We are sometimes asked, “Can I change real estate agents if they aren’t getting the job done?”

Let’s first look at the reasons why someone might be considering the idea of firing their agent. 

This usually comes up when someone isn’t getting the results they expected when they first hired their agent, or sometimes communication between the agent and client is lacking. More specifically, here are a few concerns that home sellers may have: 

• The home isn’t selling as quickly as expected or offers haven’t been as high as expected.
• There aren’t as many showings as anticipated, or the showings have not resulted in offers. 
• The client and agent have different opinions about advertising and/or marketing.
• The agent isn’t updating the client as regularly as expected or as agreed upon or isn’t providing timely feedback on showings. 
• The agent is unavailable by phone or does not respond to messages in a timely fashion. 
• Others (i.e. neighbors, friends, family, etc.) are offering conflicting advice or information – different from what the agent has advised or shared. 

When someone is buying a home, the complaints they have may be similar or different from those of home sellers. Here are some reasons people consider switching from one real estate agent to another: 

• Communication lacking (i.e. general lack of responsiveness) 
• The agent has not offered certain properties as options (without explanation as to why)
• Lack of agent availability during times clients prefers to look at homes
• Differences in approach regarding making offers, contract negotiations, etc. 

Communicating Concerns

Naturally, it’s always a good idea to first communicate any concerns you may be having with an agent. We recommend doing this in person if at all possible. There is nothing better than a face to face conversation where everyone puts their cards on the table. How people respond to such concerns tells you a lot about a person. Are they defensive? Do they make excuses? Or maybe there was one or more miscommunications along the way. 

If after this conversation, things continue to be unacceptable, clients have three basic options: 

1. You can ride out your contract and make a change once it expires. 
2. You can ask to be released from the contract (assuming you have one).  Keep in mind that your contract is with the broker and not just the agent, so the broker will have to agree to the cancellation. 
3. If the broker will not agree to a cancellation, you can ask to be reassigned to another agent within the brokerage. (Assuming you are in the middle of a purchase or sale, this is really the best option and maybe even the only option). 

If you do decide to ask for a cancellation of your listing agreement/contract, be sure to do it in good faith and by documenting concerns and attempts to remedy them. Speaking from experience, people have been known to ask agents to cancel their contracts so they can sell their home to someone (i.e. neighbor, friend, acquaintance, etc.) and avoid paying a commission. This makes agents very suspicious and with good reason. It’s painful to be asked to cancel a contract with a client after you have invested time, money, and energy, only to learn later that the client was secretly conspiring with a purchaser to avoid paying a  commission. 

Some agents may want to negotiate reimbursement for professional photos they may have had taken or other expenses that were specified as part of the listing agreement. Always read your agreement and attempt to find a win-win arrangement. Whatever is decided, it needs to be put into writing. The agent should provide you with a formal cancellation, but if not, make sure you put into writing any conversations you have had and send it to the broker. In the end, a legal contract is being changed/canceled, so make sure you do it correctly and with the appropriate documentation  to avoid any problems later. 

In most states, home buyers are under no obligation to a specific agent unless they have contracted with them in writing. In the case of no contractual arrangement, changing agents is as simple as notifying the agent you have been working with that you will no longer need their services. 

As we all know, some relationships just simply don’t work out. It’s ok to make changes. That said, do what you can to provide feedback and request changes before making a decision to part ways. Be honest and let your agent know what you expect and what may be causing you problems. Give them a chance to do better. If they don’t, you can in good conscience move on. 

Our team at Buckelew Realty Group is always happy to help people navigate communications with their agent if needed (sometimes it’s just nice to get another opinion), so don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of help.