They say first impressions last—but not in real estate.  Both agents and clients usually manage to make a good impression at first.  Of course, they ought to put their best foot forward for a smooth real estate transaction.  However, we human beings are unique.  Some personalities jive, but there are attitudes that simply don’t.   Some differences complement, but there are differences that clash.  And if that happens between you and your agent or client somewhere along the way, you might want to consider ending your relationship.  In other words, it must be high time that you fire him.

Cut the lines before your agent or client becomes an enemy or your relationship becomes too personal– to the point that you just want to strangle each other.  Home selling and home buying must be a pleasant experience.  Choking each other is not pleasant at all.  Negative attitudes will surely ruin this experience if you let them.  This is your deal and you’re investing your time and money here, so get up and do something if you’re not satisfied with how the transaction is going.

Here are some of the signs telling you that it’s time to call it quits:

* Both of you vehemently disagree, are at opposite ends of the spectrum and believe you will never see eye-to-eye
* When you talk about the situation, your voice rises a notch or two in volume
* Unflattering adjectives precede the person’s name every time you talk about them
* Irrational thought processes begin to cloud your judgment
* You’ve made repeated requests that are ignored by the other party
* When the person’s name shows up on your cell phone, you send the call to voice mail

So what are the factors that contribute to a heated relationship between clients and agents?

* The agent, realizing the client has no basis nor professional background for her convictions, is probably frustrated because the client cannot substantiate her position.
* The client, on the other hand, obviously does not trust nor rely on the agent’s advice and may wonder why she hired the agent in the first place. She may think the agent is just looking for a fast sale at her expense.
* The end result is the client is not going to sell; the agent is not going to get paid. Nobody will win, and it’s time to end the association.

The main problem actually arises from ineffective communication.  In any relationship, effective communication is essential, and that includes the relationship between an agent and a client.  It can be very irritating to work with an agent who doesn’t promptly respond to voice mails, text messages or e-mails. If that happens to you, it might be time to fire the agent and hire somebody else.

If after reading this article you realize that it’s about time that you fire your agent or client, here are some tips on how you could do it.

To avoid legal issues, it would be helpful if at least for this moment you two agree on one thing.  Mutual consent is the best way to get rid of each other.  Do not enter into a contract in the first place if the other party will not mutually agree to a release if requested.  Do not cancel agreements, contracts, or listing agreements just yet if one has not consented yet.  But if that’s over and done with, proceed to do the following:

* Ask the agent to cancel the listing. Be aware that Exclusive Right-to-Sell listings contain a safety or protection clause.
* If the agent refuses, call the agent’s broker and request a cancellation.
* If the broker refuses, ask the broker to assign another agent to you. Most reputable brokers who want to maintain good community relations will cancel a listing if the seller insists.
* If there are no workable solutions, call a real estate lawyer for termination assistance, but first, tell the broker of your intentions to do so. Sometimes that’s enough to get a release.