Joel DyckReal Broker SK Ltd.
Saskatoon · From the topic map

An agent recommended I fix things before listing. How do I tell a real recommendation from an upsell?

A real recommendation ties directly to how buyers or a home inspection will read the house, not to who the agent happens to know. Ask for the specific reason, such as an item a $400 to $600 home inspection commonly flags, rather than a general sense that something looks dated.

A genuine fix is usually cheap relative to its effect: patching drywall, clearing clutter, fixing a running toilet or replacing a burnt-out bulb. These change how a buyer reads the house without changing what an appraiser measures, and the Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission expects an agent to be able to explain the reasoning behind any recommendation.

An upsell tends to point toward a specific contractor the agent keeps recommending, with no clear tie to a defect, and vague language like it will just show better. Ask what happens to the house's value or timeline if you skip it, and get a second opinion if the answer is unclear.

The test is simple: a real recommendation survives you asking why in plain terms, and an upsell usually does not. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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