What should a buyer consultation cover?
A useful buyer consultation covers the reason for moving, the buying priorities, financing readiness, the purchase process, representation and fees, and the next agreed actions. The output is a workable search plan, not simply a longer list of features.
For a Canadian agent, the conversation also needs local context: the province, the brokerage’s current disclosure and agreement process, and the terms the buyer will hear. “Subjects” is common language in BC; “conditions” is common elsewhere. The actual contract and local requirements matter more than a label.
This checklist is an original TrueTakeHome meeting framework. It is not a regulator’s required agenda or a substitute for brokerage forms. The Canadian Buyer Consultation & Presentation Kit provides editable documents for the same workflow.
Before the meeting: get enough information to listen well
Send a short questionnaire rather than asking the buyer to arrive with every financial record. Ask about timing, contact preferences, existing representation, lender progress, approximate down payment source, preferred areas and property types. Let “not sure” be a valid answer.
Read the answers and mark three things to clarify. A fixed move date, an uncertain source of cash and two buyers with different location priorities need different follow-up questions. Ask who is involved in the decision and whether there are language, access or communication needs.
Keep identity documents, account statements and sensitive financing records out of a shared consultation worksheet. The lender should confirm its own secure document process. Record the status and next action rather than copying private records into every working file.
Use a 55-minute agenda with room for questions
| Minutes | Conversation | Useful outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 | Introductions and purpose | Agree on communication and the meeting goal. |
| 5–20 | Needs discovery | Rank essentials, preferences and trade-offs. |
| 20–30 | Financing reality check | Record what the lender still needs to confirm. |
| 30–40 | Buying process | Explain decisions, responsibilities and written deadlines. |
| 40–50 | Services, fees and representation | Review the actual proposed arrangement and questions. |
| 50–55 | Next steps | Give each action an owner and a follow-up date. |
To fit 45 minutes, trim the general recap and some discovery time. To allow an hour, add question time. Complete required disclosures at the appropriate stage; the suggested agenda does not postpone them until the fee discussion.
Discover the reason behind the search
“Three bedrooms” is a criterion. “We need a work area with daylight and less time commuting” describes a problem the search should solve. Ask what would change about an ordinary weekday if the move worked well. Let each buyer answer.
FICTIONAL BUYER EXAMPLE
Alex and Casey want more usable space without increasing commute stress. Three usable bedrooms, a daylight work area and practical transit access are essentials. They would accept a smaller yard to keep the commute manageable.
Rank must-haves separately from nice-to-haves and write deal-breakers in observable language. “No expensive surprises” is hard to screen. “No unresolved structural concern before we decide to proceed” identifies a question for professional review without pretending the agent can guarantee condition.
Use the same criteria when comparing neighbourhoods. Scores describe the buyer’s preferences; they are not market evidence or guarantees about schools. Buyers should confirm school eligibility and their actual commute directly.
Separate the lender limit from monthly comfort
Ask what the lender has actually reviewed, which documents or conditions remain, and when the financing indication and any rate hold expire. Confirm whether a quoted number is a mortgage amount or a purchase-price estimate. Those are not interchangeable.
Then work through the carrying cost: mortgage payment, property tax, insurance, condo or strata fees where applicable, utilities, maintenance and other recurring commitments. Keep closing cash and a reserve separate. Our financing-readiness guide includes a complete fictional monthly-cost example.
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada explains that preapproval does not guarantee final mortgage approval. Refer outstanding financing questions to the buyer’s lender or broker before treating the search ceiling as settled.
Explain the work, then the written arrangement
Describe the actual services you propose: shortlist review, listing questions, appointments, comparable evidence, negotiation, condition tracking and closing coordination. Set a realistic communication commitment. Avoid promising a result you cannot control.
Explain how the proposed fee is calculated, how applicable tax and any seller contribution are treated, and what the buyer could owe under the agreement. Fees are negotiable. Review the current brokerage form and give the buyer time to ask questions; the consultation worksheet is not that agreement.
Requirements differ across Canada. Use the buyer-representation conversation guide to prepare the explanation and consult the Ontario regulator’s agreement guidance for Ontario-specific requirements.
Close with a decision record and a useful recap
Before ending, ask each buyer to repeat the plan in their own words. Record the agreed search area, price ceiling still subject to any lender confirmation, property priorities, viewing availability and contact rhythm. Give each outstanding question an owner and a date.
Send a short recap with the relevant handouts. Separate what is decided from what remains open. If the buyer needs more time, record that rather than treating an unsigned form as a commitment.
Once an offer is accepted, move to a different workflow: verified dates, task owners and transaction updates. If the search pauses, use an agreed timing check instead of sending an unrelated stream of listings.
General information only. Verify current requirements, forms and professional advice for the province and transaction. Reviewed October 18, 2026.