Know When the Time Is Right to Cut Ties with a Real Estate Agent

• Author: Michael Bordonada
• Posted: 2024-02-08

Surprisingly enough, the real estate market has remained red-hot through a pandemic and short supply, and low interest rates have kept buyers in the market. Given the unique times that we are living in, you may need a real estate agent to sell your home. However, the agent that you have hired may not be the right one for you. When your house is not selling, you should not hesitate to change real estate agents if your agreement with the agent allows it. Here are five signs that you need to get rid of your broker and find a new one.

The Agent Does Not Answer You

The bargain that real estate agents make is that they trade their services in exchange for their commission. One of the services that they provide is counseling you and communicating with you throughout the process. When they do not fulfill that basic courtesy, there is little reason to retain them. You are paying for your agent's expertise. In order to inform you of market conditions, your agent must talk to you first. You have every right to expect that your agent promptly returns phone calls and e-mails. While you should not change agents for the first non-returned phone call, if it becomes a pattern, you should find a new one.

Nobody Is Coming to See Your Home

When you do not notice the traffic in and out of your home, it means that the agent is not scheduling the showings that are necessary to sell your home. If nobody sees your home, chances are that it will not sell. What your agent does is set up showings. They should be continuously communicating with you that someone is coming to see your home. You should also see a steady flow of people in open houses. When you do not know of anyone interested in your home, chances are that your agent is not being aggressive enough in showing your home or they are simply marketing it the wrong way. In today's hot real estate market, there is no excuse for a complete lack of interest in your home.

A General Feeling of Mistrust

Your agent will usually put on a good show when they are trying to convince you to retain them as your agent. However, the initial impression may fade and give way to a feeling of uneasiness. Sometimes, your gut just tells you that there is something wrong. You may just get the feeling that someone is not being truthful with you at all times or what they are telling you seems dubious. In some cases, agents will overpromise and underdeliver, causing you to lose trust in them. If your gut tells you that there is something wrong, chances are that there is a problem.

Your Agent Does Not Know the Local Market

Not only must your agent know the city, but they must also know your specific neighborhood. Chances are that potential buyers will have very specific questions because they will invest as much effort in selecting the neighborhood as they will the home. Your agent must know practically every detail about the neighborhood in order to give buyers the impression that it is the right place for them. Generic information and knowledge do not help. You can get a sense of your agent's neighborhood knowledge when you have a conversation. Generally, you should gauge this before you hire the agent, but if you think afterward that they do not know your specific area, you should switch to someone who does.

Your Agent Is Pushy and Rude

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While being non-responsive is perhaps the biggest foul that an agent commits, their tone when they do talk to you is also important. If they are rude when they talk to you as a client, they will not be any more polite to prospective buyers. When you are the client, you have the right and expectation that you will be treated with respect. Remember that you are the client and you have the final say in what happens with your home. Your relationship with your agent will dictate trust and how the general sales process goes for you. If the chemistry is not there, you can find one of many real estate agents out there who can handle the transaction. There is no need to pay someone who gives you bad service.