Choose an Edmonton realtor the way you would hire anyone for a six-figure job: verified reviews from real clients, a pricing method built on sold data you can inspect, and clear answers about how they will handle your specific property type and timeline. Years claimed and ads seen are not evidence. In a balanced market — 44 average days on market and inventory up 16.7% year over year in September 2026 (REALTORS® Association of Edmonton) — the agent's pricing and negotiation process matters more than their promises.

What should you check before the first meeting?

Read the reviews, and read them properly: volume matters, but so do specifics. Reviews that name the situation — a first purchase, an estate sale, a downsizing move — tell you whether the agent has done your kind of transaction. Check that the brokerage and licence details match the agent's current information, and look for a local focus: Edmonton neighbourhoods, property types and price bands like yours. My own practice is built around exactly that proof — reviews, sold-data pricing, and combined real estate and mortgage advice under one roof.

Which questions separate a plan from a pitch?

Ask: Which three sold homes would you price my home against, and why? What happens if we get no offers in two weeks — what changes, in what order? How will you handle my condo documents, my estate paperwork, or my tenant showings? For buyers: How fast will I see new listings, and will you talk me out of a bad home as readily as into a good one? The answers should be specific, written, and calm. My explainer on what a home evaluation includes shows the standard a pricing answer should meet.

Why does a realtor who is also a mortgage broker help?

Because most Edmonton deals fail or stall on financing, not on finding a home. When your realtor can also read the mortgage side — pre-approval strength, condition timing, renewal or penalty effects on your sale — the advice joins up. I hold both licences, so a buyer hears one consistent answer on price and payment, and a seller hears the full net picture including any mortgage penalty before listing.

"His negotiation skills secured the best deal, and he made the whole process stress-free. I'm now happily settled in my dream home." — Shahab Ghorbani, Google review

What is the right next step?

Interview briefly, decide on evidence, and start with data: sellers, request a free home evaluation; buyers, search Edmonton homes and register for new-listing alerts and test how quickly you hear back. Responsiveness before you sign predicts responsiveness after.

Choosing who will handle your move? Call 780-720-8240 — I will try to call you this week, or reply with a good time and we will set a phone appointment. Ask me the hard pricing questions directly.

By Travis Bannert, Realtor and Mortgage Broker

Travis Bannert, Realtor® | Bridge Realty Group, Maxwell Progressive Realty | 780-720-8240 | bridgerealtygroup.ca

Photo via Wikimedia Commons.