Changing Agencies Without Skills = Changing Pools Without Swimming
Many property agents believe that their lack of success comes from being in the “wrong” agency. They blame the company, the team leader, or the commission scheme. Their solution? Change agencies. Again and again.
But here’s the hard truth: changing the swimming pool doesn’t make you a swimmer.
The Swimming Analogy
Imagine someone who can’t swim. Instead of learning, they hop from one pool to another — hoping the water will feel different, the tiles will help them float, or the lifeguard will magically teach them.
It doesn’t matter how beautiful the pool is. If you don’t know how to swim, you’ll still sink.
The same applies to real estate. Non-performing agents keep switching agencies, thinking a new brand or a new environment will suddenly make them successful. But unless they build the right skills, discipline, and habits, they’ll repeat the same cycle.
Why Agents Keep Switching
- Looking for Easier Leads
Hoping the next agency has “better projects” or a “magic lead source.” - Blaming the Commission Split
Thinking higher payout equals better income — without realizing that in a competitive market like KL/Selangor, a 90% split of zero is still zero. - Avoiding Responsibility
It’s easier to say “my agency didn’t support me” than to admit skill gaps. - Chasing Trends
Jumping to whichever agency seems “hot” at the moment.
Mini Case Study: The Pool Changed, the Swimmer Didn’t
Take “Agent A.” In three years, they’ve been at three different agencies. Each time, they joined because of a “hot new project” or a “better lead system.”
Yet, their output never changed: the number of calls made, listings taken, and doors knocked stayed the same. The pool changed. The swimmer didn’t.
What Really Matters (The Swimming Lessons)
These are the strokes every agent must master, no matter which “pool” they’re in:
- Prospecting Skills – Knowing how to consistently find buyers and sellers.
- Follow-Up Discipline – Deals are lost more to silence than rejection.
- Product Knowledge – Understanding the property, the market, and the financing better than your competition.
- Negotiation Ability – Converting interest into commitment.
- Mindset & Resilience – Staying consistent even when deals don’t close immediately.
Without these, moving agencies are just moving from one pool to another — without swimming lessons.
When Changing Agency Does Make Sense
To be fair, sometimes a move is justified:
- If your agency withholds commission unfairly.
- If they lack licensing or BOVAEP compliance — risking your career and leaving you unprotected.
- If they block your growth, forbid co-broking, or trap you in politics.
But even then, the new agency only provides the pool. The swimming is still up to you.
Conclusion
Non-performing agents who constantly switch agencies are just changing pools without learning to swim. The real question isn’t “Which agency should I join?” but “Am I building the skills I need to succeed?”
Because in real estate, success isn’t handed to you by the agency — it’s earned by the agent.
