Why Don’t We Talk About Contracts?
When people think about real estate, they picture beautiful homes, open houses, and sold signs. But behind the scenes, beyond the polished marketing and successful transactions, lies one of the most critical and overlooked aspects of real estate:
contracts.
Hi, I’m Tom Albrecht with The A-Team at RE/MAX First in Calgary. And today, I want to talk about something we almost never talk about on social media, in listing presentations, or during buyer consultations. And that’s contracts.
🎥 Watch the Full Video:
Maybe it’s because they’re not flashy. Contracts aren’t glamorous, and let’s face it, they sound boring. But here’s the truth:
they are the backbone of every real estate transaction.
Whether you’re buying or selling, contracts are what protect your expectations, your timelines, and sometimes your wallet. It’s our job as REALTORS® to ensure that the contracts we help our clients sign are enforceable, avoidable (in the right circumstances), and ultimately completed as intended.
From Fort McMurray to Calgary: A Different Legal Landscape
When Breanna and I worked in Fort McMurray, things were a bit different. It was a smaller market where transactions often relied more on trust and long-standing relationships. People knew their REALTORS®, and even the lawyers were part of a close-knit professional community. The environment wasn’t nearly as litigious.
But Calgary is a whole different ball game.
This is a major city with a highly active real estate market and, naturally, a greater need for precision and legal clarity. Mistakes or oversights in contracts here can lead to serious consequences.
Why Working with RE/MAX First Helps
We’ve been operating here in Calgary for the past five years with RE/MAX First, one of the largest and most successful real estate brokerages in the world.
One of the most valuable aspects of being part of this brokerage is our weekly training and collaborative learning sessions. The owners and managers encourage us to bring questions forward. When we ask about contract scenarios or tricky situations, those questions often lead to deeper discussion at the weekly brokerage meetings.
We learn from each other. And because Breanna and I tend to ask a lot of questions, we’re always sharpening our understanding of how to serve our clients better.
Common Contract Mistakes That Can Cost You
Let’s dig into some real-world examples that show just how easy it is for a small misstep to create a big problem, and how to avoid them.
1. Expired Offers
If you write an offer that expires at 11:00 PM, and the seller agrees the next morning,
you don’t have a valid contract. You need to draft a completely new contract. Simply changing the date and initialing won’t cut it, especially if it’s ever contested in court.
2. Missed Waiver Deadlines
Waivers must be submitted
before the deadline, not at the deadline. If the waiver is due at 9:00 PM and you send it at 9:05 PM, that’s too late. You no longer have a binding agreement. And no, you can’t backdate it. You’ll need to start over with a new contract.
That’s why we always encourage our clients to sign early and avoid relying on last-minute DocuSign submissions (because, yes, even DocuSign can go down unexpectedly).
3. Amendments vs. Addendums
Say you discover an issue during the home inspection, and both parties agree to a lower price. That price change
must be made with an amendment, not an addendum. These distinctions matter. Getting them wrong could jeopardize the enforceability of the contract.
4. Holdbacks for Cleaning or Repairs
If you want the seller to leave the home clean, that intention alone doesn’t guarantee results. You need a properly written
holdback clause that states something like: “If the home isn’t professionally cleaned, $2,000 will be held back.”
Without that, your lawyer may still be legally required to close the deal, regardless of the home’s condition.
Contracts Are Quiet, but Powerful
So, why am I sharing all this?
Because when you’re deciding who to hire for your next real estate transaction, whether it’s in Calgary, Ontario, or B.C.you deserve to know what’s really going on behind the scenes. Anyone can post about happy clients or flashy listings, but the quality of the contract work is what can make or break your experience.
Details matter. Precision matters. Timing matters.
Interviewing an Agent? Ask About This.
Here’s a helpful tip: When interviewing real estate agents, don’t just ask how many homes they’ve sold.
Ask them how they handle contracts. Ask what systems they use to avoid missed deadlines or improper documentation.
And if you’re in Calgary or the surrounding area, we’d love to be part of that conversation. Helping clients navigate the complexities of contracts is something we take pride in, even if it doesn’t make for the most exciting Instagram post.
Final Thoughts
Real estate contracts may be boring, but they’re
vital.
And having a team that’s thoughtful, loyal, and effective in managing the contract side of your transaction can give you peace of mind that everything is done right, so there are no surprises come possession day.
If you’re buying or selling in Calgary, and you’d like to interview us, we’d be honoured to be part of that process.
Thanks for reading—and don’t forget to check out the full video above for even more context!
Tom Albrecht
Owner/Associate
The A-Team @ RE/MAX First
📞 587.700.7123
📧 [email protected]
🔗 https://ateamcalgary.ca
Thoughtful | Loyal | Effective