Every licensed agent in Ontario can legally help you buy a condo. That doesn't mean every agent has the knowledge to do it well. Condo transactions involve legal structures, financial instruments, and building-level knowledge that don't come up in freehold sales. A specialist who does condo deals weekly will recognize problems that a generalist might miss entirely.

The questions below are designed to surface real expertise rather than polished sales responses. Ask them in a first meeting. Listen for specific answers — building names, developer names, project names, exact transaction counts. Vague answers that sound confident but lack specifics usually mean the agent is improvising.

Transaction Volume

Start here. The number of condo-specific transactions an agent has closed tells you more about their expertise than any designation, award, or years in real estate. Agents who sell a mix of freehold, commercial, and condo are generalists regardless of their total career volume.

How many condo transactions have you closed in the past 12 months? The past 3 years? What percentage of your business is condo-specific?
Why it matters: An agent with 8 condo closings in 3 years is not a specialist. An agent with 40 condo closings in the past year has pattern recognition you can't substitute with good intentions.
What buildings in the area I'm looking at have you sold in recently?
Why it matters: Building-specific knowledge is what separates condo specialists from anyone else. An agent who can tell you about a specific building's management reputation, reserve fund status, or resale dynamics has earned that knowledge through transactions. An agent who gives you neighbourhood generalities hasn't.

Pre-Construction Experience (if relevant)

If you're considering a pre-construction purchase, ask these specifically. Pre-con involves a different set of risks and skills than resale, and most agents are not equipped to advise on it adequately.

Which pre-construction projects have you sold in the past three years? Do you have VIP access to the projects I'm looking at?
Why it matters: VIP access means the agent has a relationship with the developer's sales team and can offer clients early floor plan selection and potentially better pricing before public launch. Agents who claim VIP access without being able to name specific projects are bluffing.
How do you evaluate a developer's track record before recommending their project to a client?
Why it matters: A good answer involves specifics — occupancy timelines on previous projects, first-year budget accuracy, construction quality feedback from owners in their completed buildings. A bad answer is "I look at their reputation" without any specifics behind it.
How does the occupancy period work, and what should I expect to pay in occupancy fees on the project I'm considering?
Why it matters: Occupancy fees are one of the most misunderstood parts of pre-construction buying. An agent who can explain them clearly and give you a real estimate based on the project's specifics has done this before. An agent who's fuzzy on the details hasn't.

Assignment Expertise (if relevant)

How many assignment sales have you closed, either as the buyer's agent or the seller's agent?
Why it matters: Assignment sales are a niche transaction type. Agents who've closed ten or more have a working understanding of the clause language, the tax implications for sellers, and how to execute the transaction. Agents who've done one or two are learning on your deal.
If I want to keep my assignment option open, what clause language should I ask for at the time of my pre-construction purchase?
Why it matters: The assignment right must be negotiated before you sign the purchase agreement. After you've signed, you're limited by whatever clause language was included. A specialist knows this and can advise you on what to push for at the purchase stage. A generalist may not even know the clause should be negotiated then.

Building Knowledge

Have you sold in the buildings I'm looking at? What do you know about their management and reserve fund health?
Why it matters: A specialist who's sold multiple units in a building you're considering has been through its status certificate, talked to the management, and has a sense of how the building is run. This isn't something you can research in a week — it comes from transaction volume.
Are there buildings in this area you'd steer clients away from? Why?
Why it matters: An agent willing to tell you which buildings have problems has the knowledge and confidence to give you honest advice. An agent who says "they're all great" doesn't know the buildings well enough or is more interested in closing a transaction than advising you well.

How Representation Works

In Ontario, buyer's agents are typically compensated through the seller's co-op commission, which means the buyer doesn't pay the agent directly in most resale transactions. In pre-construction, the developer pays the agent's commission. Understanding this structure is important — your agent's incentives are shaped by how they're paid, and transparency about that relationship is a good sign. Before signing with any agent, verify any agent's licence on RECO to confirm they're registered and have no discipline history. For building-level research before you engage, CondosReview.com has building-level data on reserve funds, maintenance fees, and red flags.

A buyer representation agreement (BRA) commits you to working exclusively with that agent for a specified period. Before signing, confirm the scope, the term, and the termination conditions. A confident specialist will offer a reasonable term. An agent who pressures you into a long-term exclusive agreement before demonstrating their expertise is not starting the relationship the right way.