Can you change real estate agents while your home is listed in Ontario?

Usually not on your own. In Ontario, your listing agreement is with the brokerage and normally runs until its expiry date. You can ask the brokerage to release you early, ask to work with a different agent at the same brokerage, or wait for the agreement to end. Read your agreement and talk to your current brokerage first.

By Haidan Wang, Broker, Century 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage | October 28, 2026

When a home has been sitting for a while, it's natural to wonder whether a different agent would get a different result. In Ontario, the answer starts with your listing agreement. Haidan Wang, a Broker with Century 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage, works with Glen Abbey and Oakville homeowners whose home hasn't sold, and this post explains how the process generally works. It's general information, not legal advice.

How listing agreements work in Ontario

• The agreement is with the brokerage, not the individual agent. That's why changing agents usually goes through the brokerage.
• It has a start date and an expiry date. Most listing agreements are exclusive, so you're committed to that brokerage until the expiry date unless it agrees to end things early.
• Most include a holdover clause. If you sell to a buyer who saw your home during the listing, the original brokerage may still be owed commission for a set period after the agreement ends.
• Some include costs on early cancellation. An agreement may let the brokerage recover set expenses, such as photography or advertising, if you end it early. Those costs should be spelled out in the agreement itself.

Your options

1. Talk to your agent first. Many stalls can be fixed inside the same listing with a change to price, presentation or timing.
2. Ask for a different agent at the same brokerage. Because the agreement is with the brokerage, this is often the simplest change.
3. Ask for a release. The brokerage may agree to end the agreement early, sometimes with conditions, such as not relisting with another brokerage before the original expiry date.
4. Let the agreement expire. Once it ends, you can relist with any brokerage. The holdover clause still applies to buyers who saw the home during the original listing.

Before you sign anything new: Don't sign a new listing agreement while your current one is still in force. If two brokerages both have a valid claim, you could owe two commissions. If you're unsure where you stand, ask a real estate lawyer to review your agreement.

Supporting source: Axess Law, "Cancelling Realtor Listing Agreements" (axesslaw.com/cancelling-realtor-listing-agreements). Axess Law is not affiliated with Haidan Wang or Century 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage.

Before you relist with anyone

A new listing only helps if something real changes. Whoever you work with next, ask:

• What specifically will be different about the price, photos, description and marketing?
• What do recent sales near you, in the same weeks, say about where your home stands?
• How will the home reach more buyers than it did the first time?
• How will a buyer who saw the home during the old listing be handled under the holdover clause?

When Haidan Wang meets a seller whose listing has ended, the first step is a diagnosis: the showing count, buyer feedback, and how the home compared with what sold nearby. Haidan's engineering background shapes that approach. The relaunch plan, including English and Mandarin marketing, comes after the cause is clear.

If your home is still listed, the right first call is to your current brokerage.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel my listing agreement early in Ontario?

Only if the brokerage agrees, or if your agreement includes its own early-termination terms. Many brokerages will discuss a release, sometimes with conditions. Read your agreement and speak with your brokerage first.

What is a holdover clause?

It's a section of the listing agreement that can entitle the original brokerage to commission if you sell, within a set period after the listing ends, to a buyer who saw the home while it was listed. The length of the holdover period is written into your agreement.

How soon can I relist after my listing expires?

Once the agreement has expired, you can sign with any brokerage right away. The holdover clause from the old agreement still applies, so give your new agent a list of buyers who saw the home during the original listing.

Could I end up paying two commissions?

It can happen if you sign with a new brokerage while the old agreement is still in force, or if a holdover-period buyer purchases through someone else. Ending the first agreement properly before signing a new one avoids most of that risk.

The short version: your agreement is with the brokerage, so start there, end things properly, and relist only when something real will change.

If your listing has ended and you'd like a no-pressure second opinion, read about relaunching a Glen Abbey home that didn't sell, or call or text Haidan at 647.990.6879.

About the author

Haidan Wang is a Broker with Century 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage, and works with Glen Abbey and Oakville homeowners whose home hasn't sold. With 15 years in real estate, an engineering background, and the Century 21 Canada CENTURION® Producer award (2014 to 2017, and 2020), Haidan serves clients in English and Mandarin across Oakville, Burlington and Milton.

Century 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage | 9-209 Speers Road, Oakville, ON L6K 0H5 | Office 905.845.9180 | Cell 647.990.6879 | haidan.wang@century21.ca

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