

It’s as basic as inputting a name and number in your phone. When a prospective Millennial customer texts you 15 minutes later with an urgent question they just thought of, you don’t respond, “who’s this, please?”

It’s an off-putting move that won’t score you points with any potential customer, and particularly not with digital-savvy Millennials.

If you’re not a Millennial — past that point age-wise — empathy goes a long way. You might recall buying your first home, or nod in recognition when potential Millennial customers describe the constraints and joys of their current adulthood. Those of us a little older still remember our 20s and 30s. Hopefully fondly!

Ready to pursue a new home? ICI Homes can help. Start here.