Fees & value
Commissions and fees in Alberta are negotiated in writing between you and your brokerage. This guide explains how luxury representation is scoped and priced, how to compare proposals honestly, and how a seller net-sheet is actually built.
Real estate commissions and fees in Alberta are negotiable between the seller (or buyer) and the brokerage. They are not set by the Real Estate Council of Alberta, by CREB®, by Real Estate Partners at Real Broker, or by this website. Every listing agreement and buyer representation agreement records the specific fee arrangement in writing before work begins. If a brochure quotes a single 'standard' luxury rate as a fact, that brochure is wrong.
A luxury listing engagement may include: positioning research, evidence-led pricing with private-sale comparables, professional photography and videography, drone / cinematic work for estates and acreages, editorial copy and brochure, staging consultation, targeted paid social, Realtor.ca / MLS® syndication, brokerage and network distribution, agent-to-agent previews, private-buyer outreach, feedback capture, negotiation, transaction coordination and post-close continuity. On the buyer side it may include private and off-book search, property vetting, due-diligence support, offer strategy, negotiation, and coordination through firm and possession. The scope actually delivered — not the headline rate — is what defines value.
Ask each advisor for a written scope-of-service alongside their fee proposal. Compare: photography and video vendors named; brochure/print production included or extra; who is on the marketing team; how the buyer database is activated; how private-market and off-book channels are used; who negotiates; who attends inspections; how showings are staffed; what reporting the seller receives; and what happens if the property does not sell. Two proposals with the same headline rate can deliver very different work.
Selling or buying luxury property in Calgary usually involves costs outside the commission line: GST on new-build or substantially-renovated properties; legal fees and disbursements; property survey / RPR with municipal compliance; mortgage discharge, appraisal or lender fees; title insurance; home / property inspection, well and septic testing on acreages; staging and preparation; moving and storage; and, in some communities, HOA or condominium document review. Actual amounts vary widely by property and vendor; this page does not publish a price list, because a fabricated price list is worse than none.
Before a listing is signed, Dusko prepares a seller net-sheet: an evidence-based price range or single anchor, minus estimated commission on that number, minus your legal, mortgage discharge and any remaining property-specific costs, minus GST where applicable, to a projected net-to-seller range. The net sheet is the honest number — not the ask, not the sold price in isolation. It is revisited when a real offer arrives so the decision is made on net, not headline.
In Alberta, buyer representation is documented in a written agreement that defines scope, term and how the buyer's advisor is paid — typically from the seller's listing offer of cooperating compensation, with any shortfall addressed in the agreement. Luxury buyers should read this document carefully; ask how it interacts with private / off-book properties, new-build purchases, and out-of-province referrals.
Dusko discloses any referral relationship, prior client relationship or dual-agency exposure in writing before work begins. Cross-provincial introductions through the PRPTY network are documented in the site-wide referral disclosure. If a fee arrangement or relationship might reasonably affect the advice you receive, it is disclosed — not buried.
A discounted fee that removes photography, video, brochure, private outreach and negotiation depth can quietly cost more than it saves — through a longer time on market, a weaker offer position, or a sale price the property should not have accepted. The right question is not 'what is the lowest rate?' but 'what net proceeds does each scope realistically produce, and what risk does each carry?'
Book a private consultation with two or three luxury advisors. Ask each for a written scope, a written fee proposal, and a written net-sheet built on the same evidence set. Compare on those documents — not on a headline number or a glossy pitch deck. If any advisor refuses to put scope and net in writing, that is a signal in itself.
Request a private luxury valuation · Listing marketing plan · Selling a luxury home in Calgary · Representation methodology · Referral disclosure · Terms
Reviewed: 2026-07-29. Fees and costs referenced here are illustrative categories, not price quotes. Your written listing or buyer representation agreement is the controlling document.
Talk fees against your specific property