Before you list your Markham home, the conversation you have with a prospective realtor will tell you whether they are the right agent for your sale. Knowing the right questions, and what a good answer actually sounds like, is how you make an informed choice rather than a comfortable one.
Michael John Lau, top real estate agent in Markham Ontario, sets out the questions every seller should ask, including the ones agents find least comfortable.
Questions About Pricing and Value
What is my home worth, and how did you arrive at that figure? A good answer includes a professional Comparative Market Analysis grounded in recent comparable sales, with the reasoning shown. Be cautious of an agent who quotes a notably higher number than others without evidence, because winning a listing on price and then requesting reductions is a well-worn pattern that costs sellers time and money.
What is your pricing strategy for my home specifically? A good answer is tailored, explaining whether to price at market, slightly below to generate competition, or otherwise, and why that suits this property in this market.
What does the current Markham market mean for my sale? A good answer demonstrates current knowledge: inventory levels, days on market running near 32 days, sale-to-list ratios near 98.9 per cent as of August 2026, and what those figures imply for your property type and community.
Neeraj Moolchandani on Interviewing Listing Agents
Neeraj Moolchandani, REALTOR® at Kaizen Real Estate, encourages sellers to interview at least three agents and to notice which one is willing to disagree with them. An agent who accepts every assumption a seller brings into the room, about price, about timing, about what buyers will value, is being agreeable rather than useful. The most valuable listing conversation usually includes at least one thing the seller did not want to hear.
The question Neeraj suggests sellers add to their list is this: what would you tell me not to spend money on? Agents who answer it well are thinking about the seller's net proceeds rather than the listing photos. Agents who cannot answer it, or who recommend every possible improvement, are usually optimizing for something other than the seller's bottom line.
Questions About Marketing
Question | What a Good Answer Includes |
|---|---|
How will you market my home? | Professional photography, MLS, broad online distribution, and a specific plan rather than a generic list |
How will you make it stand out? | A genuine differentiation strategy given the competing inventory in your segment |
What should I do to prepare? | Specific, cost-aware guidance, including what not to spend on |
Who is the likely buyer? | A clear profile, since marketing that targets nobody in particular reaches nobody in particular |
Questions About Experience and Track Record
What is your experience in Markham specifically? Local knowledge of communities, catchments, and dynamics matters more than general volume.
What is your track record, and can I see references? A confident agent welcomes this. Ask for recent sales in your community and price range rather than career-wide totals.
What is your experience with homes like mine? Relevant experience with your property type, price band, and community is the useful measure.
What is your list-to-sale ratio and average days on market? This is the question most sellers omit, and it is among the most revealing. Ask for the figures on their own listings.
Questions About Process, Service, and Terms
How will you negotiate on my behalf? Look for a described approach rather than an assertion of skill.
How will you communicate with me, and how often? Set the expectation explicitly before listing rather than discovering the mismatch afterward.
What is your commission and what does it include? Commission is negotiable in Ontario. A good answer is transparent about both the fee and precisely what it covers.
What is the realistic timeline? Look for honesty grounded in current conditions rather than an optimistic promise offered to win the listing.
What happens if I am unhappy? Ask about the term of the agreement and the cancellation provisions before signing, not after.
Interview Us Alongside Everyone Else
Ask us the uncomfortable questions. That is what the meeting is for. Book a private consultation with the Kaizen Real Estate Team.
How to Evaluate the Answers
Evaluate for expertise, honesty, and fit. The strongest signal is not polish; it is willingness to give you an answer you did not want. An agent who tells you your price expectation is high, or that a planned renovation will not return its cost, is demonstrating exactly the judgement you are hiring.
The clearest warning sign is the unrealistic promise. An unusually high suggested price or an implausibly fast timeline offered without evidence is the most common way sellers are won and then disappointed. Ask for the reasoning behind every number.
Michael John Lau, top real estate agent in Markham Ontario, welcomes these questions from every prospective seller, including the ones about commission and cancellation.