how-to
9 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agency Before You Hire
Last Updated: October 30, 2026
Quick Summary
Ask a real estate agency nine questions covering licensing, transaction volume in your property type, team structure, pricing strategy, fees, agency relationship, multiple-offer handling, cancellation terms, and recent references. Verify the agent's and brokerage's registration yourself, and get clear answers in writing before you sign anything.
- A real estate agency is a licensed business that represents clients in property transactions.
- Score each agent from 1 to 5 on weighted criteria so charm cannot quietly win.
- Confirm both the individual agent and the brokerage are active with the provincial regulator.
- Real estate agent fees in Canada are negotiable, and there is no fixed rate.
- Ask for a shorter initial term and a defined area in the buyer representation agreement.
Table of Contents
- What a Real Estate Agency Actually Does for You
- How to Choose a Real Estate Agent in Ottawa
- Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent Before You Sign
- Real Estate Agent Fees and What They Cover
- The Buyer Representation Agreement Explained
- What Happens After You Hire an Agency
- Book a Discovery Call Before You Commit
- Frequently Asked Questions
What a Real Estate Agency Actually Does for You
Hiring a real estate agency is one of the largest financial decisions most people make without a checklist. Many buyers and sellers sign on with the first agent who returns a call, then wonder months later what they actually agreed to. A real estate agency is a licensed business that represents clients in property transactions, and the good ones do far more than unlock doors.
Here is what separates a useful agency from a costly mistake.
Agency, Brokerage, and Agent: Who Is Responsible for What
The terms get mixed up constantly, and that confusion costs people use at the negotiating table.
- Brokerage: The licensed legal entity registered with the provincial regulator. It carries the liability and holds the trust accounts.
- Agency: The relationship created when you hire the brokerage to represent you. It defines duties like loyalty, disclosure, and confidentiality.
- Agent or REALTOR®: The individual professional who does the day-to-day work. A REALTOR® is a member of the Canadian Real Estate Association and bound by its code of ethics (CREA).
When you interview a real estate agency, you are really vetting three things at once: the brokerage's track record, the individual agent's experience, and the terms of the agency relationship itself. Ask which person will actually handle your file. Some teams pass you to an assistant after signing.
How to Choose a Real Estate Agent in Ottawa
The best way to choose a real estate agent is to compare candidates against written, measurable criteria rather than gut feel. Many buyers skip this step and pick whoever seemed friendliest at the first showing. A neutral scoring framework fixes that, and it is the step almost no agency directory will walk you through.
Build a Comparison Scorecard
Rate each candidate from 1 to 5 on the criteria below, then weight them so the factors that matter most to you carry more influence. A simple weighting is shown; adjust it to your situation.
| Criterion | What to measure | Suggested weight |
|---|---|---|
| Local market knowledge | Sales in your specific neighborhood or building in the past 12 months, not just the wider city | 25% |
| Transaction volume in your property type | Closed deals in condo, detached, or pre-construction, whichever matches your property | 20% |
| Communication | Response time before you are a client; who answers after hours | 15% |
| Negotiation approach | How they explain pricing strategy and multiple-offer handling | 20% |
| Verifiable references | Two clients from the past year you can actually call | 10% |
| Marketing plan (sellers) or search plan (buyers) | Written, specific, and time-bound | 10% |
Multiply each score by its weight and total. The point is not a perfect number, it is forcing every candidate onto the same yardstick so charm and glossy brochures cannot quietly win.
What to Verify, Not Just Ask
A common mistake is judging agents on marketing polish alone. Verify these before you rank anyone:
- Licensing status: Confirm the individual agent and the brokerage are both active with the provincial regulator, see the licensing checklist below.
- Recent, local references: Ask for two clients who bought or sold in your area within the past year, and call them. Ask what went wrong, not just what went right.
- Property-type track record: Ask for the number of transactions in your property type last year. A condo specialist and a detached-home specialist are not interchangeable.
A Worked Example
Suppose two agents score identically on communication. Agent A has deep neighborhood knowledge but has closed few condos; Agent B has strong condo volume but a thinner local record. With the weights above, Agent B's property-type score carries 20% while Agent A's local knowledge carries 25%, so the totals reveal which trade-off you are actually choosing.
If you want current market context to judge whether an agent's advice holds up, the Ottawa real estate market trends and forecast is a useful starting reference before your first meeting.
Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent Before You Sign
The right questions to ask a real estate agent fall into five groups: licensing, experience, fees, representation, and what happens after you sign. Get clear answers in writing before committing to anything.
Here are the nine questions we would ask in your position:
- Are you and the brokerage licensed, and can you show me the registration? Verify it yourself.
- How many transactions did you close in my property type last year?
- Who else in your team will touch my file, and who do I call?
- How do you price a home or advise on an offer, specifically?
- What exactly do your fees cover, and who pays them?
- What type of agency relationship are we creating, and what are your duties to me?
- How do you handle multiple offer situations and bidding wars?
- What happens if I want to cancel the agreement?
- Can you give me two recent references I can call?
A vague answer to any of these is your signal to keep looking.
Verifying Licensing and Credentials
Every agent and brokerage in the province must be registered, and you can confirm status through the Real Estate Council of Ontario licensee search. Do this before you sign anything, even if a friend referred the agent.
Check that the individual agent's registration is active, not just the brokerage's. Ask whether there are any conditions on the license. This takes five minutes and protects you from a costly surprise.
Real Estate Agent Fees and What They Cover
Real estate agent fees in Canada are negotiable, and there is no fixed rate.
In most transactions, the seller pays commission, which is split between the listing brokerage and the buyer's brokerage. That split is set out in the listing agreement.
What fees typically cover:
- Professional photography, staging advice, and listing marketing for sellers
- MLS® listing and syndication to property search platforms
- Showings, open houses, and buyer qualification
What they may not cover: legal fees, land transfer tax, inspection costs, and moving expenses. Budget for those separately.
If you are weighing how to fund the purchase, it helps to understand programs like the Home Buyers' Plan and how FHSA and RRSP options compare before you commit to agency costs.
The Buyer Representation Agreement Explained
A buyer representation agreement is a written contract that creates a formal agency relationship between you and a brokerage.
Read it line by line. Three clauses matter most:
- Term: How long you are committed. Shorter terms give you an exit if the fit is wrong.
- Scope: The area and property type covered. Too broad limits your flexibility.
- Commission and holdover: What you owe and for how long after the agreement ends.
Watch out: signing a long-term exclusive agreement with a wide scope before you have seen how an agent works can lock you in with someone who does not deliver.
If you are still deciding how to finance the purchase, review alternatives to traditional mortgage lenders before the agreement becomes binding.
What Happens After You Hire an Agency
Once you sign, a structured process should follow, and you should know each step, who owns it, and where the decision points sit before it starts. Ask for a written timeline with names and dates. Much of the value of hiring an agency sits in the middle of the process, negotiation and condition management, not in the listing itself.
Buyer Timeline: From Signing to Closing
| Stage | What happens | Who leads | Typical decision point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needs assessment | Budget, must-haves, timeline, and property type confirmed in writing | Agent | Confirm your criteria before any showings |
| Pre-approval coordination | Agent connects you with a lender or broker; you confirm financing range | You, with agent coordination | Set your true ceiling, not the maximum approved |
| Property search | Listings matched to criteria; new-listing alerts set up | Agent | Decide how broad a search area you will accept |
| Showings | Scheduled viewings, often clustered by area | Agent | Shortlist after each cluster, not after every showing |
| Offer strategy | Comparable sales reviewed; offer price and conditions drafted | Agent, with your sign-off | Choose price, conditions, and deposit |
| Inspection | Home inspector engaged; findings reviewed | You, with agent coordination | Negotiate repairs, price, or walk away |
| Financing confirmation | Lender confirms financing per conditions | You, with agent follow-up | Confirm condition deadlines are met |
| Closing | Paperwork, deposit, and possession coordinated with lawyers | Agent and your lawyer | Review final statement before closing |
Seller Timeline: From Signing to Closing
| Stage | What happens | Who leads | Typical decision point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing analysis | Comparable sales and current competition reviewed | Agent | Set list price and negotiation floor |
| Prep and staging | Repairs, decluttering, and staging advice | You, with agent guidance | Decide which repairs are worth doing |
| Photography and marketing | Professional photos, listing copy, and syndication prepared | Agent | Approve marketing before launch |
| Listing launch | MLS® listing live; showings and open houses scheduled | Agent | Set showing availability and notice rules |
| Offer review | Offers received and reviewed against your criteria | Agent, with your sign-off | Choose between price, conditions, and closing date |
| Negotiation | Counteroffers and conditions managed | Agent | Accept, counter, or hold |
| Conditions and closing | Inspection, financing, and paperwork coordinated to closing | Agent and your lawyer | Confirm all conditions are satisfied on time |
Where the Real Value Sits
Most of the work that determines your outcome happens in the middle: how an agent frames a lowball offer, manages a failed inspection, or handles a bidding war. Ask each agency to explain their process for those moments specifically. A vague answer is a warning sign.
A good agency gives you this roadmap up front, then keeps you informed at every decision point rather than only at the start and the close.
Book a Discovery Call Before You Commit
The final step is a conversation, not a signature. A discovery call lets you test how an agency thinks before you are locked in.
At Franco Ippolito : EXP REALTY, Franco Ippolito has served the Ottawa market since 1987, bringing nearly four decades of experience. He combines traditional client care with modern, strategic marketing and professional negotiation. Ask the nine questions above and expect direct answers.
If you want a final read on timing before you book, see whether now is a good time to buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are real estate agents and brokerages paid?
In most transactions, the seller pays commission, which is set out in the listing agreement and split between the listing brokerage and the brokerage representing the buyer. That means a buyer often pays nothing directly for representation, though the fee structure should still be explained in writing before you sign anything. Ask your agency to show exactly how the commission is calculated and who receives what, so there are no surprises at closing.
Can I change real estate agents after signing an agreement?
It depends on the terms of the buyer representation agreement you signed. Most agreements run for a fixed period and include a holdover clause, so ending one early usually requires written cancellation from both sides. Read the duration, the termination clause, and the geographic scope before signing, and ask the agent to walk you through each one. If the fit is wrong, raise it early rather than waiting until you have an offer in progress.
What is the difference between a real estate agency and a real estate agent?
A real estate agency or brokerage is the licensed business that employs or contracts agents and carries responsibility for the transactions they handle. The agent is the individual you work with day to day. In practice, the brokerage holds the licence, while the agent provides local market knowledge, property search support, and negotiation. When you interview an agent, you are also evaluating the brokerage behind them.
What should I ask about real estate agent fees before committing?
Ask how the commission is structured, who pays it, whether any portion is negotiable, and what specific services it covers. Request a written breakdown rather than a verbal estimate, and confirm whether fees change for pre-construction purchases or exclusive listings. Also ask what happens if you buy a property without the agent's involvement during the agreement term. Clear answers on fees up front are a reliable sign of how the rest of the relationship will run.
The right agency should make you feel more informed after every conversation, not more pressured. Franco Ippolito : EXP REALTY offers personalized guidance for buyers, sellers, and investors, with strategic marketing and strong negotiation skills behind every transaction. Get started with Franco Ippolito : EXP REALTY and book a discovery call to map out your next move with confidence.
