I canceled my agreement with my first agent in Lansing, MI

[James Dean-Howell]

It didn't really go as smoothly as I hoped. We met yesterday after she refused to make a lowball offer on a property that she sent me. She basically said that making such offers was a waste of time in our market and she wouldn't endanger her reputation by making such low ball offers. I offered at 80% of list price. I under stood her perspective but also was firm in that I needed her to make these offers because those were the prices where my numbers made sense. Especially given how Lansing is a very hot market and is probably due for a crash soon. Everything is so overpriced I feel.

She said she would tare up my contract and sent me an email stating her reason for cancelibg it and how I refused to listen to her.

My first question is to ask if her word and that email is enough in terms of being legally binding? I don't want to find another agent who I close with and then she comes at me months later asking for a commission.

My second question is to ask if you all believe I was being reasonable. It was hard to put my foot down during the conversation and I took a lot of long pauses to explain my position. She has a lot of experience and I have no reason to believe, even now, that she didnt know what she was doing. However My numbers, cash on cash, cash flow, etc, couldn't work at much above what I asked her to offer. I am certain of that. Yet she was my first ever agent and I did screen 6 agents to get to her. What could I have done diffefently if anything? Am I asking too much? What can I do differently in that future in terms of screening and working with agents.