Transaction coordinators are trained administrative professionals who oversee the closing of real estate sales contracts.
Despite the valuable support transaction coordinators provide, many real estate agents insist on doing all the work themselves. Avoiding transaction coordinators might seem like a wise personal or financial decision, but the consequences are rarely obvious at first.
We’re going to look at why some agents avoid using transaction coordinators, and how that decision may be costing them closings and long-term business growth.
Let’s start by examining the reasons why some agents won’t partner with transaction coordinators.
Why Some Agents Avoid Transaction Coordinators
Despite increasing transaction complexity, tighter compliance requirements, and higher client expectations, many real estate agents still resist utilizing transaction coordination services.
This resistance is the result of many reasons. More often, it’s driven by habit and outdated assumptions about what professional leverage actually looks like in a modern real estate business.
Exploring these reasons in more detail will help us better understand this reluctance.
1. The Independence Myth 💪
Many agents are drawn to real estate because of the autonomy it offers. They build businesses around personal drive, independence, and hands-on involvement.
Over time, this independence can harden into a belief that asking for operational support signals weakness rather than professionalism.
For example, consider the following attitudes:
- Handling everything personally feels like proof of competence
- Delegation is equated with loss of credibility
- Independence becomes tied to professional identity
- Support is viewed as an unnecessary cost
In reality, the most resilient businesses rely on systems and support roles, not heroic individual effort.
Transaction coordinators do not diminish independence; they protect it by ensuring that administrative details and minutiae don’t consume strategic capacity.
2. The Fear of Losing Control Over the Transaction or Deal 🏃🏻♂️
Control is one of the most commonly cited reasons agents avoid transaction coordinators.
The concern is that another person in the workflow introduces an opportunity for miscommunication or confusion into the decision-making process.
These concerns can take the following forms:
- Worry about mistakes being made by someone else
- Anxiety about the other’s competence
- Fear of diluted accountability
- Concerns about unclear roles or boundaries
What experienced agents eventually learn is that transaction coordinators increase control by introducing structure. Defined workflows aid organization and reduce uncertainty rather than amplify it.
3. Negative Past Experiences Create Lasting Impressions and Resistance ⛔
A single poor experience with unskilled or disengaged transaction coordinators can permanently color an agent’s perception of the role.
Instead of assuming the issue was due to individual underperformance, many agents conclude that all transaction coordinators operate at the same subpar level.
Take a moment and think about how one poor experience can cement lingering attitudes:
- One disorganized file becomes the ongoing reference point
- Agents vow not to make the same mistake twice
- The onetime lack of professionalism is generalized across the role
- Agents conclude that they must do everything themselves
These responses translate one bad experience into a principled business decision to avoid transaction coordinators altogether.
4. The “I’m Not Busy Enough Yet” Trap 🤯
Some agents delay working with transaction coordinators until they feel overwhelmed. They assume support should only come after growth, not as a foundation for it.
This logic leads them to avoid partnering with transaction coordinators for the following reasons:
- They wait for increased volume to justify support
- The agent believes it’s their role to manage transactions reactively
- Long hours and stress are simply part of the job
- Equating busyness with productivity
This mindset often caps growth. Without transaction coordinators, agents struggle to scale because each additional transaction increases risk and strain rather than efficiency.
5. Agents Avoid Transaction Coordinators Due to Cost Misperceptions 💸
Many agents assume transaction coordinators are an unnecessary expense, an added cost that eats into commissions rather than supporting profitability.
This misconception often leads agents to handle complex, time-consuming administrative work themselves, at far greater hidden cost.
For example, think about the following self-defeating cost assumptions:
- The fee of a transaction coordinator is easy to fixate on, while the lost income from time diverted away from lead generation goes unnoticed
- Agents often undervalue their time, failing to calculate the actual hourly cost of managing paperwork themselves
- Many agents assume coordinators only push paperwork, overlooking their role in risk reduction, deadline management, and smoother closings
- The focus on per-transaction cost obscures the long-term gains of scalability
In reality, transaction coordination is not a cost center but a leverage tool, one that converts administrative burden into time, focus, and ultimately higher earning potential.
This is a crucial point. Therefore, let’s probe it in more detail.
Market Leading
Real Estate Transaction Coordinators
Hand off your transactions, media, and marketing to a real estate TC.
Avoiding Transaction Coordinators Lessens Closings
The consequences of avoiding transaction coordinators are rarely dramatic in isolation.
At first, these issues seem manageable. Collectively, they increase the likelihood of delayed closings, contract fallout, and damaged professional relationships.
The above negative attitudes all erode productivity and, eventually, reduce the number of closings. Let’s examine this dynamic more closely.
1. Compliance Risk Is Often Overlooked, Ignored, or Underestimated ⚠️
Regulatory compliance is one of the most overlooked areas where transaction coordinators add value.
Agents juggling multiple roles are more likely to miss changing requirements or brokerage-specific procedures. The following matters often fall through the cracks:
- Disclosures overlooked or submitted late
- Inconsistent documentation across files
- Increased exposure to complaints or audits
- Higher stress during broker reviews
Transaction coordinators act as a compliance buffer, ensuring consistency and reducing exposure long before problems arise.
2. Client Experience Suffers Quietly 🤔💭
Clients may not always articulate dissatisfaction, but they notice when transactions feel disorganized or reactive.
Agents who avoid transaction coordinators often compensate by working longer hours, but availability alone does not equal clarity or quality of service.
Clients can’t help but notice the following negative results:
- Confusion about next steps
- Last-minute requests for documents
- Uncertainty as deadlines approach
- Perception of constant rushing and avoidable stress
Clients equate a smooth process with professionalism. Transaction coordinators help deliver that experience consistently, regardless of transaction complexity.
3. Emotional Burnout Impacts Performance and Decision Making 😵💫
Agents who avoid transaction coordinators often carry constant low-level stress. Over time, this stress affects judgment, tone of communication, and responsiveness.
Consider the following effects of burnout and stress:
- Shortened patience during negotiations
- Delayed responses during peak workload
- Increased errors under pressure
- Reduced enjoyment of the work
Burnout doesn’t just affect the agent; it affects outcomes. Clear thinking and steady presence are vital during critical transaction moments.
4. The Illusion of Short-Term Efficiency ☁️
Doing everything yourself can feel efficient in the moment. There is no onboarding, no delegating, and no explanation required.
But this efficiency is deceptive, as the following illustrates:
- Tasks are repeated instead of standardized
- Administrative knowledge remains trapped in one person
- Ongoing mistakes require rework
- Growth creates fragility rather than strength
Transaction coordinators convert individual effort into repeatable systems, which is where long-term efficiency actually lives.
5. Most Closings Succeed or Fail Due to Issues Along the Margins ↔️
Most failed transactions don’t collapse because of major disputes. They fall apart due to overlooked details, delayed responses, or unmanaged expectations.
These margins are exactly where transaction coordinators operate, engaged with the following:
- Tracking contingency deadlines
- Coordinating signatures and submissions
- Monitoring progress across parties
- Flagging risks before they escalate
Avoiding transaction coordinators leaves these margins exposed, increasing the likelihood of preventable failures and lost closings.
When agents add up the actual cost of avoiding transaction coordinators, the picture becomes clearer.
- Lost referrals from stressed clients
- Deals that fall apart unnecessarily
- Reputation damage among peers
- Personal burnout and reduced focus
Transaction coordinators are not a luxury or a crutch. They are an operational safeguard that protects closings, client experience, and the agent’s long-term viability.
Therefore, our final consideration is where to find the best transaction coordinators. Allow us to share a leading source with you.
Market Leading
Real Estate Transaction Coordinators
Hand off your transactions, media, and marketing to a real estate TC.
AgentUp: Partner With Superior Transaction Coordinators
AgentUp offers U.S.-based transaction coordinators who deliver exceptional service across every contracted transaction, handling the closing details with precision, consistency, and care.
Our experienced team allows agents to enjoy the benefits of high-end transaction coordination without the hassle of overhead or onboarding. This frees them to focus on clients, listings, and growth.
The Preferred Provider for Competitive Markets
AgentUp has built a strong reputation for precise, dependable transaction coordination, paired with a professional approach that simplifies collaboration and reduces delays throughout the deal.
Because of this consistency, agents in fast-paced and highly competitive markets regularly rely on AgentUp as their preferred coordination partner, including those working in:
- Oregon
- Washington
- Florida
- Virginia
- Maryland
Across these states, real estate professionals choose AgentUp with confidence, knowing their coordinator will be responsive, detail-oriented, and genuinely easy to work with.
Outstanding Service at Competitive Pricing
AgentUp offers affordable pricing designed to support every agent’s budget:
Transaction Coordination — starting at $399 per file
Listing Coordination — starting at $249 per listing
For a limited time, new clients can also receive $50 off their first transaction.
Talk With an AgentUp TC Coordinator Today
If you’re considering partnering with a transaction coordination service that is easy to work with and will optimize your efficiency, we’d love to talk.
Call (888) 982-4368 or schedule a free TC consultation to learn how AgentUp’s experienced transaction coordinators can help grow your business.
We Offer Marketing Solutions, Too
AgentUp offers more than just transaction coordination. We’ve developed comprehensive marketing services to promote your services and listings.
Take a moment and learn how AgentUp’s integrated platform of exceptional transaction coordinators and effective real estate marketing can power your success.
Sign up for a free AgentUp account and get started today!
Thanks for reading. We hope this article explained why some agents avoid transaction coordinators and how it’s costing them closings.