How to Interview a Brokerage: The Questions Ontario Agents Never Ask (and Should)
Updated: Sep 20
Most agents get interviewed by brokerages. Flip it.
They are recruiting you. Your licence, your deals, your split. That makes you the buyer — and buyers ask questions before they sign.
Run it like a buyer consult
Book the meeting. Bring a list. Take notes. Any brokerage that bristles at being questioned has answered your biggest question already.
The money questions
What is the full fee schedule — split, cap, monthly, per-deal, admin fees? Ask for it in writing, in the first meeting.
What happens to my split at renewal? Does the deal I sign today survive next year?
What does leaving cost? Notice period, penalties, what happens to my listings?
A brokerage confident in its numbers puts them on the table. Hesitation is a number too.
The support questions
Who reviews my paperwork, and what are their qualifications?
When a deal goes sideways at 9 p.m., who answers?
Who drafts my offers when I have three going at once?
You are not buying a desk. You are buying what happens when something breaks.
The growth questions
What does training look like after the first month — recorded sessions, live coaching, or a binder from 2019?
Who are your top producers, and can I talk to one?
What do you do for my marketing — actual volume, not adjectives?
Red flags
The split is the entire pitch.
Nobody can name who reviews files.
The fee schedule needs a second meeting.
Every answer is about the brand, never the office you would actually sit in.
Quick answers
What should I ask a brokerage before joining?
The full fee schedule in writing, who reviews your paperwork, what training actually runs week to week, what technology and innovation is ongoing, and what leaving costs.
Is it rude to ask a brokerage about fees in the first meeting?
No. It is rude of them not to volunteer it. You are the client in this transaction.
How many brokerages should I interview?
At least two or three. You cannot recognize a strong answer until you have heard a weak one.
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Ricky Rathore, ABR, SRS, FRI
Founding Partner and Lawyer
Broker of Record and Owner - REMAX Metropolis Realty, Brokerage
A note from the lawyer: this is general information, not legal advice, and reading it doesn't make me your lawyer. Rules change and every situation differs - confirm current requirements with RECO and get advice on your own facts before you act.
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