Choosing the right agent is one of the highest-leverage decisions you'll make when buying or selling — it affects your price, your stress level, and whether the deal closes cleanly. Yet most people pick based on a yard sign or a friend's cousin. Here's how to choose a real estate agent in London Ontario the smart way, including the questions I'd ask if I were hiring one myself.

Eric Cassidy

London Ontario Real Estate Agent, Cassidy & Co.

July 2026 8 min read

Start with the non-negotiable: registration

Before anything else, confirm the agent and their brokerage are registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO). Every practising agent in Ontario must be — it's the legal baseline, and RECO's public registrant search lets you verify it and check for any disciplinary history in a couple of minutes. It's a small step that screens out the rare bad actor before you sign a thing.

Under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA), agents are also required to put your representation arrangement in writing and disclose how they're compensated. A good agent welcomes that conversation. If someone is vague about fees or reluctant to explain the paperwork, treat it as a signal.

Local experience beats a big name

Real estate is hyper-local. An agent who genuinely knows London — the difference between Old North and Old South, why a Byron home and a Hyde Park home of the same size can price differently, what's happening with development in Kilworth — brings insight that no national brand can manufacture. Ask how long they've worked specifically in the London and St. Thomas market, not just how long they've held a licence.

This matters most at pricing time. For sellers, an agent who understands London micro-markets will price your home to the current data instead of guessing — and in a buyer's market, pricing precision is the whole game. For buyers, that same knowledge tells you whether a listing is fair, overpriced, or a genuine opportunity. You can see how I think about this in our guides on selling your home in London and buying a home in London.

Know who will actually handle your file

This is the question most buyers and sellers forget to ask, and it's one of the most important. On some large teams, the experienced name on the billboard wins your business, then your day-to-day work is handed to a junior team member you've never met. That isn't always bad — big teams offer volume and availability — but you deserve to know upfront.

Ask plainly: "Who will I be working with at each stage — showings, offers, negotiation, closing?" A smaller, focused team often means you deal directly with an experienced agent the whole way through. There's no universally right answer, but there is a right answer for you, and it depends on how much personal attention your situation needs.

The questions worth asking before you hire

A short interview tells you more than any review. I'd genuinely encourage you to talk to more than one agent — a good one won't be threatened by it. Here's what to ask.

Trust your read on the person

All the credentials in the world don't help if you don't trust the person's judgment or feel talked over. You'll be making big decisions together, sometimes under time pressure. The right agent gives you honest information — including things you may not want to hear, like a lower realistic price or a flaw in a home you love — rather than just telling you what's easiest. Prioritizing honesty over agreeableness is, in my experience, the single best predictor of a good outcome. If you'd like to see how past clients describe working with our team, our reviews page is a good place to start.

Understand commission — and what you're actually paying for

In Ontario, real estate commission is fully negotiable — there is no fixed or standard rate, and any agent who implies otherwise isn't being straight with you. Under TRESA, your representation agreement must spell out the commission and the services it covers in writing before you commit. The useful question isn't simply "what's your rate?" but "what do I get for it?" A lower fee attached to thin service can cost you far more than it saves if it leads to a weaker sale price or a missed issue on a purchase.

What you're paying for is judgment, negotiation, marketing reach, and risk management on a six-figure-plus transaction. Ask any agent to walk you through exactly how their fee is structured, what the listing or buyer service includes, and how they're paid if a deal doesn't close. Clear answers signal a professional who respects your money; vague or defensive ones are a flag. Value isn't the cheapest number — it's the net result in your pocket and the problems avoided along the way.

What should I look for when choosing a real estate agent in London Ontario?

Look for four things: current RECO registration, genuine London-specific experience, clarity on who personally handles your file and how they communicate, and verifiable recent results. Interview at least one or two agents, ask the questions above, watch for over-promising, and choose the person whose honesty and approach you trust most. The lowest commission or the biggest name isn't the goal — the best fit for your specific buy or sale is. Get those right and you've removed most of the risk from the biggest financial decision most people make.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eric Cassidy

London Ontario Real Estate Agent — Cassidy & Co.

Eric runs a focused, two-person team in London Ontario where clients work directly with him through every stage of a deal. He'd rather give you honest guidance than win your business with promises he can't keep. Learn more about Eric and the team.