radelow it is not hard to change your agent. Have you signed a buyers representation agreement with them? I assume you are looking for a home, not selling a home. I was a little puzzled because you mentioned distressed buyers but I assume you mean distressed sellers. Anyways if you have not signed any representation agreement then you do not have to do a thing. If this agent has put in alot of work and showed you lots of homes, it would be courteous of you to be honest and let the agent know you are planning to move on. You can ask this agent to refer you to another agent who is more familiar with the neighborhoods you want to investigate. Don’t worry about the commissions, let the agents work it out themselves. If you are under a representation contract then simply ask the agent to cancel it. The cancellation document is a 1 page form. If the agent gives you grief be very nice to them but firm and let them know if need be, then you will forward your request to the broker. The most important aspect (IMO) about working with an agent is working with someone you trust and feel comfortable with. Don’t be afraid to interview many different agents. Ask them about the things that are important to you, the neighborhood, their skill level and experience, if you want a rebate or not, where they specialize in… etc… It seems to me by what you mentioned above, knowledge of the specific neighborhood is very important to you. So then drive out to the brokerages in that neighborhood and go into the offices there and ask for a dedicated buyers agent that is familiar with the area. Ask for references and call them up… I cannot urge you strongly enough to do this. If the agent is good, then the references will be the strongest asset for them. If you do your due diligence you will find someone out there you trust and like.