Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
Interview at least three agents, as RECO recommends, and check each one on RECO’s public register. Ask for a price backed by recent sold homes, a written marketing plan, the full fee and holdover terms, and how they handle multiple representation. Commission is negotiable in Ontario and must be set out in a written listing agreement.
This guide is for anyone in Toronto or the wider GTA getting ready to sell a home in 2027 and deciding who to list with. You will get the questions to ask in an interview, what good and bad answers sound like, what must be in the listing agreement under Ontario’s rules, and the red flags that should end a conversation.
What does a listing agent actually do for you?
A listing agent represents you, the seller. In Ontario, agents are registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) and work under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA). Their job is to act in your best interests through the whole sale:
- Pricing: studying recent sales and current competition to recommend a list price and a strategy.
- Preparation: advising on repairs, cleaning, staging, photos and documents.
- Marketing: putting the home on MLS and in front of the right buyers.
- Showings and offers: booking showings, handling offers under the competing-offer rules, and negotiating.
- Getting to closing: tracking conditions, deadlines and paperwork with your lawyer.
Who your agent owes duties to, and when, is explained in who your real estate agent works for under TRESA.
How many agents should you interview before you list?
RECO recommends interviewing at least three. Start with referrals from people you trust, then look for agents who are active in your area and with your type of home. Before the first meeting, look each one up on RECO’s public register. It shows whether the person is registered and when the registration expires, and lists enforcement activity from the past five years, such as discipline decisions or proposals to suspend or revoke a registration.
Give every agent the same information about your home and ask each one the same questions. That way you are comparing answers, not personalities.
What questions should you ask a listing agent in 2027?
| Ask this | A good answer includes | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| What do you think my home will sell for, and why? | A range built from recent sold homes like yours, with adjustments explained | A high number with no sold comparables behind it |
| What have you sold recently that is like my home? | Specific recent sales of similar homes or price points | Vague talk about “lots of experience” |
| How will you market my home? | A written plan: photos, floor plan, MLS, online and buyer-agent outreach, with dates | “It’s on MLS, that’s enough” |
| Will you hold offers or take them anytime? | A recommendation tied to your home type and current data | The same strategy for every home |
| Who will I actually deal with? | A clear answer on who shows, who negotiates and who answers your calls | You meet one person and work with another |
| What is your fee, and what does it cover? | A total fee in writing, including what goes to the buyer’s brokerage | A fee that changes depending on the sale price minus the list price |
| How long is the listing agreement, and how do I cancel? | A term that matches the market, and written cancellation terms | Pressure to sign a long term with no exit |
| What happens if a buyer you represent wants my home? | A clear explanation of multiple representation and your right to say no | “Don’t worry about that” |
| Can I speak to past clients? | Names you can call | No references at all |
Source: RECO, How do I choose a real estate agent as a seller; RECO, Signing a contract with a real estate brokerage; RECO, Understanding multiple representation. The “red flag” column is my own view.
How do you check whether an agent’s price is realistic?
Ask every agent for a written comparative market analysis, or CMA. It should show recently sold homes like yours, homes currently listed that you will compete with, and homes that did not sell. I explain what a good one contains in what is a comparative market analysis.
Then test the advice against the market. In October 2026, the average GTA home sold for about 97% of its list price after 31 days on the market, according to TRREB. There were about 4.6 months of inventory. Semis were the exception, at 101% of list. In that kind of market, an agent who suggests a price well above every recent sale is not doing you a favour. In my experience, a home that sits gets stale, and the seller often ends up below where an honest price would have landed.
Never choose an agent because they gave the highest price. “Buying the listing” with an inflated number is an old trap. Ask the agent to show you the three sold homes that best support their figure. If they cannot, the number is a sales pitch, not an opinion of value.
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What should be in a listing agreement in Ontario?
Under TRESA, a listing (seller representation) agreement must be in writing. RECO’s guidance says to check these points before you sign:
- Type of representation. Brokerage representation or designated representation. If designated, your representative must be named, and the brokerage cannot replace them without your agreement.
- The property. The specific home being sold.
- Services. There is no standard set of services. If it is not written down, do not assume you will get it.
- Expiry date. It must appear prominently on the first page. There is no standard length; it can be days, weeks or months.
- Fees. Your brokerage’s fee, what will be offered to a buyer’s brokerage, and how it changes under multiple representation.
- Holdover clause. Most agreements have one. It can require you to pay a fee if a buyer introduced during the listing buys after it expires. There is no set length, so agree on it up front.
- Termination. Every circumstance in which you or the brokerage can end the agreement, and any costs.
If anything is unclear, RECO suggests getting advice from a lawyer insured to practise real estate law. If a listing is already stuck, see how to get out of a listing that is not working.
Is real estate commission negotiable in Ontario?
Yes. RECO says the fee is not fixed or approved by RECO, by any government body or by any real estate board. It can be a fixed dollar amount, a percentage of the sale price, or both. What it cannot be is a fee based on the difference between the list price and the sale price.
When you compare fees, compare what you get for them. A lower fee with no professional photos, no floor plan and limited availability can cost you more on the sale price than you save. Who pays what, and how it is split with the buyer’s side, is covered in who pays realtor fees in Ontario, and the full list of selling costs is in seller closing costs in Ontario for 2027.
What is multiple representation, and should you agree to it?
Multiple representation happens when one brokerage, or one representative, acts for both you and a buyer, or for two buyers competing for your home. It is only allowed if every client agrees in writing after receiving written disclosure of how the agent’s duties, services and fees change.
Under multiple representation, the agent must be impartial. They cannot advise you on what price to accept or what terms to include, and cannot share either side’s confidential information without written consent. You can refuse, and ask what the alternatives are, such as the buyer being referred to another representative. Decide your position before you list, not when an offer is on the table.
What are the red flags when choosing a listing agent?
- They are not on RECO’s register, or the register shows recent discipline you have not been told about.
- The price they suggest has no sold comparables behind it.
- They will not put the services, fee or cancellation terms in writing.
- They push you to sign on the spot, or want a long term with a long holdover.
- They dodge the question of what happens if they also represent a buyer.
- They talk mostly about themselves and very little about your buyer.
RECO has also warned agents against steering buyers toward listings based on how much commission is offered. Ask how your home will be presented to every buyer agent, not only to buyers who come through the listing brokerage.
The best listing agent for you is the one who tells you the truth about price, explains the plan in writing and is still easy to reach on a Sunday night when an offer comes in. Local knowledge matters, but so does reach: in my experience, many buyers for a home in one part of the GTA are moving from another part, so ask how the agent will market beyond the street. Hire the person whose answers you can check, not the one whose promises sound best.
What should you do after the interviews?
Put the answers side by side. Score each agent on pricing evidence, marketing plan, communication, fee and contract terms. Call two references for your top choice. Then ask for a draft of the listing agreement to read at home before you sign. A good agent will be comfortable with that. If you are selling a high-end home, the extra questions in choosing an agent for a $3M+ Toronto sale also apply.
What to do next
- Shortlist at least three agents and check each one on RECO’s public register.
- Send each one the same details about your home and ask for a written CMA and marketing plan.
- Use the question table above in every interview and write down the answers.
- Read the draft listing agreement at home: expiry date, services, fee, holdover and termination.
- Book a call with me if you want a second opinion on price or on an agreement you have been offered.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a real estate agent to sell my house in Ontario?
Interview at least three agents, as the Real Estate Council of Ontario recommends, and confirm each is registered on RECO’s public register. Compare their sold comparables, marketing plans, fees and contract terms in writing. In 2027 the best choice is the agent whose price advice you can check against recent sales, not the one quoting the highest number.
What questions should I ask a realtor before listing my house?
Ask what your home will sell for and which sold homes prove it, what similar homes they have sold recently, how they will market it, whether to hold offers, who you will deal with, the total fee, the listing length and cancellation terms, and how they handle multiple representation. Ask for references and the answers in writing.
Can I negotiate realtor commission when selling in Ontario?
Yes. RECO says commission is not fixed or approved by RECO, any government body or any real estate board. It can be a flat fee, a percentage of the sale price or both, and must be written into the listing agreement. A fee based on the gap between list price and sale price is not allowed.
How long should a listing agreement be in Ontario?
There is no standard length. RECO says a listing agreement can run for days, weeks or months, and the expiry date must appear prominently on the first page. With GTA homes averaging about 31 days on market in October 2026, many sellers choose a term that covers a few months, with clear cancellation terms.
How do I check if a real estate agent is registered in Ontario?
Use RECO’s public register, the Agent and Brokerage Search on RECO’s website. It shows the agent’s registration status and expiry date and lists enforcement activity from the past five years, including discipline decisions and proposals to suspend, revoke or add conditions to a registration. Check it before you sign anything.
What is a holdover clause in a listing agreement?
A holdover clause lets the brokerage claim its fee if a buyer introduced during the listing buys your home within a set period after the agreement ends. RECO says most Ontario listing agreements include one and there is no set length, so agree on the holdover period before you sign.
Should I let my listing agent represent the buyer too?
Only if you understand what you give up. Under Ontario’s rules, multiple representation needs your written consent after written disclosure, and the agent then cannot advise you on what price to accept or what terms to include. You can refuse and ask for the buyer to be referred to another representative.
Should I pick the agent who suggests the highest list price?
No. In October 2026 the average GTA home sold for about 97% of list price, according to TRREB, so a list price above recent sales usually means more time on the market. Ask each agent to show the sold homes that support their number, and pick the one with the strongest evidence.
Does my listing agent need to be local?
It helps but is not everything. RECO suggests looking for an agent active in your neighbourhood and with your property type. In my experience, just as important in the GTA is how far the agent’s marketing reaches, because many buyers move from other parts of the region. Ask for recent sales near you and a plan for reaching buyers elsewhere.
Sources
- RECO: How do I choose a real estate agent as a seller?
- RECO: Signing a contract with a real estate brokerage
- RECO: Make sure your real estate agent is registered
- RECO: Understanding multiple representation
- RECO: Concerns about steering based on commission
- RECO: Sellers’ checklist
- TRREB Market Watch, October 2026 (PDF)
Related reading
- Seller Closing Costs in Ontario for 2027: Every Fee Before You Get Paid
- How to Sell a House in Toronto, Step by Step (2027)
- Closing Costs on a New Build in Ontario: What Builders Add
- How Much Is My House Worth in Caledon? (2027)
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.