Do You Have To Continue To Work With Your Real Estate Agent?
Posted on: 23 July 2018
What happens if you find a real estate agent who you feel is a better fit for you? Can you jump ship? Or do you need to continue to work with the real estate agent that you started out with? It's a tricky question, but it's also an important one. A real estate agent can drastically change the outcome of your transaction.
Are You Purchasing a Home Your Agent Showed You?
Agents work on commission. The implication of that is that an agent does a lot of work banking on the idea that it will eventually pay off. Your agent is working for you for free up until you begin a real estate transaction. It's at this time that you are no longer able to switch agents.
Once you're already beginning a transaction and about to close a deal, you can't switch agents because the agent has fulfilled their part of the bargain; they found you a house.
Before the transaction has begun, however, it's more of a gray area. It's considered to be tactless to purchase a home that your agent showed you without the agent, but it's possible that nothing will come of it unless the agent themselves wants to pursue the issue.
When Can You Change your Agent?
Other than during a transaction, you can change your agent at any time. In fact, you should change agents if you feel that your current agent isn't doing all that they can for you. You don't owe your agent anything until you've found a property, regardless of how long you've been looking.
If your agent isn't listening to you, isn't spending enough time on you, or isn't showing you the properties you want, you can feel free to consult with another agent. If you find a property through that agent, your former agent will have nothing to do with the transaction.
As mentioned before, it's even possible to change agents before a transaction has been completed. An example might be if you are negotiating for a home but feel that your agent isn't being aggressive enough.
Ultimately, it's your right as a client to change your agent at any time. It may not feel fair, but if your current agent isn't working for you, it may be time to give another agent a shot. If you aren't purchasing a property your other agent led you to, you have no obligations towards them.
For more information, reach out to a company like The Morris Team.
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