10 Questions Agents Hate
What to ask before you sign a listing agreement in Calgary
Ten Questions Worth Asking Before You List
Most sellers interview one agent and sign. These are the questions that separate a considered answer from a rehearsed one — and honestly, a good agent will not mind a single one of them. If someone bristles, that is your answer.
1. How did you arrive at that price? Show me the comparables.
You want recent sold prices for genuinely similar homes nearby — not a round number and a good feeling. Anyone can suggest a high price to win the listing, then push you to cut it three weeks later.
2. How many homes have you sold in my community in the last year?
Calgary is not one market. Someone who works Mahogany every week knows things about Mahogany that a city-wide agent does not.
3. What is your list-to-sale ratio, and your average days on market?
Two numbers that say more than any marketing claim. Ask how they compare to the area average over the same period.
4. What will you do beyond putting it on the MLS®?
Photography, video, digital advertising, social, open houses. Ask to see examples from actual listings, not a capabilities list.
5. What is the commission, and what does it cover?
Commission is negotiable in Alberta and there is no set rate. Get the number, what is included, and what portion goes to the brokerage that brings the buyer.
6. Who will I actually be dealing with?
On a team, the person at your kitchen table is not always the person handling your showings. That is fine — but you should know before you sign, not after.
7. What can I cancel, and how?
Ask about the term of the listing agreement and what happens if it is not working out. An agent confident in their service will not make this awkward.
8. What do I need to have ready before we list?
In Alberta this usually means a current Real Property Report with municipal compliance — and if yours is out of date or a previous owner built something without a permit, that takes time to sort. Condo sellers will need current documents. Find out early, not at the offer stage.
9. What would you change about my home before we list it?
A straight answer here is worth a lot. Someone who says "nothing, it is perfect" is being agreeable rather than useful.
10. How and how often will you keep me updated?
The most common complaint sellers have is not price or marketing. It is silence. Agree what updates look like before you list.
Ask Us All Ten
We would rather you asked than wondered. Get in touch and we will answer every one of these for your home specifically — with the comparable sales behind the number, not just the number.
