Buying or selling a home can be a huge financial and emotional move for your family. Choosing a good real estate agent is key to having a good experience. You need to have a partner in the process to walk you through the difficult parts and help expedite the closing paperwork. If, however, somewhere along the way you start thinking it’s time to switch real estate agents, there are tactful ways to change agents.
Recognize the Challenge
When you’re looking for a real estate agent, be as direct as possible with your needs, your expectations and your end goal. While your agent should be resourceful, they aren’t mind readers, so be as open as possible. If, after a few conversations about what you expect, you begin to notice it’s becoming more difficult to get in touch with your agent, or the homes being presented consistently fail to meet the needs you presented to your agent, you may have warning signs that it’s time to change real estate professionals.
Document the Dismissal
If you have decided it’s time to switch real estate agents, make sure you do it in writing. The document will not only serve as dated proof of when you requested the agent to know longer serve your real estate needs, but it’s also a courtesy to the agents so they’ll suspend their home search for you.
Unless you signed a buyer agreement with the agent, you are under no legal obligation to stay with that real estate agent. Having a written notice of separation will save you the headache of having a commission fee dispute after you change real estate agents.
Tell your New Agent
Once you switch real estate agents, make sure you’re open with your new realtor about the work that was done by your previous agent. Let your new realtor know if you were in any type of agreement with the previous agent, which properties the agent introduced to you and how you ended the partnership with the agent.
Choosing your Agent
Don’t just choose a real estate agent because a friend or family member recommended the realtor. There are questions you should ask when choosing an agent, and keep in mind that just because the person worked well with your co-worker when they decided to sell their home, doesn’t mean your personality will be as compatible with the agent.
As a buyer, there are separate questions to consider before bringing an agent on board. You need to know that the realtor you choose can meet your timeline goals, has time to spend on your home search or marketing to sell your home, and will negotiate on your behalf if the process gets complicated.
