Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial moves most people will ever make. So, baby, you cannot afford to have somebody representing you who is timid, uninformed, unresponsive, or simply chasing a commission check.
In many markets, conditions have swung toward buyers. Inventory has grown, sellers have more competition, and regular folks buying a first home or making a modest move up have room to negotiate. Higher-end properties may still move differently, but for most buyers and sellers, this is not the time to blindly accept bad advice.
Do your homework, know your local market, and make sure your real estate agent is actually protecting your interests. Here are eight signs you may be working with the wrong REALTOR®.
Before You Choose an Agent, Do Your Own Homework
Do not rely only on what an agent tells you. Start researching the market yourself so you can have a real conversation when it is time to choose representation.
Use a site such as Realtor.com, your local MLS search tools, or another reliable housing search platform to look at what is available. Search based on what matters to you:
- A specific school district
- A neighborhood or subdivision
- A ZIP code
- A price range
- A property type
Pay attention to how many homes are listed and, just as important, how long they have been sitting on the market. That gives you a better sense of whether you are dealing with a buyer’s market, a seller’s market, or something closer to balanced conditions.
Get preapproved before you get serious about making offers. Know what you can spend, where you want to live, and what your loan structure requires. Then make sure the agent you hire is on the same page as you.
Four Signs Buyers Have the Wrong Agent
1. Your Agent Refuses to Submit the Offer You Want to Make
If you want to make a low offer, your agent should write it and present it. Period.
That does not mean every offer will be accepted. It does mean your agent should not stop you because they are worried about “offending” the seller. Real estate is business. You do not know those people, and they do not know you. If you are interested in the property, bring your offer.
In a buyer’s market, there is nothing wrong with swinging for the fences. Maybe you want to offer $50,000 below list price. Maybe the seller needs to move quickly. Maybe they have already bought another home. Maybe the property has been sitting longer than anyone wants to admit.
The seller can say no. Better yet, a smart seller may counter. But if your agent will not write and present the offer you want, you are with the wrong agent.
2. Your Agent Pushes You to Pay List Price Without Market Support
Ask your agent how many months of inventory are available in the local market. That number matters. A market with six, seven, or eight months of inventory is a true buyer’s market in many areas, because buyers have more choices and sellers have more competition.
If you have done your research, know inventory is high, and your agent keeps insisting that you offer list price, close to list price, or over list price without explaining why, that is a red flag.
Now, every property is different. A home that is priced aggressively, updated beautifully, and receiving multiple offers may call for a stronger offer. But your agent should be able to justify the strategy with facts, not vague pressure.
Be cautious of what I call commission breath. If an agent feels desperate, rushes you to write immediately, or keeps steering you toward a higher price without solid reasoning, they may be more focused on getting paid than on protecting your money.
When the market favors buyers, ask for what makes sense:
- Seller-paid closing costs
- A mortgage rate buydown
- A home warranty
- Repairs or credits where appropriate
- Other terms that improve your overall deal
The answer may be no, but there is no harm in asking. A good agent helps you negotiate from a position of knowledge.
3. Your Agent Does Not Understand What Your Financing Needs to Close
Your real estate agent needs to understand the basic structure of your approval and what must happen for your transaction to work.
For example, you may be preapproved for a $500,000 purchase, but your loan approval may also show that you need seller contributions toward closing costs. Perhaps you have some funds of your own, but need four, five, or even six percent in concessions for the financing to make sense.
If your agent does not understand that seller-paid closing costs need to be included in your offer, they could be helping you write a deal that will not work.
And if you explain your financing needs only to hear something condescending like, “Can’t your parents help?” or “Can’t you pull it from your 401(k)?”, shut that down. Your agent does not get to make assumptions about your budget or pressure you to structure the deal differently from what your mortgage professional has advised.
Talk to your own loan officer early. It can be wise to speak with more than one mortgage professional so you understand your options and can compare the guidance you receive. Then work with an agent who respects the financing plan you have in place.
4. Your Agent Goes Silent After Showing You Homes
An agent who is all excited on the day you tour homes, then disappears afterward, is not treating you like a priority.
If you are calling, texting, emailing, and practically sending smoke signals with no response, that is not acceptable. Communication can make or break a home purchase. Homes come on the market, prices change, offers need signatures, inspections must be scheduled, and deadlines are real.
Sometimes an agent who ghosts a buyer has decided that buyer is not worth their time. Maybe they question whether you can buy. Maybe they simply do not want to work with you. Either way, do not chase someone who does not value your business.
Find an agent who responds, communicates clearly, and genuinely cares whether you find a home that works for you and your family.
Four Signs Sellers Have the Wrong Agent
5. You Chose a 1% Listing Agent and Expect Full-Service Results
Let me say this loudly for the people in the back: if you automatically choose an agent solely because they offer a 1% commission, you may be setting yourself up for 1% effort.
For many people, selling a primary residence is the largest dollar transaction they will ever handle. It is bigger than buying a car and bigger than most other financial decisions. This is not the moment to nickel and dime the marketing of your property without understanding what you are giving up.
A low-cost listing may be appropriate in certain situations, but be clear about the service level. If the only thing your agent does is put the property in the MLS and let it syndicate to real estate websites, do not be surprised if there is little follow-up, weak marketing, and limited effort to attract buyers.
A strong listing strategy can include:
- Professional photography
- High-quality video and marketing materials
- A compelling listing description
- Broad online exposure
- Open houses, when appropriate
- Regular feedback and reporting on activity
If your house sits for months, showings dry up after the first week, and you barely hear from your agent, you may be getting exactly what you paid for. Understand the services included before signing that listing agreement.
6. Your Agent Lets You Price Your Home Based on Emotion
Every seller thinks their home is special, and that is understandable. It is your home. You have memories there. You may know that it has the same floor plan as the house down the street, but still feel yours is better.
Feelings do not determine market value.
A good agent should bring you documentation showing what comparable homes have sold for in your neighborhood, school district, and immediate area. They should walk through your home, point out deferred maintenance or needed updates, and explain how those things affect buyer perception and price.
Let us say the comparable sales support an average price of $450,000. If your home has outdated appliances, worn flooring, or needs paint, but you insist it is worth far more without making improvements, a good agent should be honest with you.
They should not let you overprice simply because you feel strongly about the number. If an agent lets you bully them into taking an unrealistic listing, especially while providing limited service, that property may sit there for a long time.
Overpricing costs time, money, and momentum. Buyers notice days on market. Meanwhile, other homes in the neighborhood may be receiving showings and offers because they are priced according to the facts.
7. Your Listing Photos and Marketing Look Cheap
In a market with six, seven, or eight months of inventory, your home has stiff competition. Buyers usually decide which properties deserve an in-person visit based on the listing photos, video, description, and online presentation.
If your agent shows up with a phone, takes a handful of bad vertical pictures, and posts dark, blurry, poorly framed images, that is a problem. A listing needs to look crisp, clean, and appealing.
You should be able to preview the listing before it goes live. Look at every photo. Ask yourself whether the home is being presented in its best light. If the photos are weak, say something.
Good marketing is not about misleading anyone. It is about making sure the home looks inviting enough online for serious buyers to want to come see it. If the pictures, videos, and listing description are whack, do not expect strong buyer interest.
8. Your Agent Dismisses a Low Offer Instead of Negotiating
As a seller, do not get too worked up over a low offer. Be more concerned about the people who toured your house and brought you nothing at all.
An offer, even one you do not like, means somebody is interested enough to start a conversation. That buyer is playing ball. Your agent should present the offer, explain the current market conditions, and help you evaluate your options.
A good listing agent does not simply tell a buyer’s agent, “No, we are not interested,” without discussing it with you. Instead, they should help you think through the bigger picture:
- What has sold since the home was listed?
- What new competing listings are now on the market?
- Has new construction entered the area?
- How long has the home been available?
- Why did you decide to sell in the first place?
- Do you need to relocate, retire, take a new job, care for family, or avoid a more difficult financial situation?
Then you look at where to counter. The offer may not be ideal, but negotiation can move numbers and terms closer to a deal that works for everybody.
Never let an agent dismiss an offer just because it is low. The only offer that has no possibility of becoming a sale is the one that never gets presented.
Choose an Agent Who Will Tell You the Truth
The right REALTOR® is not there to tell you only what you want to hear. They are there to explain the market, present your options, communicate consistently, negotiate hard, and help you make decisions based on facts.
For buyers, that means an agent who writes the offer you want, understands your financing, and does not push you to overpay just to get a deal done.
For sellers, that means an agent who prices with data, markets the property professionally, and treats every legitimate offer as an opportunity to negotiate.
Do your homework. Ask direct questions. Pay attention to how your agent responds. And if the signs are there, keep it pushing and find somebody who will truly work for you.
