Questions to ask a real estate agent in Alberta before you sign anything

You can ask a real estate professional anything, and in Alberta you should. The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) licenses every agent and requires them to explain the relationship they are offering you. What follows is a list of questions, in the order we would ask them, with the reason each one matters and the answers that should make you pause. Print it, bring it to a first meeting, and notice how the person reacts to being asked. That reaction is itself an answer.

Before you meet anyone: check the licence

Go to RECA’s public licensee search (linked from reca.ca) and confirm the person is licensed, with which brokerage, and in which sector (residential, commercial, property management, mortgage). Anyone offering to help you buy or sell for compensation in Alberta must be licensed. A friend of a friend who “knows the market” is not a substitute.

Questions about representation

1. Will I be your client or your customer, and what is the difference? RECA’s own distinction: a client is represented under a written service agreement; a customer gets limited services and no representation. The licensee must explain this. A vague answer is a red flag.

2. Who else do you represent in this transaction? If the same brokerage or agent is on both sides, there is a potential conflict that must be disclosed and agreed to in writing. Ask before you fall in love with a listing.

3. What is in your written service agreement, and can I take it home to read? RECA says a written service agreement protects you. It should state what the licensee will do, for how long, and how they are paid. You are entitled to read it without pressure.

4. What is the term, and how do I end it? Look for the length, the “holdover” period after it ends, and whether notice in writing is enough to terminate.

5. Is this exclusive, and what happens if I buy a home you did not show me? Some agreements cover any purchase during the term; some do not. Know which one you are signing.

Questions about money

6. How are you paid in my transaction, and by whom? Ask to see it in writing. Arrangements vary; what matters is that you understand yours before you sign.

7. What are all the costs I will pay beyond the price or beyond your fee? Expect a straight list: deposit, lawyer, Land Titles registration levy, inspection, appraisal if required, property tax adjustment, insurance. Read our buying guide for the full table.

8. Do you receive any referral fee or benefit from the lender, inspector, lawyer or mover you recommend? A good agent gives you several names and discloses any relationship. Any undisclosed benefit is a problem.

9. If I am selling, how did you arrive at your suggested price, and can I see the comparables? Pricing comes from recent comparable sales, not from what you need or what gets the listing. Ask for the data.

Questions about experience and fit

10. How many transactions did you complete in the last twelve months, and in which parts of Calgary? Not to rank them, but to understand whether they know your quadrant, your price range and your property type.

11. Have you worked with people relocating from Quebec or from outside Canada? Relocation is its own skill: remote viewings, timing two closings, understanding that someone has no Canadian credit history yet.

12. Do you work with condominiums often, and how do you handle the document review? Condos are a large part of Calgary’s market. The agent should know what the corporation must deliver and in what timeframe (the CMHC’s Alberta fact sheet lists it) and should recommend a proper review.

13. What languages can you serve me in, and in which language will documents be? Alberta contracts are in English. A French-speaking agent can explain every clause in French; the signed document will still be English. Know that going in.

14. Who is on your team, and who will actually answer my messages? Some agents work alone; some have assistants, partners or a team. Either can be fine. You should know who you are talking to.

15. How will we communicate, and how quickly do you typically respond? A clear answer (“text for quick things, email for documents, I reply within a few hours during business days”) is what you want.

Questions about the process

16. Walk me through what happens from an accepted offer to possession. Conditions, deadlines, the lawyer, the Real Property Report, keys at noon. If the agent cannot explain it simply, keep looking.

17. What conditions would you recommend in my offer, and why? Financing, inspection and condo documents are the usual three. An agent who routinely suggests waiving them “to be competitive” should explain the risk they are asking you to take.

18. Which home inspectors, lawyers and mortgage brokers do you suggest, and why those? Several names, with reasons, and a note that the choice is yours. Inspectors must be licensed in Alberta.

19. What would make you tell me not to buy a particular home? A real answer here (a bad reserve fund, a flood map, a structural issue, an unrealistic price) tells you the agent is working for you.

20. If I am relocating, would you tell me to rent first? The honest answer, most of the time, is yes. See the relocation guide.

Questions about after

21. What happens after possession if something goes wrong? Ask what the agent will and will not do, and when the lawyer takes over.

22. How do you handle my personal information, and will I be added to any mailing list? You can say no to marketing. An agent should respect that without argument.

23. What happens if I decide not to buy or sell at all? Agreements have terms; life has surprises. Know the exit before you enter.

24. Is there anything I should have asked and did not? Good agents will add two or three things. That is the person you want.

What a written service agreement usually contains

RECA’s guidance is that the agreement explains what the licensee will do and how they will be paid. In practice, expect to see: the parties and the brokerage (you contract with the brokerage, not the individual); the start and end dates; the services included (search, showings, offer drafting, negotiation, condition management); whether the agreement is exclusive; the compensation terms and who pays; the “holdover” period during which a purchase introduced during the term still triggers payment; consent to disclosure of conflicts; and how either side ends the agreement. If any of those is missing or unclear, ask for it in writing before you sign. For sellers, the equivalent document also sets the listing price, the inclusions, the marketing plan and the showing rules.

If you are selling

Add four questions to the list: how will you market my home and where (board listing, photography, floor plans, open houses); how will you qualify buyers before showings; how will you handle multiple offers; and what is your plan if the home has not sold in the first month. The answers tell you whether the agent has a process or only an opinion.

A note on Frank

Frank Clement is a licensed associate with Real Estate Partners at Real Broker. He answers every question on this page, in French or English, and would rather you ask them than wonder. If after asking them you decide to work with someone else, that is the system working. Contact Frank when you are ready; nothing about it signs you up for anything.

Your next steps

• Check any licence through RECA’s public search before a first meeting.
• Read the full process in Buying a home in Alberta or Selling a home in Alberta.
• Get a pre-approval before you start viewing; the FCAC page explains what it is.
• Bring this list to your first meeting, with anyone.
• Contact Frank to ask them in French or English.