A relative is more likely to try to take advantage of you than a stranger, because of the personal relationship.

They are a family owned franchises so you get the best of both worlds.lots of power behind you, but the personal relationship of a small company.

There are many paid mentorship programs out there, but you could also start attending more local meetups to see if you can build some organic relationships that way. 

I would also encourage leveraging a mentor relationship.

I would still weigh your decision heavily on service- if you are in this for the long haul, you need a relationship with a lender who will go to bat for you!

We're hoping to make this the start of a long-term business relationship. 

Furthermore, where the economic benefits to the individual participants are not derivative of their co-ownership, but rather come from their joint relationship toward a common goal, the co-ownership arrangement will be characterized as a partnership (or other business entity) for federal tax purposes.

Immerse yourself around likeminded people and start developing relationships with those in the real estate industry.

If there's one thing you get from this post, let it be this: Real Estate is a people business, and investing in relationships will have an INFINITE return. 

The plan would be to refer the sale to a local agent in Ecuador, while she coordinates all efforts with the family here in the US.What is the best way to source agent in Ecuador without having any previous relationships there?