Read the ratio alongside two other figures or it will mislead you. An agent who lists everything below market gets a flattering ratio and leaves money behind. An agent quoting 100 percent on four sales has a sample, not a track record. Ask for the number of transactions behind the ratio, the average days on market, and how many listings expired or were reduced before selling.
Price reductions are the tell. A home listed high, reduced twice and finally sold can still show a respectable ratio against its last asking price, which is why you want the ratio measured against the original list price. The first two or three weeks are when a Saskatoon listing gets most of its serious buyer attention, and an overpriced start spends that attention for nothing.
The number that actually protects you is the valuation underneath the list price. Online estimates and public records cannot see a renovation done without a permit, so a price built on data alone starts wrong no matter whose ratio you are reading. Joel Dyck's hand-reviewed valuation shows the comparables and the adjustments so you can judge the reasoning, not just the outcome.