OTTAWA REAL ESTATE
How to Choose a REALTOR® in Ottawa: 5 Steps and 10 Questions
How Do You Choose a REALTOR® in Ottawa?
Last updated: September 2026
To choose a REALTOR® in Ottawa, confirm they’re registered with RECO, test their knowledge of your neighbourhood with recent sold data, interview two or three agents with the same questions, and read the representation agreement and commission terms before you sign. The right agent puts everything in writing and never rushes you.
- Check registration and discipline history on RECO’s public register.
- Test local knowledge with recent comparable sales.
- Match the agent to your situation: first home, move-up, luxury, rural, or buying and selling at the same time.
- Ask every agent the same 10 questions.
- Read the representation agreement and compare commission in dollars.
I’m Jason Polonski, a REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty, and I’ve worked with hundreds of buyers and sellers across Ottawa’s west end for 15+ years. This is the checklist I’d give a friend, including the questions I’d want them to ask me.
Step 1: Check That the Agent Is Registered With RECO
Every real estate agent and brokerage in Ontario must be registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO). Its public register shows whether a person is registered, their brokerage, and any disciplinary action in the past five years. RECO explains what to look for on its page make sure your real estate agent is registered. It takes two minutes and rules out anyone who isn’t legally allowed to trade in real estate.
Registration is also the difference between an agent and a REALTOR®. Every REALTOR® is a registered agent who is also a member of the Canadian Real Estate Association and bound by the REALTOR® Code, which sets standards for honesty and disclosure above the legal minimum. Locally, REALTORS® belong to the Ottawa Real Estate Board.
Reviews come next. Look past the star rating for patterns in the written comments: how the agent handled a problem, how quickly they answered, and how the negotiation went. Ask for two recent clients in a situation like yours. You can read my client reviews to see what that looks like.
Step 2: Test Their Knowledge of Your Neighbourhood
A strong local agent can name recent sales in your part of the neighbourhood and explain why each sold for what it did. Pricing varies block by block across Ottawa. A Kanata Lakes detached home, a Stittsville townhouse and a Barrhaven semi each sell to different buyers on different timelines, which is why a local realtor tends to price more accurately than a city-wide generalist.
Ask each agent to walk you through current Ottawa real estate market trends and Ottawa home prices, then back their opinion with recently sold homes in Ottawa. Vague reassurance (“homes are selling well here”) is a weak answer. Specific sold prices, days on market and what has changed since spring is a strong one. Agent profiles and listing history are also visible on REALTOR.ca.
Experience at your price point matters too. An agent who has represented both buyers and sellers in your range has seen where those deals stall and can plan around it.
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Step 3: Match the Agent to Your Situation
The best agent for your neighbour isn’t automatically the best agent for you. A first-time buyer needs patient guidance on financing and conditions. A move-up seller buying and selling at the same time needs someone who plans both closings so the timing and the money line up. A downsizer needs sensitivity to a major life change, and an investor needs someone who thinks in cash flow and resale.
Property type matters as much as buyer type. Buying at the top of the market calls for an agent focused on Ottawa luxury homes, and sellers of high-end properties should look for a record in selling luxury real estate backed by practical tips for selling a luxury home. Rural properties and waterfront homes in Ottawa bring wells, septic systems and shoreline rules that never come up in a suburban sale.
First-time buyers should arrive knowing their numbers; the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada explains how much you need for a down payment. Sellers can test an agent’s pricing approach early by asking for a free home evaluation, and buyers should expect help narrowing current Ottawa listings to what actually fits.
Get Cash Back When You Buy a Home in Ottawa
Can you get cash back when buying a home in Ottawa? Yes. Jason Polonski, a Chairman's Club REALTOR® serving Ottawa and Kanata, shares part of his commission with buyers — up to $3,000 cash back at closing.* You still get full-service, award-winning representation: expert pricing, sharp negotiation, and hands-on guidance from first showing to keys in hand. No cut corners and no rebate-only shortcuts — just real money back in your pocket when you buy your Ottawa or Kanata home.
10 Questions to Ask a REALTOR® Before You Sign
Ask every agent you interview the same questions, then compare the answers side by side. A strong answer is specific, backed by evidence, and something the agent is willing to put in writing.
| Question to ask | What a strong answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| 1. Are you registered with RECO, and with which brokerage? | Gives their full name and brokerage so you can check the public register |
| 2. How long have you worked in my neighbourhood? | Names streets, recent sales and local buyer patterns |
| 3. Can you show me recent comparable sales? | Sold prices and dates, not asking prices |
| 4. How would you price my home, and why? | A range tied to specific comparables, not the highest number |
| 5. What is your marketing plan? | Photos, floor plans, MLS® and online exposure, and a showing plan |
| 6. How and how often will you update me? | A set channel and schedule you can hold them to |
| 7. Will you handle my file personally, or will a team? | A clear answer on who does what |
| 8. What is your commission in dollars, and what does it include? | A clear figure and a list of included services |
| 9. How can I end the agreement if it isn’t working? | A plain explanation of the term and cancellation terms |
| 10. Can I speak with two recent clients? | Offers them without hesitation |
Commission in Ontario is negotiable, and fee structures vary widely. Before you compare quotes, read how to negotiate realtor commission in Ontario, run the numbers in the Ontario realtor commission calculator, and see how real estate commission is typically structured. If you’re selling, my 1% Listing Commission is one option to price against full-service alternatives.
Step 5: Read the Representation Agreement Before You Sign
Under Ontario’s Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA), every agent must give you the RECO Information Guide before providing services, and your relationship is governed by a representation agreement. The RECO Information Guide explains your rights in plain language. If an agent starts helping you without it, treat that as a warning sign.
The agreement sets the services, the commission, the term and how either side can end it. RECO notes that if you receive services without a written agreement, an implied representation agreement can still form, so it’s better to have the terms on paper; see its guidance on representation agreements. Ask whether you’re getting designated representation, where named agents represent you, or brokerage representation, where the whole brokerage does.
Some situations add rules worth understanding, such as multiple representation when one brokerage represents both sides. A capable agent should also explain the role of a REALTOR®, the benefits of using a real estate agent, and how the deal connects to closing day in Ottawa and your Ottawa real estate lawyer. The Ottawa real estate buying and selling guide covers the full process.
Red Flags When Choosing a REALTOR®
Walk away from an agent who pressures you to sign quickly, quotes an unrealistically high price to win your listing, or can’t show recent comparable sales. An inflated price usually ends in price reductions after the home has gone stale, and the seller pays for that in the final sale price.
- No RECO Information Guide before they start helping you.
- Vague or verbal-only answers about commission and services.
- Slow, patchy communication before you’ve even signed; it rarely improves after.
- Discouraging you from interviewing anyone else.
- Unwilling to put commitments in writing.
Confidence shows up as transparency, not pressure. The right agent welcomes comparison, because that’s how trust is earned.
About Jason Polonski
Jason Polonski is a full-time REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty who has served Ottawa and the west-end communities of Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Nepean, Manotick, Carp, and Westboro for more than fifteen years. His hands-on background in construction and the electrical trades gives him a practical read on home condition, which helps clients understand what a property is really worth before they buy or list.
Rather than leading with a sales pitch, Jason begins with discovery — understanding a client’s goals, then laying out realistic options and trade-offs. More about his background is available on his about page, and current guidance for buyers and sellers is published on the Ottawa real estate blog.
How to Choose a Realtor (FAQs)
Search the agent’s name on RECO’s public register. It shows whether they’re registered, their brokerage, and any disciplinary action in the past five years.
Every REALTOR® is a registered agent, but not every agent is a REALTOR®. REALTORS® are members of the Canadian Real Estate Association and must follow the REALTOR® Code, which goes beyond the legal minimum.
Ask about RECO registration, local experience, recent comparable sales, pricing, marketing, communication, who handles your file, commission in dollars, how to end the agreement, and for two recent client references.
Yes. Commission is set by agreement between you and the brokerage, so ask for the fee in dollars and compare what each agent includes.
Yes. Since December 1, 2023, Ontario agents must give you the RECO Information Guide before providing services or assistance.
Usually. Pricing and buyer demand vary widely across Ottawa, and an agent who works Kanata, Stittsville or Barrhaven daily reads those details more accurately than a generalist.
Yes, but the terms depend on your representation agreement, which sets out how either side can end it. Read it before you sign, not after a problem arises.
Two or three is usually enough to compare pricing approaches, marketing plans and communication styles. An agent who discourages you from comparing is showing a red flag.
