Is My Real Estate Agent Actually Doing Their Job? What Every East Bay Seller Should Know

How do I know if my real estate agent is actually doing a good job?

A good listing agent in California should communicate with you every week, provide documented showing feedback, run an active marketing plan, and proactively recommend pricing adjustments when the market signals a problem. If your home has been on the market for 2–3 weeks with minimal showings, slow or absent communication, and no discussion of strategy adjustments, your agent may not be executing. In California, you can exit a listing agreement through mutual cancellation using C.A.R. Form COL, or by escalating unresolved concerns to the managing broker.

By Michael Delehanty — Delehanty Group | DRE #01505346 | May 22, 2026

You’ve had your Walnut Creek home on the market for three weeks. A handful of showings. Maybe one piece of vague feedback. Your agent checked in right after the listing went live — and since then, you’ve been the one sending the follow-up texts.

This is one of the most common — and most uncomfortable — questions East Bay sellers are sitting with right now. And it matters, because the stakes are real.

In a market where Walnut Creek home prices hit all-time highs in May 2026 while inventory has been rising since April, a listing that gets mismanaged isn’t just delayed — it’s devalued. Buyers notice days-on-market. A home that sits for five or six weeks without explanation starts generating questions that work against you at the negotiating table: Why is it still available? What’s wrong with it?

So here’s how to actually evaluate whether your agent is executing — and what to do if they’re not.

What Your Listing Agent Should Be Doing Every Week

Once your home is live on the MLS, your agent’s job doesn’t slow down. It shifts.

Weekly showing feedback. Every showing should generate feedback from the buyer’s agent. Your agent should gather it, synthesize it, and share the patterns with you. If multiple buyers are flagging the same concern — the HVAC condition, the kitchen layout, the list price relative to competition — that’s data you need to act on. Sitting on it is not a service.
A regular marketing activity update. You should know how your listing is performing: Zillow and Redfin views, saves, and how foot traffic compares to competing listings in Walnut Creek and the broader East Bay market. Declining engagement is an early warning signal.
Active outreach to buyer’s agents. A proactive agent is calling agents who’ve shown similar homes, following up on interested parties, and making sure your listing stays on the right radar. This is where deals that don’t happen organically get made.
Clear, fast communication. Same day for urgent matters, 24 hours maximum for everything else. If you’re waiting two or three days for a response to a straightforward question, that’s a gap you cannot afford mid-listing.

I make a point of walking through these expectations with every seller before we go live — because the sellers who come to me mid-listing after things have gone sideways almost always describe the same frustration: they didn’t know what they were supposed to be getting, so they didn’t know when something was wrong.

Red Flags That Tell You the Listing Is Being Mishandled

Your agent went quiet after the first week. The initial energy was high — photos were taken, the listing went live, you had a showing or two. Then nothing. No updates, no feedback calls, no check-ins.

Showings aren’t producing offers, and nobody’s explaining why. If you’ve had 10 showings and zero offers, there is a reason. A working agent knows what it is and brings you a plan. “Just be patient” is not a plan.

No one is talking about what the current market is actually doing. Walnut Creek inventory has been climbing since April. Homes that priced for the spring peak are now sitting in a different buyer environment. An agent who sees this and says nothing isn’t protecting your interests. Understanding whether now is still the right time to sell in Walnut Creek is part of what your agent should be helping you think through continuously.

You feel like you have to chase them. Your agent should be calling you with updates before you have to ask. If you’ve sent three follow-up texts this week, that’s a pattern — not bad luck.

What to Do When You’re Not Satisfied

Start with a direct conversation. Ask specific questions: What feedback have you received from showings? What adjustments are you recommending based on how the market has moved? What does your marketing plan look like for the next two weeks? A good agent will welcome this.

Review your listing agreement. California agents use the C.A.R. Exclusive Authorization and Right to Sell Listing Agreement. Read the cancellation clause and protection period carefully — the protection period is the window after cancellation during which commission may still apply if you sell to a buyer your agent introduced.

Request mutual cancellation. The cleanest exit is the Cancellation of Listing (C.A.R. Form COL), signed by both parties. This formally removes the listing from the MLS and ends your obligations under the contract.

Go to the managing broker. Every licensed California agent works under a licensed broker. If your agent won’t engage or agree to a clean exit, contact the managing broker directly. They can reassign your listing, authorize a cancellation, or step in.

Verify your agent’s license. California’s Department of Real Estate maintains a public license lookup at dre.ca.gov. You can confirm license status, verify the supervising broker, and check disciplinary history.

One more thing: switching agents mid-listing doesn’t reset your seller disclosure obligations. The TDS, SPQ, and NHD report remain part of the transaction record regardless of who your agent is.

Before you make any moves, get a candid outside read on your listing. That conversation also includes what you’d actually net at different price points — understanding your floor is essential before you decide what to do next.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect from my listing agent in the first 30 days?

In the first 30 days, your agent should deliver a documented marketing plan, weekly showing feedback reports, active outreach to buyer’s agents, and at least one proactive pricing conversation based on how the listing is actually performing. You should never be the one wondering what’s happening — your agent should be telling you before you ask.

How long should I give my agent before considering switching?

If you’ve had minimal showings and no proactive strategy conversations in the first 3–4 weeks, that’s a signal worth acting on. Start with a direct conversation. If nothing changes in the week that follows, it’s reasonable to ask about cancellation options.

Can I cancel my listing agreement in California without penalty?

It depends on your contract. Most California listing agreements include a protection period during which commission may still apply if you sell to a buyer your agent introduced. Mutual cancellation using C.A.R. Form COL is the cleanest route when both parties agree. If you’re facing a dispute, escalate to the managing broker before involving an attorney.

How do I tell the difference between a slow market and an agent not doing their job?

A slow market produces data — fewer showings, more days-on-market across comparable listings, price reductions on competing homes. An agent not doing their job produces silence: no feedback, no updates, no proactive adjustments. A good agent in a slow market gets more active. If you’re getting silence instead of strategy, that’s not the market — that’s the agent.

Knowing whether your agent is falling short isn’t always obvious in the moment. But there are clear standards for what a listing agent in California should be delivering — and you’re entitled to hold yours to them.

If something feels off about your current listing, I’m happy to give you an honest outside read. Text or email me directly — (510) 697-3900 or michael@delehantyre.com — and we’ll talk through it.

About Michael Delehanty — Delehanty Group | DRE #01505346

Michael Delehanty is a Walnut Creek-based real estate agent with Compass, specializing in buying and selling homes across the East Bay — including Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Danville, Orinda, and the surrounding communities.

Before becoming a real estate agent, Michael spent 15 years running his own contracting firm in the East Bay, working on thousands of homes and major projects across the Bay Area. That hands-on construction background gives his clients a distinct advantage: when Michael walks through a property, he sees what most agents simply can’t. From structural details to renovation potential, his experience translates directly into sharper pricing, smarter negotiation, and fewer surprises at the inspection table.

Michael has been a licensed Realtor since 2005, bringing more than 20 years of experience to every transaction. He has successfully guided clients through short sales, bank-owned properties, investment transactions, and competitive multiple-offer scenarios.

What sets Michael apart is his deep roots in this community. He has lived in Walnut Creek for nearly 30 years. He served four years as Auction Chair and Athletic Boosters President at Las Lomas High School. His two daughters grew up here, attending Las Lomas before going on to the University of Washington and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

michael@delehantyre.com | (510) 697-3900 | michaeldelehanty.com