Updated October 2026.
Choosing a REALTOR® is the first real decision in a sale or purchase, and it shapes every decision after it: the price, the marketing, the offer, the negotiation and the dates. Kelowna has hundreds of licensed agents, and most of them will tell you they know the market. These are the questions that separate the right one for you from the rest, and how to check the answers.
1. Are you licensed in BC, and with which brokerage?
Every real estate licensee in British Columbia is licensed by the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA), and every licensee works for a brokerage. You can confirm a licence, its status and any discipline history on the BCFSA Find a Professional search. Only members of the Canadian Real Estate Association can call themselves REALTORS®.
2. How well do you know my neighbourhood?
Kelowna’s areas behave very differently. A hillside home in Wilden, an acreage in South East Kelowna and a condo downtown attract different buyers and sell at different speeds. Ask which recent sales near you the agent would use to price your home, and why.
3. How will you price my home, or my offer?
A good answer starts with recent comparable sales and the competing listings, not with the number you want to hear. An agent who suggests a price far above the comparable sales to win the listing can cost you months on the market. For buyers, ask how the agent decides what to offer and how they read a seller’s situation.
4. What exactly is in your marketing plan?
Every agent lists on the MLS® System. Ask what else is included: professional photography, video, floor plans, virtual tours, open houses and how the listing reaches out-of-town buyers. Ask to see a recent listing. You can see what I include on my how I market your home page.
5. Who will I actually be dealing with?
Some agents work alone, some lead teams where an assistant or a junior agent handles showings and calls. Neither is wrong, but you should know who answers your calls, who shows the home and who negotiates the offers.
6. How and how often will you communicate?
Ask how quickly the agent usually responds, how you will hear about showings and feedback, and how offers will be presented to you. Slow communication is one of the most common complaints in agent reviews.
7. What do your past clients say?
Read reviews on Google and on review sites such as Rate-My-Agent and RankMyAgent, and look at the detail, not just the stars. Reviews that describe a specific problem the agent solved tell you more than a page of five-star ratings. My reviews are on Google.
8. What will it cost, and what am I signing?
Commission in BC is negotiable; there is no standard rate. Before you sign a listing agreement, read the commission, the length of the agreement, how it can be ended and what happens if you sell to someone the agent introduced after it ends. For buyers, the seller usually pays the commission that is shared with the buyer’s agent, but confirm that in writing.
9. Can you represent both me and the other side?
In BC, a licensee generally cannot represent both the buyer and the seller in the same deal. BCFSA rules require your agent to give you a Disclosure of Representation in Trading Services form explaining who they represent before they provide services. If you are dealing directly with the seller’s agent, you are an unrepresented party, and that agent cannot advise you.
10. Why should I choose you?
Listen for specifics: the neighbourhoods they work in, the kinds of homes they sell, how they handled a difficult deal. A clear, honest answer is a good sign. A long list of awards with no detail is not.
Where I fit
I am a licensed REALTOR® with Engel & Völkers Okanagan, BCFSA licence RE605455, based at 1429 Ellis Street in downtown Kelowna. I work with buyers and sellers across Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country, including first-time buyers and people moving to Kelowna. You can read more about me, or call 250-863-7700 and ask me these ten questions yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check that a realtor is licensed in BC?
Search the agent’s name on the BC Financial Services Authority Find a Professional search at bcfsa.ca. It shows the licence category and status, the brokerage and recent discipline history.
Can one realtor represent both the buyer and the seller in BC?
Generally no. Dual agency has been prohibited in BC since 2018, except in rare circumstances. If you deal directly with the seller’s agent, you are an unrepresented party and that agent cannot advise you.
How much commission do Kelowna realtors charge?
Commission in BC is negotiable and there is no standard rate. The amount and how it is shared with the buyer’s agent are set out in the listing agreement, so read it before you sign.
What should I ask a realtor before hiring them?
Ask about their licence and brokerage, their knowledge of your neighbourhood, how they would price the home, what their marketing includes, who you will deal with, how they communicate, what past clients say, the cost and contract terms, and who they represent.
Sources
Categorised in: Insights, Kelowna Real Estate
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