By Maggie Sun, Managing Broker · Updated September 2026
Direct answer: judge performance against the written service agreement and a recurring evidence review—not a universal number of days, showings or offers. Buyers and sellers need different checks, but both should document what was promised, what was completed, the evidence, unresolved questions and the next action.
Market response depends on property type, price band, condition, season and current competition. A quiet week or an unsuccessful offer is not proof of poor work; an unexplained pattern of missed commitments, unsupported advice or untracked deadlines is a stronger signal.
Contents
- Communication: what a reasonable cadence looks like
- Pricing and the feedback loop
- Showing activity and how to read it
- Negotiation: signs of active representation
- Paperwork, deadlines and statutory duties
- Special situations: FIRPTA, school boundaries, out-of-area buyers
- When the pattern is serious enough to consider switching
- How to raise concerns or end the relationship
- FAQ
- Practical review checklist
- About the author
- Sources
Set the written baseline first
Start with the signed agreement, proposal, emails and agreed communication cadence. List the named person responsible for each task, expected deliverables, decision deadlines and escalation contact. If expectations were only verbal, summarize them in writing and ask the agent to confirm.
| Review field | Record |
|---|---|
| Promised | Specific service, deliverable or response cadence |
| Completed | Date and responsible person |
| Evidence | Report, listing activity, offer analysis, email or document |
| Question | Gap, changed assumption or missing explanation |
| Next step | Owner and deadline |
Buyer service check
A buyer’s review can track whether listings match written criteria, tours are prepared, material concerns are escalated, comparable evidence supports offer advice, alternatives and risks are explained, and offer deadlines are managed. Losing a competitive offer does not itself show poor performance. Evaluate whether the recommendation was documented and consistent with your price, contingency and risk instructions.
Seller service check
A seller’s review can track preparation milestones, listing accuracy, photography and marketing delivery, inquiry and showing activity, efforts to obtain feedback, competing inventory, pricing evidence and offer presentation. Agents cannot guarantee that every visitor responds or that an offer arrives on a fixed timetable. They should show what they requested, what evidence exists and how that evidence changes—or does not change—the plan.
Negotiation: signs of active representation
Whether you are buying or selling, negotiation is one of the clearest windows into how actively your agent is representing your interests. In a competitive multiple-offer situation, an agent representing a buyer well will discuss specific levers beyond price — such as closing timeline flexibility, appraisal gap coverage, or inspection terms — rather than defaulting immediately to "offer more." An agent representing a seller well during inspection negotiation will walk you through the inspection report methodically, distinguish safety and structural issues from cosmetic ones, and propose a specific counter based on comparable resolution outcomes rather than simply forwarding the buyer's request for your yes or no.
If your agent consistently defers every negotiation decision back to you with no framing or recommendation, that may mean they are respecting your autonomy — or it may mean they do not have a point of view to offer. Ask directly what they would recommend and why; a good agent will have an answer grounded in current market conditions and comparable outcomes.
Paperwork, deadlines and statutory duties
Washington real estate licensees owe duties defined by RCW 18.86. The statute expressly describes these as statutory duties under Washington law, including reasonable care, disclosure of material facts, and loyalty to your interests within the scope of the agency relationship disclosed to you. In practice, this should show up as your agent tracking contract deadlines — financing contingency, inspection period, appraisal contingency — proactively, rather than you having to ask what is due next. If a deadline is missed or nearly missed without explanation, that is a serious signal, since missed contractual deadlines can carry financial consequences for you directly.
You are also entitled to copies of every signed document promptly. If you do not have a complete file of your own transaction paperwork at any point, ask for it. A well-run transaction should leave you able to reconstruct the full timeline from your own records alone.
Review cadence should follow the transaction
Set a cadence appropriate to the assignment: active buyers may review after each serious property or offer; sellers may review after launch and at agreed intervals. Revisit price, marketing, feedback and negotiation in light of the property type, price band, condition, season and current competition. Do not use a universal “offer by week two or three” rule.
When the pattern is serious enough to consider switching
A single missed call or a slow week is not, by itself, a reason to end a representation agreement. What matters is a pattern: repeated unresponsiveness after you have raised it directly, a refusal to provide comparable data or showing feedback when asked, a missed contractual deadline, or a negotiation approach that consistently ignores your stated priorities. If you have raised a specific concern directly with your agent and the pattern continues over multiple instances, that is a reasonable point to consider a change.
Before deciding, have one direct conversation naming the specific pattern you have observed and what you would like to see change. Some issues are fixable with a clear conversation; others reveal a mismatch that a conversation will not resolve. Keep a written record — emails, texts, dates — of the concerns you have raised and the agent's response, both to give the relationship a fair chance to improve and because you may need this record if a formal complaint or agreement termination becomes necessary.
Raise concerns, request a remedy, then review the contract
Describe the gap using the written baseline, ask for a specific remedy and deadline, and escalate to the managing broker when appropriate. If you are considering termination, read the agreement first. Notice requirements, protection periods, compensation claims, confidentiality and other rights or obligations may survive termination.
Where the meaning or enforceability of the agreement is disputed, obtain advice from a Washington attorney. Do not assume that sending a cancellation message automatically ends every contractual obligation.
FAQ
How long should I wait before concluding my agent isn't performing?
There is no fixed number of days that applies to every market and property type. What matters is whether a specific, named concern — unresponsiveness, missed deadlines, lack of showing feedback — persists after you have raised it directly at least once.
Can I switch agents after signing a representation agreement?
Generally yes, but the process and any conditions depend on the specific termination terms in your signed agreement. Review that document first, and raise the request with your current agent's managing broker if needed.
Is it normal for a home to take a few weeks to sell?
Typical time on market varies by city, sub-market, price band and season, and changes month to month, so there is no single number that applies everywhere. Ask your agent to show you current NWMLS activity for directly comparable properties in your specific sub-market rather than relying on a national or even citywide average.
What should I do if I think my agent misrepresented FIRPTA or tax rules to me?
Verify the mechanics directly with the IRS and a CPA, and raise the discrepancy with your agent and, if needed, their managing broker.
Where can I file a complaint about a Washington real estate licensee?
Complaints regarding licensed real estate professionals in Washington are handled through the Washington State Department of Licensing; license status and any prior disciplinary action are visible through the public license lookup.
Practical review checklist
Before acting, verify the claim against the current signed agreement, official record, or address-level tool identified in this article. General market commentary is not a substitute for transaction-specific evidence.
About the author
Maggie Sun, Managing Broker.
Updated September 2026. This article is general information and is not legal or tax advice; consult a licensed attorney or CPA about your specific transaction.
Sources
- NWMLS — market statistics
- WA Department of Licensing — real estate license lookup
- King County Assessor
- WA Department of Revenue — Real Estate Excise Tax (REET)
- IRS — FIRPTA withholding
- IRS — Form 8288-B
- Bellevue School District
- Lake Washington School District
- Seattle Public Schools
- CFPB — Owning a Home resources
This article is general information based on public information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice. Verify every claim and figure for your own situation before you act.
