Before You List: The Two Conversations Sellers Skip with Their Agent

The topic sellers most often skip: buyer persona

Most sellers open with ‘how much can I get?’ But a good agent should first ask ‘who’s most likely to buy this property?’ Different personas require different pricing, staging, marketing copy, and open-house timing.

Personas I always discuss before listing: age band (30-40 first-time / 40-55 upgrade / 55+ downsize), household type (couple + kids / multi-gen / single investor), down-payment source (savings / family / HELOC), decision timeline (30 days / 3 months / 6 months+).

Each dimension drives different actions. A family with school-age kids? Open houses Saturday morning, school-area direct mail. Downsizer? Highlight single-level layout, low maintenance, hospital proximity.

Cooperating commission: the lever you underestimate

Ontario commissions are negotiable, but market convention for cooperating commission (the buyer’s agent portion) is 2.0-2.5%. This number directly drives your exposure.

Buyer agents scan dozens of MLS listings daily. When filtering for clients, they prioritize: 1) within budget; 2) matches preferences; 3) cooperating commission ≥ 2.5%. Listings offering 1.5-2.0% get pushed down the ‘next showing’ queue.

My data: dropping from 2.5% to 2.0% typically reduces showings by 15-25%. From 2.0% to 1.5%, the drop can hit 40%. The 0.5% you ‘save’ often costs more in lost sold price from reduced exposure.

Six items every listing presentation must include

Your agent’s presentation should cover: 1) 90-day sub-market comps (3-5 active + 3-5 sold); 2) recommended list price and expected sold range; 3) concrete marketing plan (pro photos / video / 3D tour / open house / social); 4) budget breakdown (staging, photography, ads); 5) commission structure (listing + cooperating + HST); 6) expected timeline (time to first offer, time to closing).

Missing any item = unprepared agent. Politely request a complete presentation before signing.

Eight questions to ask before signing the listing agreement

1. How many transactions have you closed in this sub-market in the past 6 months? Average DOM and sale-to-list?

2. If no reasonable offer in 3 weeks, what’s your adjustment plan?

3. Where does your marketing budget come from — your firm, you personally, or me?

4. Do you personally run the open house or send an assistant?

5. Showing feedback turnaround time and format?

6. How do you present incoming offers — bare contract or with a summary briefing?

7. Standard process for multiple offers?

8. What are the exit terms if I terminate the listing agreement early?

Red-flag answers to watch for

🚩 ‘I have buyers’ — but won’t qualify them specifically

🚩 ‘We can list high and adjust later’ — classic FOMO pitch

🚩 ‘Commission is negotiable’ — but won’t commit to writing

🚩 ‘Our brokerage handles all marketing’ — but can’t produce a budget breakdown

🚩 ‘Showing feedback in 2-3 weeks’ — means no real process

Q1. Can cooperating commission be tiered (e.g., 2.5% first 30 days, lower after)?

Possible but not recommended. Buyer agents only see the listing’s initial commission. Mid-listing changes require MLS revisions — essentially re-listing, killing early traffic.

Q2. Should I accept the agent’s recommendation of 2.0%?

Depends on market. Hot sub-markets demand 2.5% minimum. Cold areas with low supply may work at 2.0%. Ask your agent for showing data comparing different cooperating rates in your area.

Q3. How long should the listing agreement be?

60-90 days for GTA. Under 60 days, the agent may not invest in marketing. Over 120 days, you lose flexibility if market shifts.

Q4. Do open houses have to be weekends?

No. Luxury properties: weekday afternoons by appointment. Condos: weekday evenings (target commuters). Family homes: Saturday morning (families with kids).

Q5. Pre-list inspection — worth it?

Yes for $1M+ properties. Benefits: discover issues early, instill buyer confidence, eliminate the inspection condition from offers. $400-$800 cost is trivial vs sold price.