How to Fire your Real Estate Agent

Updated 9/2025.

Okay, okay. Go easy. If you are struggling to sell your home, can’t find a new one, or have a real estate transaction that fell through, you are probably itching to fire your Realtor, but there are a few items to consider first before pulling the trigger.

First off, the issues may not necessarily be your real estate agent’s fault. The housing market goes through ups and downs. Perhaps your criteria to buy a home were too narrow. Possibly the home’s selling price is too high, or your buying price was too low. Maybe the reason a transaction fell apart was due to someone else involved, not your agent. 

Second, firing a Realtor is a bit of a process and should be done the right way to ensure you are fully protected.

Yes, there are perfectly valid reasons to fire your Realtor. Reasons can range from a costly mistake to the simple fact that they aren’t the right fit or your personalities clash. To help you do it right, I put together this detailed guide on how to fire a real estate agent today.

Full disclosure: I’ve been a licensed real estate agent since 2003 (Principal Broker in Oregon, Managing Broker in Washington with eXp Realty). My team has sold over 2,000 local homes. 

You may ask yourself why a Realtor would create this article; after all, couldn’t a client who wants to fire me read this and then know exactly how to do it? The answer is our clients already know how. We spell this out in our cancel anytime contracts. 

3 Steps to Firing Your Real Estate Agent

Step One: Get it in Writing

First, contact your agent to see if there is any way to resolve your differences. 

If there isn’t, and the agent is willing to release you from your signed contract (be it a listing agreement or buyer’s broker agreement), get the cancellation and the terms of that cancellation in writing. Ask if the real estate agent will provide a written cancellation notice that includes no possibility of future commissions owed to them or their Realty company.

Here’s why this is important, and why a verbal cancellation agreement or a simple written one without any terms isn’t enough. Simply cancelling a contract doesn’t necessarily mean no commission is due or that there aren’t strings attached. 

For example, if you are selling your home, many listing contracts allow the seller to cancel but not put the house back on the market themselves or with another agent (for a set period of time) after cancelling without some additional terms attached. 

Also, some cancelled listing contracts allow the listing agent to be still paid if a buyer returns. If a buyer who visited or expressed interest in the initial listing period comes back after the home is no longer listed with that agent and makes an offer, that previous Realtor can be due a payment.

In my non-legal opinion based on my industry experience of many years, once the real estate agent or Realty firm sends you a written notice of a cancelled contract and there is no possibility of them earning future commissions from you without starting a new contract, then you’re truly done. You’ve successfully fired your real estate agent without having to worry about strings attached or potential future commissions owed. When in doubt, always consult a licensed real estate attorney.

If step one fails, move on to step two.

Step Two: Read the Contract and Get Ahold of their Reviewing Broker

Make sure you’ve reviewed your contract first and understand it the best you are able to. Then you will want to contact your Realtor’s boss or higher level authority. Every real estate agent has a higher authority, be it the State that holds their license or their Reviewing Broker. Most real estate agents have a Reviewing Broker (sometimes called Designated Broker). For the few who don’t (in which case, they act as their own Reviewing Broker), you will need to contact the State. From my personal industry experience, if the agent has a Reviewing Broker overseeing them (and most will), I highly recommend contacting this person next.

Tips for Finding and Contacting Their Reviewing Broker

Look in your contract for a section called “Agency,” a document titled something like “Disclosed Limited Agency.” It may list the Reviewing or Designated Broker, as well as the real estate agent’s name and the Realty company. 

If that doesn’t work, search for the Realty company online (perhaps on a local map to make sure you’re getting local offices) and call some numbers. When people answer the phone, ask who the Reviewing Broker or Designated Broker is for that office and how to contact them.

A Quick Guide to Understanding Brokers: There are typically two levels of Broker’s licenses in each State: (1) regular Brokers, who cannot supervise other Brokers, and (2) Principal Brokers (in Oregon), or Managing Brokers (in Washington), who supervise other Brokers. When you are talking about a Reviewing Broker or Designated Broker in Oregon or Washington, it is typically a Managing or Principal Broker that is actively supervising other real estate agents (who may have either Broker’s license type).

If step one and two fail, go to step three.

Step Three: Get the State to Help

In my experience, someone who is genuinely trying to complete steps one and two and finds reasonable voices on the other end, they won’t need – or want – to go to step three and involve the State. But if this last step is necessary, this link will take you to the Oregon Real Estate Agency for help in Oregon. (This link will take you to the Washington State Department of Licensing page.)

What if My Realtor Wants to Charge Me for Cancelling?

All of my contracts are cancel anytime at no charge, but I know that is not true across the industry. If the Realtor you’re working with wants to charge you a fee and you don’t want to pay, I recommend following the steps above to see if you can get it resolved without a monetary fine or fee.

Can I Interview Other Realtors or Realty Companies While Under Contract?

Yes. There is no prohibition. Keep in mind, the new Realtors and other Realty companies are not supposed to initiate contact while you’re in an active contract, but you can reach out first and freely meet and interview them. If you initiate contact with them, they can contact you back.

Don’t sign anything with a new Realtor or Realty company until you’re sure the current contract you’re in is cancelled and you’re aware of any strings attached – or managed to get those strings removed first.

Cancel Anytime Contracts for No Charge

When I first started in the industry, I learned about real estate agents who put clients into long-term contracts that couldn’t be cancelled without charges or other strings attached. I decided this was not how I was going to operate. All of our contracts are cancellable anytime for no charge with a 24-hour notice. The only time a client cannot cancel a contract is if we are currently in a pending deal, because then it is a multi-party contract. However, if the pending sale were to terminate, the client could cancel with 24-hour notice, incurring no charges or obligations from us.

We believe in fair and reasonable commission: 1.7% in Portland and SW Washington. We believe in providing better marketing and services. We also believe in contracts that favor the client and not the company. 

If you’re thinking of selling or buying a home in Oregon or Washington, we’d love to talk with you today. Call our main line at 503-714-1111 or chat with the bot on this site.