Updated September 2026
It is a fair question. You want the best shot at the right home, and more agents can feel like more eyes on the market. In Ontario you can talk to as many agents as you like before you choose one. What changes things is the agreement you sign, so here is how it works under Ontario's rules.
Interviewing several agents is fine
Before you commit, talk to more than one agent. Ask how they would approach your search, how they keep in touch and what their buyer agreement looks like. Check that each one is registered on the RECO public register, which shows their registration status, their brokerage and any enforcement history from the past five years.
Once you are a client, it goes in writing
Since Ontario's Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA) rules took effect on December 1, 2023, a brokerage that agrees to represent you as a buyer has to put that agreement in writing as soon as possible and before you make an offer. According to RECO, the written agreement has to show its expiry date prominently on the first page, explain how the brokerage's commission will be worked out, and describe the services you will receive.
Why the agreement's scope matters
A buyer agreement covers a set period, and usually a geographic area or type of property. It can also be as narrow as a single home. If you sign with one brokerage and then buy a home within that scope through another brokerage, you may still owe the first brokerage its commission, and you could end up owing commission under both agreements. That is the real risk of working with several agents at once.
Watch for the holdover clause too. It can make you responsible for commission after the agreement expires if you buy a home you were introduced to while it was in effect.
To keep your options open:
Negotiate the scope. Ask for a shorter term, a specific area such as Newmarket and Aurora, or a single property.
Ask how it ends. RECO recommends reviewing every circumstance in which the agreement can be terminated and any costs that apply.
Ask how commission works. Commission is negotiable. It is not set by RECO, the government or any real estate association. Your agreement should also say what happens if the seller's side doesn't cover what you agreed to pay.
Other ways to work with a brokerage
Brokerage or designated representation. With brokerage representation, every agent at the brokerage represents you. With designated representation, one named agent does.
Multiple representation. If your brokerage also represents the seller, it needs your informed written consent to continue. You don't have to agree.
Buying on your own. You can buy without an agent. The seller's agent can't advise you; they can only help in ways that serve their own client.
Why one good agent usually beats several
New listings reach every agent at the same time through the MLS, so more agents doesn't mean more homes. What one agent gives you is continuity: they know what you have already seen and rejected, what you can afford and how you want to handle a bidding situation. When offers are competing, one person coordinating your strategy avoids mixed messages and missed deadlines.
How we work with buyers
Our team of more than 30 agents covers York Region, Simcoe County and Durham, and we are available seven days a week. Before you sign anything, we walk you through our buyer agreement and set its scope around your search. Browse our community guides to start narrowing down where you want to live, or call us at (905) 830-9111.
