Switching real estate agents while buying a home?

June 27, 2020 5:40 PM

My wife and I are looking for a home to buy. We've already worked with one real estate agent in that she's shown us a few houses and met with us for discuss what we're looking for in a future home. However, for a variety of reasons, we're considering switching to another real estate agent and we have a couple of questions below the fold.

1) Are we required to or should we compensate the agent that we've been working with for her time? 2) Do we need to to anything specific so that she can't claim that we owe her money in the future when we purchase a home?

We do not plan on buying any of the homes that we've seen with the agent that we've been working with.

Thanks for your insight!

posted by Fister Roboto to Human Relations (8 answers total)

While the agent probably won't love it, switching agents is common and you do not have to compensate or explain. Do make it clear you are switching, though, rather than ghosting, so she knows not to put more time or effort your way.
posted by feckless at 5:46 PM on June 27, 2020 [3 favorites]

just to be clear, you're certain that you didn't sign anything with your original agent?
posted by noloveforned at 6:02 PM on June 27, 2020

Response by poster: Right, we haven't signed a buyer's broker agreement or anything.
posted by Fister Roboto at 6:05 PM on June 27, 2020

when I did this it was just a question of sending the agent an email more or less like like "Dear Bob, we appreciate the time you've spent with us, but we've decided we're not going to be moving forward. Best wishes, etc"
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:08 PM on June 27, 2020 [7 favorites]

This is common. I had to drop mine when he was unavailable on a critical weekend for me to look at showings. Consider the size of the commissions they get - that covers all the showings they do that they don't end up getting a commission on too.
posted by Candleman at 6:46 PM on June 27, 2020 [2 favorites]

Not actually an answer but look for a buyer's agent, we paid ours a modest retainer which we got back when we closed, he got his commission from the seller's agent.
posted by vrakatar at 7:23 PM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]

1. Nope.
2. If you haven't signed anything you don't owe them anything.
posted by bendy at 9:53 PM on June 27, 2020 [1 favorite]

1) Are we required to or should we compensate the agent that we've been working with for her time?

Well; unless they've been a total butt it wouldn't hurt to toss them a gift card for a local coffee shop or something of the sort.
posted by Afghan Stan at 5:33 AM on June 28, 2020