It is great to see that you finally sold your home. How unfortunate that your first agent was a disappointment. My advice is to always ask for a seller service guarantee, like the one we have at Coldwell Banker. When we take a listing, we give the seller a written service guarantee and if we don't perfom as that written guarantee specifies, then we have to account to our seller and the Broker. You certainly would be able to terminate the listing agreement if our quality guarantee is not met. It holds our agents to a higher standard.

We sold the house. I was very happy with my 2nd agent who happened to be a friend. I also paid a stager. She was a great gal and very helpful. She was also very reasonabley priced ($50 or $75). I love to watch all those HGTV shows but when it's your own stuff, a second, trained opinion comes in very handy. The house was only on the market 6 months and I know that's pretty good in this market. As far as the first realtor goes, I wish him no ill will and I kept my mouth shut around town. We're now building in our desired location so it's all good.

Interesting sequence of events.... What I've learned in my years of experience with home sellers is that if they aren't happy they know "a lot" of people and telling all those people can really make the difference for that broker if you catch my drift. As a Broker Associate and coming from a company that had the strict policy not to terminate listings I did have the pull to make a decision as with all agents really. I beleive it was the agent's decision not to terminate that made a difference because the broker really doesn't like bad publicity. When you interview agents always ask them about withdrawal or termination policies they have - there is a difference. Knowing these answers will enable to you make a better decision so you aren't "stuck" with a Realtor that you aren't happy with. On the flip side, please know that even when you have a great agent in this current market, showings will be determined ultimately based on your pricing and condition of the home. As with any sales contract in any other profession, you should always have a written marketing plan from your agent to hold him/her accountable. Termination should be a last resort but definantly used if what you are paying for isn't being delivered.

One other item to mention is regardless of the "success" of the Realtor, all are different and know that it is really the individual agent's activities that will get the home sold - I hope the negative experience you had with this particular agent doesn't blind you against all the Realtors out there that "show up" each day and put a full day in to successfully sell their client's homes!

Best of wishes to you

Janice, I am happy you have reached a solution and so sorry you had this experience.
Some "successful Realtors" have a lot of listings and to a lot that is the path to money.
But strong arming someone to do business with you will never really do either party any good.

Please voice your concerns about your listing with your next agent. Remember, if ethical , they are not to voice certain opions of certain Realtors but they may be able to advise you better as to the market value and trends. Please do take their advise as to the listing price. If you feel you want much more for your home it may not be time to list yet.

They did let me out of the contract. The realtor was very angry on the phone. He felt we were telling him how to do his job, which I didn't mean to do. I felt blown off so the communication wasn't there and things didn't work. It's over and done. He's a successful realtor but we didn't work well together. Thanks so much for your input.

Just as in any other industry and profession, there are good practioners and there are some really bad ones. Unfortunately you got on the wrong end of the spectrum. All the advice by the other agents here are very good and valid. I would add that perhaps you should inquire about the brokerage firms minimum service guidelines AND then ask the agent about his/her personal marketing outline for conducting business. The firm should have some minimum standards. The agent should be able to improve on this with their own expertise and personal marketing. Shop firms and perhaps interview several agents from each firm until you feel you are going to get the best service and productivity once your current listing expires. When you have something in writing regarding minimum performance duties and marketing guidelines, then you have a contract to hold the agent and the firm accountable to...and potentially grounds for breaking the agreement if they don't perform. Unfortunatley, as some of the other responces have said, there are some things you can control and some things you can't. If there are no buyers in the marketplace, the home just isn't going to sell.

If the broker won't let you out of the listing agreement, perhaps he/she would switch the listing to a different agent in the company. While the agent you have currently is a church friend, he's not doing his job. I nearly fell out of my seat when I read that you were taking the photos and marketing the property. What are you paying him to do?? At any rate, I would definitely ask for at the very least a new agent to help you from this point forward. I'm so sorry this is such a bad experience. Really makes the rest of us look bad.

Hi Janice,

I am sorry to here that your broker will not allow you to break the contract. This is something that I feel very strongly about, if you are in anyway unhappy with me or my company it is best to end it quickly. I think you have recieved really good advice here and I wanted to wish you good luck!

Thank you all for your help. I was a bit emotional and surprised yesterday when my husband told me the broker wouldn't let us out of the contract. For starters, I still don't have a copy of the listing agreement. It was signed around Feb. 20th. As far as pricing of the house, I'm willing to put my house at whatever price will sell it. After a month with no showings, I asked for new comps for help in this area. None came. We live in Fannin County so I thought placing an ad in the Fannin County Special might be helpful. I was okay with the fact that it might work and might not. I just wanted to try something because I feel the agent wasn't. They didn't promise anything. This is our first time to sell a house and the agent is a man from church (can you say awkward) who has sold real estate in the area for a long time and I thought he was the way to go. Up till now I have kept my mouth shut around town about the way I feel. I wanted this to be done nicely with bygones being bygones. If I'm held to the contract (it ends on July 10th-my birthday-do you believe it) then I won't have a choice but to tell other people not to waste time with Bois d'Arc Realty in Whitewright, Tx like I did. Thank you for your time and professional advice. It is very helpful.

I think you can attempt to cancel the listing if you want. Talk to the agent about it. Talk to the broker about it.....but I think you should divide your complaints into things they can control and things they can't.
# of showing perhaps they can't control
feedback is dependent on other agents, not always your agent.
It is pretty normal that agents don't leave feedback.... I personally leave feedback for everyone and ask agents to return the favor. Even so some do some don't.
Switching the pictures could help and I don't understand why the agent won't do it. You might send them to the broker. In my office my staff will do it....not even the agents directly, but they do have to get the pictures to the staff. Craigslist is free so no reason the agent can't do it. Ads in the newspaper..... I don't think that works anymore. That's old school. But also depends where you are. Some local places where people move within the city, like Park Cities.....might be a good idea. I know people still look at the ranch ads in the Ft. Worth paper. Standard houses.....no....onlne is the way to go. What did they promise to do when they took the listing? Did they give you a list of things? If not could you make a list of the things you want done and ask them to do it with dates attached? Working together is in both your interests. Having a listing that doesn't sell doesn't help him and having a house you don't want doesn't help you. You might also ask him for his own list of things he would like to implement to work on selling the house. Good luck.

Janice ,
I can understand your frustration. When you put your home on the market you expect some showings. But only someone in your area can really answer this. And they are not to as long as you have an active listing. At this point you must first ask the Broker if he/she will assist or have anoter more experienced agent assist in determination of your list price..
We, outside Realtors, readlly have no way of knowing what the fair market value is in your area or if your property is listed anywhere near that.
Have you listed nearer the price the Realtor suggested or for what you felt you wanted.
I have years of experience but I can not always convince my sellers what their home will sell for. To them my years of experience is in selling homes is nil, BUT they have experience in their home. Now really think about that - - How much sense does that make. None - but I will tell you there are folks out there that tell me all day long their house is worth more because they know some one sold theirs for more. - Well I can never find the sale in the MLS and I can find the same home selling for less. We, the selling agents, the appraisers and the buyer and his/agent can only go by what is reported. If someone at a pool party decided to inflate the something was sold for that does not help the asking price of your home.
One of my favorite sellers , if you can have one - it like children, has their home priced higher than everything else in the neighborhood , they say they know other have paid that price, well it was not reported..Granted their house is in better shape than most and has great landscaping but it wilh the amount of inventory around them it will not bring their asking price. I have advertised, held open houses and so on BUT that will not sell a house priced higher that another home and the updates will add up to.
You have to decide : Is it worth your continued payment on this home to have it on the market longer?
If you really beleive that the home is worth more than the other in the area, offer a " Bonus to Selling agent:"
This will get the other agents interested in giving your house a second look.
Now if you know for a fact that the Broker and agent are not giving you the representation that you would expect to receive from a nother "non franchises" Real Esate Broker , then sit down with the Broker and state what you complaints are and give them a chance to correct them.
YOUr listing belongs to the Broker not the agent = The Broker may decide to assign you another agent.
Well I am old and can go on and on =- try this first , and
Good luck

First of all, neither I nor any of the agents who read here can do anything that interferes with your relationship with the broker. However, anyone can discuss future business. The advice that you have received in reference to ending your relationship with the broker is sound. I would put everything in writing and visit with the agent. If that didn't work, I would move up the food chain: manager, broker, franchise representative, etc. If this doesn't work, make plans for future business with another firm. I would also tell the broker in very clear language what he is to expect from me should your unhappy relationship continue. You can hope that it sells in the meantime. If you do get an offer, don't be uncooperative. Business is business.I am so sorry this is happening. Good luck.

You can go to the TREC web-site, and do some research. Also http://www.dfwrealtors.com/ to see if they can help resolve the issue.
I hope these suggestions will help.

Janice, What a shame! This isn't the way it should work at all. I always tell my clients that if they are unhappy, then I'm unhappy and they can "fire" me at any time if they don't like my marketing or feedback. I would go to the broker and tell them that you WILL tell everyone what bad service you are getting unless you are let out of the contract. This is a horrible situation and shows why hiring the right agent is so very important.

First, many agents are not used to having to actually 'market a home' and they have not been trained in this area and that is usually the case. In addition, many agents have excepted a reduced commission and in doing so really do not have to spend money to market a home. However, if there are things that you have asked to be done, and they were not, then you can go to the broker and/or corporate person that is responsible for this agent and speak to them and maybe you would be able to have some of these issues resolved. Good Luck!

You can go to your agent's broker in charge and ask to be released from your listing contract based on the lack of service and attention. No reputable firm wants to get a reputation of holding their clients "hostage" (especially unhappy clients). Then go interview at least 3 new agents and make sure they will do what needs by done and will offer you an "Easy Exit Listing Agreement" if they don't perform as promised in writing.