Ask for the actual numbers
How many properties did they sell last year? How many in your area and property type? What was the average ratio of sale price to list price, and the average days on market? These are answerable questions and the answers are verifiable.
Demand a written marketing plan
Professional photography, floor plans, a dedicated listing page, print and digital distribution, staging recommendations, and a launch timeline should be in writing before you sign. Vague promises about a network are not a plan.
- Photography and floor plans on every listing
- A defined launch date and offer strategy
- Feedback reporting after each showing
Understand the pricing recommendation
The agent who quotes the highest number is not necessarily the best agent; sometimes they are just the one who wants the listing. Ask to see the comparable sales behind the recommendation, and ask what happens if the first two weeks produce no offers.
Read the agreement terms
Length of the listing agreement, cancellation rights, holdover period, and the commission split with the cooperating brokerage all belong in the conversation. A shorter initial term with an option to extend protects you if the fit is wrong.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a lower commission worth it?
- Only if the marketing and negotiation are equivalent. A one percent saving on fees is easily erased by a lower sale price or a longer listing period.
- How long should I sign for?
- Sixty to ninety days is common in Toronto. Ask about cancellation rights before signing anything longer.
Talk to a Toronto private mortgage specialist
We arrange equity-based financing across Toronto and the GTA, whether you need a first position from a private lender or a second mortgage behind the bank you already have.