Why Your Choice of Realtor Could Cost (or Save) You Thousands
Here’s a statistic that should stop every homebuyer and seller in their tracks: over half of all licensed real estate agents in the Greater Toronto Area didn’t close a single deal in 2025.
You read that correctly. According to the latest data from the Toronto Regional Real
Estate Board (TRREB), 52.7% of agents—that’s 36,974 people—completed zero transactions. And when you add in agents who only managed 1 to 4 deals? You’re looking at nearly 90% of all licensed realtors.
Let that sink in. In an industry where experience, market knowledge, and negotiation
skills directly translate to dollars in your pocket, the vast majority of agents are barely
practicing their craft.
The Numbers Tell a Stark Story
As of November 2025, TRREB reported 70,109 licensed agents operating in the Greater Toronto Area. Here’s how their performance breaks down:
- Zero deals: 36,974 agents (52.7%)
- 1–4 deals: 25,625 agents (36.6%)
- 5–9 deals: 5,170 agents (7.4%)
- 10–19 deals: 1,771 agents (2.5%)
- 20–29 deals: 328 agents (0.5%)
- 30–49 deals: 145 agents (0.2%)
- 50–99 deals: 64 agents (0.1%)
- 100–300 deals: 32 agents (0.05%)
Only 3.35% of agents completed 10 or more transactions—the baseline many industry professionals consider necessary to maintain sharp, current market expertise. The elite performers, those handling 20+ deals annually, represent less than 1% of all licensed realtors.
Why This Matters to Your Wallet
Real estate isn’t like buying groceries. We’re talking about transactions involving hundreds of thousands—often millions—of dollars. The difference between an experienced negotiator and someone learning on the job can easily translate to tens of thousands of dollars.
Consider this: An agent who regularly closes 20+ deals per year has seen virtually every scenario. They know when a seller is bluffing. They recognize the subtle signs that a property has been sitting too long. They understand which inspection findings are dealbreakers and which are negotiating leverage. They have relationships with lenders, inspectors, and lawyers that streamline the process.
Now contrast that with an agent completing their second or third deal of the year. They may have great intentions, but intentions don’t negotiate price reductions. Intentions don’t spot red flags in disclosure documents. Intentions don’t know how to structure an offer that wins in a competitive situation without leaving money on the table.
The Real Dollar Difference
Let’s make this concrete. On an $800,000 home purchase—roughly the current average in the GTA—here’s what experience can mean:
Negotiation on purchase price: A skilled negotiator who secures even a 2% better price saves you $16,000. Inexperienced agents often advise clients to “come in strong” without understanding when and how to push back.
Inspection negotiations: Knowing which findings warrant credit requests—and how to present them—can easily mean $5,000 to $15,000 in repairs or credits. Avoiding bad deals: Perhaps most importantly, experienced agents know when to walk away. They recognize overpriced listings, problematic properties, and deals that will become headaches. The deal you don’t make can sometimes save you the most.
For sellers, the equation is equally stark. Pricing strategy, staging advice, marketing expertise, and negotiation skills directly impact your final sale price and time on market. An experienced listing agent often more than earns their commission through strategic positioning alone.
How to Find the Right Agent
The data is clear: most agents lack the transaction volume to maintain peak performance. So how do you find someone in that top tier? Ask direct questions:
How many transactions did you personally close last year? Look for 10 or more. Be wary if they cite “team” numbers without their personal contribution.
What’s your average days on market versus the area average? For sellers, this reveals pricing and marketing effectiveness.
Can you walk me through your last negotiation? Listen for specific tactics and outcomes, not vague generalities.
What percentage of your business is repeat clients or referrals? High referral rates indicate satisfied past clients.
The Bottom Line
The barrier to becoming a real estate agent in Ontario is relatively low, which explains why we have 70,000+ licensed agents in the GTA alone. But licensure doesn’t equal competence, and competence doesn’t equal expertise.
When you’re making the biggest financial decision of your life, you deserve someone who does this work day in and day out. Someone who’s seen the pitfalls and knows how to avoid them. Someone whose negotiation skills have been honed across dozens of transactions, not two or three.
The data from TRREB is eye-opening, but it’s also empowering. Armed with this knowledge, you can ask the right questions and make an informed choice. Because in a market where over half the agents didn’t close a single deal last year, your choice of representation isn’t just important—it’s everything.
Ready to work with an agent who knows the market inside and out? Do your research, ask the tough questions, and choose someone whose track record speaks for itself. Your future self—and your bank account—will thank you.
