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Choosing a Realtor
How to Choose a REALTOR® in Kitchener-Waterloo (Even If It Isn't Me)
By Stephanie Catcher, REALTOR® with RE/MAX Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd. Selling in Kitchener-Waterloo since 2008. Updated September 2026.
There are thousands of licensed real estate agents in Waterloo Region, and most of the advice about choosing one is written by agents trying to be chosen. This page is a little different. I'm going to tell you exactly how I'd pick an agent if I were moving here tomorrow and couldn't use myself: what to verify, what to ask, what should make you walk away, and how to compare two good ones. At the end I'll tell you how I measure up against my own list, and you can decide. If you use this to hire someone else who serves you well, this page did its job.
First, check that they're actually registered
Every real estate agent in Ontario must be registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), the provincial regulator, which oversees more than 110,000 agents and brokerages. Before you sign anything, look the person up on RECO's public register. It takes thirty seconds and shows you their registration status and expiry, their registration number, and any charges, convictions or discipline decisions in the past five years. A clean record isn't proof of a great agent, but a missing registration or a discipline history is a reason to stop right there. While you're at it, notice whether they're a salesperson or a broker (both can help you; a broker has passed additional courses) and how long they've been registered.
Understand what you're signing: client or self-represented
Since December 2023, Ontario's rules (the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, or TRESA) give you two choices. You can become a client of a brokerage by signing a representation agreement, which means the agent owes you their full loyalty, advice and confidentiality. Or you can be a self-represented party, which means no agent works for you, and anything you tell the other side's agent goes straight to their client. RECO itself says very few people choose the second path, and I'd agree.
Two things every good agent will do before you sign, because the law requires it: hand you the RECO Information Guide (a plain-language explanation of your rights) and walk you through it, and put the representation agreement in writing with the expiry date on the first page. Read the agreement for three things: how long it lasts, what happens if you want to end it early, and whether there's a “holdover” period after it expires. If an agent rushes you past any of that, that tells you how the rest of the relationship will go.
The seven things that actually matter
They know your neighbourhood, not just the city. Kitchener-Waterloo is a region of very different pockets. An agent who can tell you why a semi in Forest Heights and a semi in Stanley Park sell differently, or which Uptown condo buildings have healthy reserve funds, is worth more than one with a bigger ad budget. Ask them about the specific streets you're considering and listen for detail.
They have recent, local sales, and they'll show you. Not a career total, but what they've bought and sold in the last twelve months in Waterloo Region. RECO's advertising rules require agents to back up any claims they make about volume or rankings with verifiable facts, so you're entitled to ask.
Their reviews say something specific. A hundred five-star reviews that all say “great agent!” tell you less than twenty that describe what happened: the inspection that saved a deal, the offer strategy that won a bidding war, the call returned at 9 p.m. Read them on Google, on Rate-My-Agent and on Realtor.ca, because each site attracts different clients.
They tell you things you don't want to hear. In the first meeting, a good agent will talk you out of something: an overpriced listing, a house with a wet basement, a neighbourhood that doesn't fit your commute. If everything you say is met with enthusiasm, be careful.
They explain how they get paid, clearly and early. For sellers, commission in Kitchener-Waterloo typically totals 4% to 6% of the sale price plus HST, split between the two brokerages, and it's negotiable. For buyers, your agent's share is usually paid from that at closing, and your representation agreement spells out what happens if it isn't. Any hesitation on this question is a red flag.
They have a team of trusted professionals. Lawyers, inspectors, mortgage brokers, movers, contractors: an experienced local agent has a bench they've tested on real deals, and they'll share names without being asked twice.
You actually like talking to them. You'll spend weeks in the car together. Chemistry matters, and it's allowed to be a deciding factor.
Questions to ask before you hire a real estate agent
Bring this list to your first meeting. You're looking for direct answers, not brochures.
How long have you been registered with RECO, and how long have you worked in Kitchener-Waterloo specifically?
How many homes did you help buy or sell in Waterloo Region in the past twelve months? Where were they?
Will I be working with you directly, or with someone else on your team?
Which neighbourhoods would you steer me toward for my budget and commute, and which would you steer me away from?
For sellers: what do you think my home would sell for, and what are the three comparable sales that number is based on?
For sellers: what exactly does your marketing include (photography, video, floor plans, staging advice, where the listing appears)?
For buyers: how do you handle a multiple-offer situation, and when would you tell me to walk away?
How do you get paid, and what does my representation agreement say about ending it early?
How quickly do you return calls and texts, and who covers for you when you're away?
Can I talk to two or three of your recent clients?
Red flags worth walking away from
They can't be found on RECO's register, or they show discipline history and can't explain it.
They quote your home's value without looking at it or at comparable sales.
They promise a price, a sale date or a “guaranteed sold” outcome.
They make ranking claims (“#1 agent”, “top producer”) without saying who measured it, when, and how.
They won't give you the RECO Information Guide, or they push you to sign a representation agreement on the spot.
They discourage a home inspection or a financing condition in a market where you can have one.
Your first meeting is with them, but every call afterward is with an assistant you've never met.
How to compare two agents you like
Once you've verified both and asked the questions above, the comparison usually comes down to three things. First, specificity: which one gave you more concrete, local answers? Second, honesty: which one told you something you didn't want to hear? Third, fit: which one would you rather call with a problem at 8 p.m. on a Sunday? Price of service matters, but a slightly lower commission on a home that sells for less, or a slightly cheaper buyer's agent who lets you overpay, is the most expensive discount you'll ever take.
How I measure up against this list
You've read the criteria, so here's my honest report card against them.
Registration. I'm a registered Sales Representative with RECO, with RE/MAX Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd. in Waterloo. Look me up under Stephanie Catcher on RECO's register; my record is clean.
Local knowledge. I've lived in Kitchener since 2000 and have sold homes across Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and the townships since 2008. I've written my own guide to every community I work in, from Kitchener and Waterloo to Elmira, New Hamburg and St. Jacobs, and I publish honest guides for first-time buyers, families relocating here, and sellers and downsizers.
Reviews. You can read what past clients say on Google and on my testimonials page. They're specific, because the people who wrote them were.
Honesty. I've talked plenty of clients out of homes, out of prices, and occasionally out of moving at all. Ask any of them.
How I get paid. I'll walk you through it in the first ten minutes, in writing, with no surprises. Sellers get a net-proceeds sheet before they list.
The bench. My Trusted Partners page lists the lawyers, inspectors, mortgage brokers and movers I've worked with on real deals.
Who you'll work with. Me. When you call, I answer. When you're in the car, it's me driving.
After closing. Past clients get invited to client appreciation events every year, because I'd like to still know you in ten years.
You can also read the full versions on why buyers choose the Catcher Team and why sellers choose the Catcher Team.