Has your older home been sitting on the Winnipeg market for a long time? Is your Realtor/agent not affording you and your property the attention they promised they would? You’re not alone, as all over the city and country homeowners are finding out that a Realtor is not always the way to go, especially when it comes to selling a home fast in the current market. 

However, you may have concerns about cutting ties, or simply feel bad about doing so. But in the end, you have to look out for your best interests, which is why you find yourself reading this article. You realize that you instead want to sell your home in a more efficient manner – quickly (within a week), at market value, and for cash without paying any commissions or hidden fees. You’ve come to the right place. Not only can we accomplish the task that your Realtor could not, we are here to provide you with some advice on how to dissolve the relationship in as seamless a manner as possible.

3 Tips to Dissolving the Relationship with Your Current Realtor or Real Estate Agent

Review the Fine Print

Ideally you would be able to apply the bandaid rule with this relationship, and tear it right off. However, you will want to read through the contract first, if one has been signed.

Given that you’re not happy with their service with your home is still on the market, the contract may already have expired or become void. That said, this needs to be verified. Look for a clause that provides you with an “out” prior to expiration. While listing contracts are typically for a period of three to six months, look for fine print that states that you may be entitled to terminate at any time. This is commonly done by filing a Cancellation of Listing form, although different associations have different names for such documents. If you’re unsure, make a anonymous call to the Realtor/agent office and ask (as a “prospective” seller) about the option to terminate, and they may provide you with the answer you’re looking for.

Cloak and dagger stuff aside, a simple conversation can also go a long way. Realtors/agents do care about their reputation, and tend to want things to end on good terms (more on this below) even if a home is not successfully sold. If you find that paperwork binds you to the relationship longer than you wanted, simply ask your Realtor if they are willing to end the contract with you. There’s a good chance that if they have not been giving your property their undivided attention, that they may be willing to let it go so they can focus more on whatever it is they’ve been focusing more on already. You never know – they may be just as happy as you are to end the agreement.

Make Sure the Termination is in Writing

If you’ve had an open discussion with your Realtor/agent they may have been totally understanding and willing to end the agreement with a handshake and best wishes. That’s great, but make sure it’s in writing. Verbal agreements can work for an against you, but when a Realtor/agent finds that you were able to sell your home on your own, they may return to claim what they deem to be their piece of the pie, even if you did everything on the up-and-up. When armed with a document that states the prior agreement has ceased, there will be no recourse for doing so. You are not required to get the termination letter notarized, but it may come in handy if the terminated contract is ever disputed in court.

End Things on Good Terms

Just because a Realtor or agent was not able to fulfill your needs, the relationship doesn’t need to end on negative terms. You are selling your old home after all, and may want to call on them at some point in the future when the time comes to buy a new home. For instance, many people who use our quick sale service are considering downsizing from their home into a condominium. In such a case your current Realtor/agent can be of great service as a buyer’s agent, even if things didn’t work out on the sale side of things. Let them know this when the discussion about dissolving the Listing Agreement begins, as they will appreciate that you are willing to consider them should the time come for you to buy a condo somewhere else in the city. 

While our service essentially cuts out the need for the middleperson, we certainly have nothing against Realtors and agents. They absolutely provide an essential service for many Winnipeg area buyers and sellers. But when it comes to selling an older home that requires some serious TLC to bring it up to standards (their standards) it no longer makes sense to wait on the sidelines when your house could instead be sold for fair value today. Contact us today at 202.222.0022 to learn more.