If you've ever asked yourself, how do I know if my realtor is good, you're asking exactly the right question. Some clients only notice problems after a deal falls apart, or they walk away from a closing table wondering why they left money on the table. Evaluating whether your realtor is actually doing their job isn't about being a difficult client; it's about protecting what is likely the largest financial transaction of your life.
This article gives you a concrete framework across four areas: communication, market knowledge, negotiation results, and verified client outcomes. Each one is measurable. By the end, you'll know exactly where to look, what to ask, and what to do if the answers don't hold up.
How Do I Know If My Realtor Is Good: Key Indicators
Communication that keeps you in the loop
A good agent doesn't wait for you to chase them. For ongoing matters, expect a response within the same business day at minimum, top agents often reply faster because they understand that speed matters in a competitive market. More importantly, they give you unprompted updates at every stage: after showings, during offer periods, and through to possession day. If you're always the one calling to find out what's happening, that's not a communication style difference; that's a measurable gap in service.
Local market knowledge that guides real decisions
Your agent should be able to walk you through a comparative market analysis (CMA) and explain the logic behind it without deflecting. A quality CMA covers recent comparable sales in the same neighbourhood, active competing listings, pricing adjustments for condition and features, and a clear recommendation with the reasoning laid out. If an agent hands you a price without explaining how they got there, you're flying blind on the most important number in the deal.
Negotiation results you can actually verify
Strong negotiators have the numbers to prove it. Ask directly: what is your sale-to-list price ratio, and how does your average days on market compare to the Calgary area benchmark? In 2026, Calgary's broader market averages roughly 97.7% to 98.9% sold-to-list and around 34 to 40 days on market. A top agent should consistently meet or exceed the sale-to-list percentage benchmark and keep days-on-market at or below the local average. If they can't produce this data on the spot, that tells you something important.
Red flags that tell you something is off
Slow replies, vague updates, and missed follow-through
Top-performing agents respond to client inquiries promptly, hours, not days. In a fast-moving market like Calgary, delayed communication isn't just frustrating; it can cost you a property or a competing offer. If your agent is slow to respond during the initial conversations, that pattern often continues once the contract is signed. Poor responsiveness rarely self-corrects.
Weak marketing with no clear strategy
For sellers, this one is worth paying close attention to. If your agent's marketing plan begins and ends with a Realtor.ca posting, many active buyers will never see your home. Buyers today discover listings across multiple platforms, and professional photography, cinematic video, and a deliberate social media distribution plan are standard practice for high-performing agents in 2026. An agent without a social presence is effectively invisible to a significant portion of the market.
Pressure, poor listening, and undisclosed conflicts
A skilled advisor slows down when you have doubts. If your agent speeds up, that's the wrong signal. Watch closely for dual agency situations, where one agent represents both buyer and seller, this arrangement deserves direct disclosure and careful scrutiny before you agree. If you feel rushed, ignored, or like your questions aren't welcome, trust that signal.
How do I know if my realtor is good? Start with their credentials
Using RECA ProCheck in Alberta
Verifying a licence takes five minutes and protects you from a risk most buyers and sellers never think to check. Visit RECA's ProCheck tool and search your agent by name or brokerage. Confirm their licence is active and in good standing, check their sector authorization, and look for any conditions or restrictions. If the status shows as suspended or cancelled, check RECA's Disciplinary Decisions page for context.
Checking credentials in other provinces
The equivalent tools across Canada follow the same approach. Ontario buyers and sellers use RECO's public registrant search, which includes enforcement activity from the past five years. In B.C., BCFSA's Find a Professional register shows conditions and recent discipline history. Quebec's OACIQ register indicates whether a broker's licence has been suspended, revoked, or made subject to restrictions. Wherever you are, verify active status, brokerage affiliation, and any publicly listed discipline history before you sign a buyer's agreement or listing contract.
REALTOR® vs. real estate agent: does the distinction matter?
In Canada, not every licensed real estate agent is a REALTOR®. The title REALTOR® is a registered trademark and applies only to agents who are active members of the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and bound by its Code of Ethics. In practical terms, most agents working through established brokerages hold REALTOR® membership, but it's worth confirming, since REALTOR® members are subject to an additional layer of professional conduct obligations beyond provincial licensing requirements alone.
What top-tier performance actually looks like
The numbers behind a verifiable track record
Derek Thistle of Derek Thistle, Real Broker is a useful benchmark for what the checklist looks like when every box is checked. He reports over 325 homes sold over 4.5 years and more than 100 verified five-star Google reviews, figures you can use as a reference point when evaluating any agent's track record. Readers are encouraged to verify specific claims directly through public records or the agent's brokerage reports. Consistent transaction numbers and verified client reviews reflect one thing: clients who got results and came back to refer their friends. Many Calgary agents close a fraction of that volume annually, making production numbers a useful, if imperfect, proxy for experience and market presence.
Marketing investment that creates real exposure
Derek Thistle, Real Broker reports that every listing includes 4K cinematic video production and active social media distribution. Compare that against the red flags in the previous section. If your current agent's marketing doesn't include professional video and distribution well beyond MLS, you're not getting equivalent reach. For buyers, Derek Thistle offers a buyer-focused service called Dream Home Detective, designed to provide early access to off-market listings before they appear on Realtor.ca, ask directly about how the service works and request examples or references to evaluate it for yourself.
What to do if your realtor isn't measuring up
Questions to ask before you decide to switch
Have the direct conversation first. A confident agent will answer these questions without hesitation:
How many transactions did you close in the past 12 months?
What is your sale-to-list price ratio compared to the Calgary market average?
What is the specific marketing plan for my property, including video and social reach?
An agent who becomes defensive or vague when you ask for their numbers is answering the question for you. A strong agent will have the data ready because they're proud of it.
How to exit a realtor agreement in Canada
Start by reviewing your agreement for the expiry date, termination clause, and any holdover provisions that could follow you after the agreement ends. Request a mutual release in writing, signed by both you and the brokerage, not just the individual agent. In most provinces, the agreement is with the brokerage, not the salesperson, so the managing broker or broker of record has authority to release you if the agent won't cooperate. Send all requests in writing, keep copies of everything, and if misconduct is involved, document your evidence and escalate to the provincial regulator.
Your next step starts with the right conversation
Knowing how do I know if my realtor is good comes down to four things: communication, market knowledge, negotiation results, and verified client outcomes. You now have a clear framework for evaluating all four, a credential-verification process built for Canada, and concrete benchmarks to measure any agent against.
If you're in the Calgary area and uncertain whether your current agent is the right fit, or you're starting your home search or sale from scratch, reach out to Derek Thistle, Real Broker for a no-obligation conversation. A straightforward discussion now is far less costly than discovering the gap after the deal is done.
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