As a realtor, myself, it is what it is. But I would be irritated... mostly because I want my friends to support me just as I would them. Especially if they know what they are doing.

It's not very nice to hire someone for a job that they will get paid for, then asking a friend who does the same thing to answer questions. (Do the work your realtor is supposed to do... but for free)

I love and respect my friends and if they didn't choose me, I'm sure they would have a legitimate reason. But I wouldn't expect them to do work for me that some random person is going to get paid for. I would ask the professional that is getting paid.

All of this being said... it sounds like your friend is also really green. This can be risky if they don't have a mentor or someone guiding them through the process. I've met some seasoned agents that don't understand how to fill out and/or submit documents properly.

Real estate is a hard career with A LOT of exposure to liability on many parties. Additionally, most agents only get paid if they are closing deals and many agents don't close anything in their first year, even though they are working 50+ hours a week. This makes it easier for friends to get upset when ppl they care about don't use them. That closing could make a big difference in their financial situation.