Unless you SIGN a contract making them your sole and exclusive buyer's agent ... never.

Thanks for the responses. I don't feel guilty for my emails any more.

There you go! Emails etc. are a part of the Realtor's marketing system. Much smaller scale, but a lot like you might get from a retailer or website you've signed up with, whether or not you did business with them or not.

The emails aren't specific to you, even if your first name is contained in the salutation. Just part of their marketing, and they calculate the responses, effectiveness against their expense.

No big deal- just business.

I had a realtor show me three houses last summer when I first decided I wanted to make a move. Since then I get emails of listings almost every day. About a month ago I looked into building in a particular community which she is also in, but won't need her since i'll be making the purchase directly from the builder. I'll find someone to list with in my current area who specializes in local neighborhoods. I feel in my case it would make no sense to use her as my listing ageng/buyer's agent.

If you're annoyed by the emails that aren't meaningful to you anymore, unsubscribe.

Oh, it's not that I'm annoyed by the emails. It's that I responded to her emails and wondered how much correspondence at some point becomes a working relationship from which she might expect commitment ... or maybe you (Juanita) were talking to patty_cakes?

I don't know patty_cakes- that I know of! She won't expect commitment from correspondence, but within your situation- if she has be come less than useful in you situation- perhaps a good time to let it all go.

If you end up using someone else, please tell her. It's always an unwelcome surprise when we find someone we've been communicating with goes with someone else.

And along those lines, have you already decided you will NOT use her? if that's the case than it's not fair on your part. But if she is in the running when you start to look for an agent, than it is fine.

eld611, it's not that I have decided I will not use her; I haven't decided anything about her. I haven't really begun evaluating. She is literally just the very first agent I met at the very first open house I went to, though she seems friendly. She sent emails, and I replied to them, 2-3. At some point, I began to wonder if doing so meant that she thought we were in a semi-committed relationship, lol. And I didn't want to be a jerk and lead her on, when, you know, I was just at the bar and talking to the friendly person next to me. Then we met again at the line for the bathroom and struck up a conversation. Then when she sees me kissing some other guy in the corner of the room, she'll feel betrayed like "I thought we had something!" I don't want to be that person.

The first few posts led me to believe that our interactions were not the sort that would lead a real estate agent to expect commitment. But then the last couple of posts led me to believe that in fact, after that level of interaction, agents *do* think they're with you. So to be on the safe side, I guess I will not reply to any of her further mass emails until and unless I decide she's the one, and if or when I decide she's not the one, drop her a note to let her know I've gone with someone else.

Oh my, this is getting interesting for this evening :)

This thread - realtor commission discussion is also interesting and there may be a few points to consider when you are ready to pick the right realtor for your business transaction