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How to Change Real Estate Agents Mid-Campaign in Brisbane

If your campaign is not progressing the way it should, switching agents is a legitimate option. Here is the process, your rights, and what to look for in a replacement.

Most vendors who change agents mid-campaign wish they had done it sooner. The signs are usually visible after the first three to four weeks: poor communication, feedback that is not being passed on, days on market creeping up without strategic response, or an agent who sold you an ambitious price and has since gone quiet. Switching agents is not a drastic move — it is a business decision about who is best placed to achieve your result.

This article explains the signs that the relationship is not working, the legal process for terminating an exclusive agency agreement in Queensland, and what to look for when appointing a new agent.

Signs the relationship is not working

Poor communication is the most common complaint. This means not hearing from your agent after opens unless you call them first, receiving feedback reports that lack specifics (how many groups, any expressed interest, what buyers said about price), and not being consulted on strategy decisions as the campaign evolves.

A more significant warning sign is an agent who overpromised at the appraisal and has since backed away from the price discussion. If your agent quoted a price range that was materially higher than comparable recent sales and is now managing your expectations down after the campaign has started, the fundamental trust in the relationship is already compromised.

Days on market accumulating without a strategy conversation is another signal. In Brisbane's inner east, a well-presented property at the right price should attract genuine offers within the first two to three weeks. If you are at week five with no offers and your agent is suggesting you simply run more opens, you are not getting the strategic advice you are paying for.

The exclusive agency agreement: what it means

When you appoint a real estate agent to sell your property in Queensland, you sign an exclusive agency agreement. This gives the agent the exclusive right to sell your property for the duration of the agreement — typically 45 to 90 days, though the duration is negotiable at the time of signing. During this period, you cannot appoint another agent to sell the property without potentially owing commission to the original agent.

The agreement is regulated under the Property Occupations Act 2014 (QLD) and must include certain mandatory terms, including a clear provision for termination by the vendor. Read this section of your agreement carefully. It will specify the notice period you must give and the method required for giving notice.

One important protection: in Queensland, vendors have a 1 business day cooling off period after signing a residential agency agreement. If you sign an agreement and change your mind within 1 business day, you can cancel it without penalty. This is a distinct right from the property buyer's cooling off period — it applies to the agency agreement itself, not the sale contract.

How to terminate an exclusive agency agreement in Queensland

Read your agreement and locate the termination clause. It will specify the required notice period (often 30 days) and whether notice must be given in writing, via email, or by a specific method. Follow the terms as written — do not assume a phone call constitutes formal notice.

Give written notice as specified. An email is generally sufficient provided your agreement allows for it, but a letter sent to the agency's registered address is the safest approach. Keep a record of when you sent the notice and to whom.

Be aware of the protection period. Most exclusive agency agreements include a clause that entitles the agent to commission for a defined period after the agreement ends, if a buyer who was introduced by that agent during the campaign subsequently purchases the property. This protection period is typically 60 to 90 days. If you change agents and your property later sells to a buyer who attended an open under the previous agent, you may owe commission to both agents. Read this clause carefully and seek legal advice if you have concerns.

If your agreement does not contain a clear termination clause — which would be unusual for a properly drafted Queensland agency agreement — consult a solicitor before taking action.

Managing the transition: your existing marketing

Photography, floor plans, and written copy produced for your campaign are typically owned by the agency or their contracted suppliers, not by you as the vendor. In most cases, you will not be able to transfer this material to a new agent. Your new agent will re-shoot the property and create fresh marketing materials.

This is actually an advantage, not a setback. Re-shooting the property with fresh photography and a new listing presentation visually resets your days-on-market appearance on the major portals. Buyers who dismissed the property under the previous campaign may reconsider it as a new listing. The reset, when handled well, restores market interest more effectively than continuing a tired campaign.

Your new agent will need the property to be in excellent presentation condition before the re-launch. If presentation issues contributed to the original campaign's underperformance, this is the moment to address them — before the new listing goes live.

How a new agent approaches a re-listed property

An experienced agent taking on a re-listed property will reassess the price guide based on current comparable sales rather than inheriting the previous guide. If the original price was a factor in the campaign's underperformance, this reassessment is essential — launching at the same price on a new campaign produces the same buyer response.

Days on market on the major portals will technically continue from the original listing date, but a new listing presentation with fresh photography and an adjusted price guide largely overrides this. Buyers focus on price relative to comparable properties, not on the precise number of days a listing has been active.

A good agent will also review the campaign structure — open home frequency, digital advertising strategy, and buyer database outreach — and tell you specifically what they would do differently and why.

What to ask a new agent before signing

Ask them to explain the specific reasons the original campaign underperformed, in their assessment. An agent who is not willing to give you a direct answer to this question is not going to give you honest advice once you appoint them either.

Ask how they handle re-listed properties differently from a first-time campaign: what changes in terms of price guide, marketing approach, and buyer communication. Ask what their communication standard is — how often you will hear from them, what information you will receive after each open, and how pricing conversations are managed as the campaign evolves.

Ask for their recent comparable sales in your suburb or street, not their general volume. A high-volume agent who does not know your specific neighbourhood is not necessarily the right choice.