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Agent Interview Scorecard
Why this matters: Sellers don't lose money because they chose the wrong percentage; they lose because they chose via a low-information process (a single pitch or friend's referral).
Interview at least three agents to spot: inflated language, missing deliverables, and vague strategies. Use this sheet to score each candidate.
Seller Scope Sheet
“Fair” is a feeling… until you put a definition on it
Most sellers use “fair” to mean some mix of:
- Reasonable (not inflated)
- Proportionate (the fee makes sense for the work and risk)
- Even-handed (you’re not being taken advantage of)
- Comparable (it lines up with what similar sellers pay)
The catch is that commission isn’t like a posted price tag. It’s a negotiated term inside a contract. RECO’s (provincial regulator for real estate agents and brokerages in Ontario) wording is blunt: you and the brokerage decide the amount, and it can be a percentage, a flat amount, or a combination. Furthermore, the rule that commissions are negotiable and not fixed by law is consistent across all of Canada’s provinces and territories, as mandated by the federal Competition Act.
So “fair” in Canadian real estate isn’t one number. It’s a framework for deciding whether the fee matches the value, the plan, and the accountability you’re getting.
Why "Fair Commission" Gets Confusing
Real estate pricing is rarely apples-to-apples. Here is why the math is harder than it looks.
1) Service Labels Aren't Regulated
These are marketing categories, not legal ones.
2) Your Fee Pays for a Chain
Many sellers picture commission as "payment to the agent." In reality, the gross commission funds a whole chain:
- The Brokerage Split: e.g., desk fees, supervision, insurance.
- Operating Costs: e.g., photos, staging consults, admin.
- Marketing Spend: Which varies wildly.
- Risk & Time: Carried before a sale closes.
The "Luxury Trick" Sellers Should Understand
Value-based selling through language. Many experienced listing agents are trained to sell outcomes, not tasks.
“We’ll clean and stage the home.”
“We’ll prepare the home for photos and showings so it presents consistently online and in-person.”
Why You Should Care (As a Seller)
Language is often used to justify a massive premium over discount realtor fees—even when the underlying compliance and MLS exposure are identical. When a seller hears: “We’ll dress up the home for client visitations...” they need to read between the lines:
- Is there an actual scope upgrade? (e.g., More rooms staged, movers, paid media?)
- Or is it the same staging consult... described like a movie trailer?
The "Translation" Questions
Use these questions to expose real value without being confrontational.
“What does that include, exactly?”
Ask for a list of deliverables (photos, video, floor plans, staging, signage, paid ads, open houses).
“Who pays for it—and what’s the budget?”
“Included” can mean “coordinated,” not “paid for.”
“What changes if it doesn't sell in X days?”
This is where you learn whether the plan has depth or just a launch moment.
“What do you do personally vs. outsourced?”
Outsourcing isn’t bad; vague outsourcing is.
“Can you show me a recent listing example?”
You’re not judging taste. You’re verifying process (before/afters and marketing schedules).
Be cautious when you hear certainty language like:
- “This will get you top dollar”
- “We’ll definitely create a bidding war”
- “This always works”
A practical definition of “fair commission” for Canadian sellers
A commission is “fair” when all four of these are true:
1) The number is within a normal realtor commission range for your province/market and property type.
Not because “normal” is morally right—because it’s a useful starting reference.
2) The scope is clear enough that you can compare agents apples-to-apples
“Full service” is meaningless unless you know what’s included.
3) The plan matches your listing’s complexity
A downtown condo and a rural acreage don’t require the same approach.
4) The accountability is real
Who is responsible for what, by when, and what happens if you’re unhappy?
Commonly cited “typical” commissions across Canada
There is no single standard (and price-fixing is not allowed). What you’ll see below are commonly cited norms in major consumer guides and calculators—useful as reference points, not rules.
“Fair” Doesn’t Always Mean “Traditional”
This is where the conversation gets real, because the market now has more choice than “pay the classic rate or go FSBO.”
Low-commission and discount models
These can be fair when the scope is still adequate and clearly stated. Typical formats you’ll see:
- What’s included (e.g., staging, open houses, negotiation support, offer strategy)
- Whether marketing costs are included or billed separately.
- Whether the model has strong backend support (compliance, paperwork, negotiation availability).
Limited service / “mere posting” / flat-fee MLS entry
This can be fair for experienced sellers who are comfortable taking on:
- negotiation
- buyer screening and showing logistics
- disclosure management
- offer/counteroffer handling (often with legal counsel)
FSBO
Can be fair if you’re realistic about:
- time and availability
- pricing and buyer psychology
- paperwork, disclosures, and risk management
The part sellers rarely talk about: buyer-side commission and “steering” risk
Sellers sometimes lower the buyer-side offer to save money and assume it has no impact. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it does.
Ontario’s regulator has specifically discussed concerns about steering based on commission, and encourages clarity in agreements around remuneration and how obligations change if a seller offers less than what a buyer has agreed to pay their brokerage.
You don’t need to treat this as fear-based. Just treat it as a practical market factor:
- In many markets, represented buyers are the majority.
- The buyer-side offer is one of several incentives influencing how quickly your listing gets attention (alongside price, condition, showing availability, and marketing).
A “fair” strategy is usually:
- keep the buyer-side offer competitive for your local market, and
- focus your negotiation on the listing side scope and accountability.
How to compare commissions fairly: the “apples-to-apples grid”
When you interview agents, don’t ask only “What’s your rate?” Ask for a one-page scope sheet that includes:
- Photography (how many photos? pro editing?)
- Video / reels (included or optional?)
- Floor plans (included or extra?)
- Pre-list prep plan (written timeline?)
- Staging (consult vs full staging; who pays?)
- Open house plan (how many? who hosts?)
- Paid ads budget (how much? who pays?)
- Showing management (availability, feedback loop)
- Offer strategy (offer night vs anytime; pre-emptive handling)
- Negotiation support (who negotiates, and how responsive?)
- How pricing will be decided (comps + strategy, not vibes)
- Documentation and disclosure approach
- Who handles condition issues and buyer requests
- What happens if you want to adjust strategy
- Termination clauses and listing holdover clauses (read carefully)
“We provide a written prep timeline + vendor coordination + photo production schedule.”
“We elevate your home’s story to buyers” (without any concrete plan).
What “fair commission” may look like in real life
Well, bottom line in my opinion is that a fair commission in Canada is rarely about chasing the lowest number or automatically paying the highest “premium” pitch.
It’s about matching:
- the fee
- the scope
- the market realities
- the accountability