Agents now doubt whether to take listings
By Relta Real Estate
1 min read
This column nails a genuine shift in agent behavior. Five years ago, any listing was gold in a seller's market. Now agents are selective, asking if a client is actually motivated to sell or just wants to "test the market." The reframing from listing pursuit to client qualification reveals real market maturation.
Captures how agent priorities have inverted in a cooling market.
Five years ago agents asked 'How do I get more listings?' Today they ask 'Should I take this listing?'
This reversal is the clearest sign the market has fundamentally changed. Listings are no longer automatically valuable. Selectivity now beats volume.
One agent took two listings where sellers wanted to price above market and weren't under pressure to move. The homes didn't sell.
This scenario is becoming routine. Agents are burned by unmotivated sellers, which explains why vetting clients upfront has become essential to protecting time and reputation.
The column argues listing presentations should begin with better questions about motivation, timeline, and price flexibility, not marketing plans.
Right approach. A slick marketing plan can't overcome the wrong client. The listing presentation has to screen for genuine seller commitment before anything else happens.
“Should I take this listing? But I don't know if I should take it.”
What this means in BC
BC agents in particular should recognize this shift. Urban markets with slowing sales are already flooded with overpriced listings from unmotivated sellers. Selectivity separates professionals from those still chasing volume.
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