Active Listings When Switching Brokerages in BC: What Happens to Your Business

For most experienced REALTORS® on Vancouver Island, the hardest part of changing brokerages is not the paperwork — it is figuring out what happens to active listings and pending transactions. You have seller clients counting on you, buyers in progress, and marketing dollars already invested in properties on the market.

This guide explains how active listings are handled when you switch brokerages in BC, what your listing agreements say, and how to plan a transition that protects your clients and your income.

Why active listings complicate a brokerage change

In British Columbia, listing agreements are between the seller and the brokerage — not just between the seller and you as the individual agent. When you change brokerages, those agreements do not automatically move with you. The listing is an asset of your current brokerage, and transferring it requires agreement from all parties: the seller, your current brokerage, and your new brokerage.

This is the question every agent asks before giving notice, and the answer depends on:

• The terms of your listing agreements
• Your current brokerage's policies on listing transfers
• Your new brokerage's willingness and ability to accept transferred listings
• The seller's preferences
• Timing relative to your notice period and BCFSA transfer

Understanding these dynamics before you act prevents surprises that can damage client relationships and your professional reputation.

What your listing agreement actually says

Before you give notice at your current brokerage, pull copies of your active listing agreements and read them carefully. Key clauses to look for:

• Brokerage identification — The agreement names your current brokerage as the listing brokerage
• Agent designation — You are named as the listing agent, but the contractual relationship is with the brokerage
• Termination and assignment — Some agreements address what happens if the listing agent leaves the brokerage
• Expiry date — Listings nearing expiry may be simpler to transition than fresh listings with months remaining

If you are unsure how to interpret a clause, discuss it with your managing broker. This is a business conversation, not a confrontation — experienced brokers have handled listing transfers many times.

Three common outcomes for active listings

When you switch brokerages on Vancouver Island, active listings typically follow one of three paths:

1. The listing transfers to your new brokerage

This is the ideal outcome when the seller wants to continue working with you and all parties agree. The process generally involves:

• The seller signing a mutual release or assignment from the current brokerage
• A new listing agreement with your new brokerage
• MLS listing data updated to reflect the new brokerage and possibly a new MLS number
• Marketing materials (signs, brochures, online listings) updated

Listing transfers take coordination and time. Start the conversation with your managing broker and the seller well before your last day at the current brokerage.

2. The listing stays with your current brokerage

Sometimes the seller prefers to keep the listing with the brokerage they originally hired, or the current brokerage is unwilling to release the listing. In this case:

• Another agent at your current brokerage may take over the listing
• You may receive a referral fee or cooperative compensation depending on your agreement
• Your relationship with the seller may continue informally, but you cannot represent them at the new brokerage without a new agreement

This outcome is more common than agents expect. Prepare sellers for the possibility honestly and early.

3. The listing is cancelled and relisted

If a clean transfer is not possible, the seller may cancel the existing listing and sign a new agreement with your new brokerage. This creates a gap in days on market and may require updated pricing or refreshed marketing — but it is sometimes the simplest path when transfer negotiations stall.

Pending transactions: a separate consideration

Active listings are one challenge; pending transactions are another. Deals already under contract are typically completed through your current brokerage, even if your licence transfers before closing.

Before you give notice, review every pending transaction and confirm:

• Who handles the file through to completion?
• How are your commission splits affected?
• What communication does the client need about your brokerage change?
• Are there conditions or completion dates that conflict with your transfer timeline?

Rushing a licence transfer before your pending deals close can create logistical headaches. Plan your BCFSA submission and VREB update around your completion schedule, not the other way around.

For the licensing side of your transition, see our guide on how to transfer your real estate license in BC.

How to talk to your sellers

Transparency builds trust. Explain that you are exploring a brokerage change, describe what it could mean for their listing, and present the options without pressure. Sellers who feel informed are far more likely to follow you to a new brokerage.

This is one reason we recommend talking to your next brokerage before you give notice. Read more in our guide on switching brokerages on Vancouver Island.

What your new brokerage should do to help

A brokerage that recruits experienced agents should have a clear process for listing transfers. Before you commit to a move, ask:

• Has the brokerage handled listing transfers before? How many?
• Who coordinates the paperwork — onboarding, conveyancing, or your managing broker?
• How quickly can a transferred listing be active at the new brokerage?
• Will the brokerage help update signs, marketing, and MLS data?

At Pemberton Holmes, our onboarding team and managing brokers work with agents to map out every active listing and pending transaction before the transfer begins. We do not want you to arrive on day one with unresolved business from your previous brokerage.

Review our full transfer process to see how we support agents through this stage.

Timing your move around active business

Plan your transition over several weeks rather than days. Align your BCFSA submission and VREB update with your notice period, pending completions, and listing transfer negotiations. Agents who rush often discover unresolved business after the transfer is already submitted.

Ready to plan your transition?

Before you give notice, model your commission scenarios at both brokerages using our fee calculator and account for the BCFSA transfer fee and any marketing re-investment costs. A brokerage change should improve your long-term financial position — short-term disruption is normal, but it should not put you in a precarious cash-flow situation.

Active listings are the most personal part of changing brokerages — they involve real clients, real properties, and real money. Getting this right matters more than any form or fee.

Pemberton Holmes has helped REALTORS® across Vancouver Island navigate listing transfers and pending transactions for generations. We plan with you before you give notice, coordinate with your current brokerage professionally, and make sure your clients are taken care of throughout.

Learn more on our experienced agents page or start with a confidential conversation about what your transition could look like.