Payment
Ask how the brokerage payment is calculated, when it is payable, what applies if another brokerage represents the buyer, and what tax is added. Read the actual agreement, not a verbal summary.
ONTARIO SELLER PLANNING GUIDE
Know the plan
before the sign.
~ clear numbers, written services, no promises ~
There's a difference between putting a home on the market and actually marketing it. Before any of that, you need clear paperwork, a property-specific net sheet and a plan that fits your life.
Before you sign
Put the deal on paper.
~ services, payment, term and exit ~
RECO says the amount paid for brokerage services is decided by you and the brokerage. It is not a rate fixed or approved by RECO, government, a board or an association. Your written agreement is where the actual numbers and services belong.
Services
List what is included for your property. Ask about photography, video, advertising, staging support, showing management, reporting, offer presentation and communication.
Time and exit
Read the start date, expiry date, cancellation terms and holdover clause. If anything is unclear, ask before signing and get legal advice when you need it.
Scottie's standard: Marketing Matters. My plan centres on original listing video and paid local promotion. Your written listing agreement and marketing plan confirm what is included for your property.
The useful number
Build a seller net sheet.
~ what may remain after the sale ~
A sale price is not the amount that lands in your account. Build several sale-price scenarios and confirm each line with the person responsible for it.
- Mortgage payout: Ask the lender for a current payout statement and any discharge, administration or prepayment cost.
- Brokerage payment: Use the calculation written in your listing agreement.
- Legal work: Ask your lawyer for a written estimate and the items it covers.
- Adjustments: Your lawyer can explain property tax, utility, rental and other closing adjustments for your transaction.
- Preparation: Use real quotes for repairs, cleaning, moving, storage and any staging you choose.
- Tax: Ask an accountant whether to hold money aside based on how the property was owned and used.
Do this early: A mortgage penalty can materially change the move. The federal consumer agency tells borrowers to ask their financial institution to calculate the cost of breaking the mortgage contract.
Tax belongs with the accountant
Flag the facts before listing.
CRA says property sales must be reported, including a principal residence. Whether an exemption applies, and how much of a gain is taxable, depends on the facts. I will not guess at your tax bill.
Tell the accountant
- How the property was owned and used
- Any rental or business use
- Any period when it was not your principal residence
- Major improvements and available records
- Any short ownership period or plan to sell for profit
Tell the lawyer
- Who is on title
- Any estate, separation or power-of-sale issue
- Any tenant, lease or vacant possession question
- Any non-resident owner
- Any lien, judgment or title concern you know about
Keep the records. Purchase documents, improvement receipts and ownership records may matter to the accountant's work. Ask what to gather and what to retain.
Current evidence
Price the home you have today.
~ not the neighbour's story from another market ~
Here's what we do control: the launch price, the condition, the presentation and how the property reaches buyers. We cannot control the final offer, the appraisal or the market after launch.
Comparable sales
We start with recent sales that are genuinely comparable, then explain the differences instead of hiding them.
Active competition
Buyers compare your home with what they can see now. We study those choices and how your listing will sit beside them.
Your condition
Updates, maintenance, layout, lot, location and visible work affect buyer response. We talk about each one plainly.
Your timeline
A strategy that needs a certain date, condition or price must be judged against your real priorities and your tolerance for risk.
No outcome is guaranteed. I will show you the evidence, give you my recommendation and explain the trade-offs. You choose the listing instructions.
Prepare with purpose
Do the work buyers can feel.
~ every house needs a different list ~
Safety and function
Deal with known hazards and obvious defects first. Use the right contractor or inspector. Ask your lawyer how material facts should be handled.
Clean and clear
Make rooms easy to understand. Reduce visual clutter, deep clean and give buyers enough space to see the home rather than the stuff.
Repair or disclose
Do not hide a problem. Decide with your lawyer and qualified trades whether to repair, investigate further or disclose it properly.
Stage selectively
Staging can help presentation, but it does not promise a higher price or faster sale. Spend where the property and target buyer support the choice.
Marketing Matters
Make the listing worth watching.
A sign and an MLS entry make a home available. The marketing plan makes the story clear and gives people a reason to stop. The work should fit the property, comply with your instructions and be written into the plan.
- Positioning: Decide who the likely buyer is and what facts matter to that buyer.
- Visuals: Plan photography, original listing video and supporting detail around the strongest honest story.
- Distribution: Use the listing, social channels and paid local promotion to put that story in front of relevant people.
- Accessibility: Use clear descriptions and captions so the marketing works for more people.
- Reporting: Review buyer response and showing feedback, then decide whether the strategy needs to change.
More than the price
Compare the whole offer.
The highest number may not be the strongest fit. We compare price with the deposit terms, conditions, closing date, included items, representations and the buyer's requested terms. Your lawyer handles legal advice.
- What is the offered price and how is it paid?
- What does the offer say about the deposit?
- Which conditions and deadlines are included?
- Does the closing date work with your purchase or move?
- Which fixtures, chattels and rental items are included or excluded?
- Which promises, representations or warranties are you being asked to make?
- What needs a lawyer's explanation before you accept, reject or sign back?
You decide. I explain the real estate terms, organize the comparison, negotiate from your instructions and bring in your lawyer where legal advice is needed.
Step by step
The selling road map.
~ the order changes when your life does ~
1. Get the full picture
We walk the property, talk about your timing and identify the questions for your lawyer, lender, accountant, insurer or contractors.
2. Review the evidence
I prepare the local market and property analysis. We discuss price scenarios, competing homes and the trade-offs.
3. Read the agreement
Review services, payment, term, cancellation, holdover and the marketing plan before signing.
4. Prepare and produce
Complete the agreed work, then create the visuals, listing information and original video around the property's honest story.
5. Launch and listen
Put the property in market, promote it and watch what qualified buyers actually do. We review the response together.
6. Review offers
Compare every term, get legal advice where needed and negotiate from your instructions. No offer or outcome is assumed.
7. Work toward closing
Follow the signed agreement and your lawyer's closing instructions. I keep the real estate pieces organized through the handoff.
FAQ
Four questions worth asking.
Is real estate commission fixed in Ontario?
No. RECO says the amount you pay for brokerage services is decided by you and the brokerage, and is not fixed or approved by RECO, a government authority, a real estate association or a real estate board. Read the written agreement and ask what services and payment terms it includes.
How do I estimate what I will keep after selling?
Build a property-specific net sheet. Confirm the mortgage payout and possible fees with the lender, legal and adjustment figures with the lawyer, brokerage payment in the listing agreement, preparation and moving costs from written quotes, and any tax reserve with an accountant.
Will staging or a pricing strategy guarantee a result?
No. Preparation, pricing and marketing can shape how buyers respond, but no sale price, timing or number of offers is guaranteed. The plan should use current comparable sales, competing listings, the condition of your home and your own timeline.
Do I owe tax when I sell a home?
It depends on the property and how it was owned and used. CRA says a property sale must be reported, including a principal residence. Ask an accountant to review your facts before you rely on an exemption or calculate tax.
Let's build your launch plan.
~ your house, your timing, your actual numbers ~
I will walk through the property, show you the market evidence and explain how I would market it. When the answer belongs with your lawyer, lender, accountant, inspector or insurer, that is exactly where we send it.