Don’t underestimate the cost of selling your home!
Listing a home on the market through real estate agents requires time, money, and a lot of personal energy.
Overview of the Selling Process:
First, you can expect to clean your house, complete repairs, pay for an inspection, and pack up your belongings into storage.
Next, you’ll stage and depersonalize your home with photo-perfect furniture & décor to make a mark on the housing listings space.
Once your home is listed for sale on the MLS®, you’ll receive a deluge of emails, text messages, and phone calls from prospective buyers — or your listing agent.
Then you’ll take time out of your busy schedule for open houses, home walkthroughs, and relentless price negotiations.
Finally, you’ll pay closing fees — expect real estate lawyer fees, sales tax, title fees, and more — all before experiencing the joys of moving, managing a closing date, and finding your new property.
Time Required to Sell in Canada:
Depending on your local market conditions, the entire closing process from listing to selling your home takes around 90 days on average in 2026, but some properties can sit on the market for much longer, or close faster. It depends if your local housing market is in buyers or sellers market territory.
If you decide to sell yourself (FSBO) through a listing service, you might maximize your selling price, but your sales process will require more effort and potentially more time — adding to your holding costs, which rack up before selling.
Since most buyers have no idea of the true costs involved with selling a house in Canada, this article adds up the numbers to show you the expected costs of selling your home in Canada.
First: Paying For Realtors & Sales Tax
Unless you’re selling privately, realtor commissions are the single largest cost most sellers face.
You should expect to pay realtors a 2 to 5% commission fee – typically split evenly between the buyer’s and seller’s agent. Commissions are almost always paid by the seller and then split between the agents.
Rates are typically negotiable at some agencies, but the structures below are what the majority of sellers in each province should anticipate paying in 2026-7.
Typical Commission Structures by Province (2026-27)
| Province | Common Structure | Sales Tax | Approx. Cost on a $900,000 Home (incl. tax) |
| British Columbia | 7% on first $100k + 2.5%–3% on the balance | 5% GST | $28,350 – $32,550 |
| Alberta | 7% on first $100k + 3% on the balance | 5% GST | ≈ $32,550 |
| Saskatchewan | 6% on first $100k + 4% on next $100k + 2% thereafter | 5% GST | ≈ $26,000 – $28,000 |
| Ontario | Flat 5% (often 2.5% to each side) | 13% HST | ≈ $50,850 |
| Manitoba | Flat ≈ 5% | 5% GST | ≈ $47,250 |
| Quebec | Flat ≈ 5% (negotiable) | 14.975% | ≈ $51,000+ |
Detailed BC & Alberta example (the two most common graduated structures):
On a $900,000 sale using the classic 7% / 2.5–3% model:
- First $100,000 × 7% = $7,000
- Remaining $800,000 × 2.5% = $20,000 (or × 3% = $24,000)
- Subtotal commission = $27,000 – $31,000
- 5% GST = $28,350 – $32,550 total
In Ontario the same $900,000 home typically costs $45,000 + 13% HST = $50,850.
A strong negotiator on your side, like our Realtors at Vantage will recover or exceed these fees through a better selling price and terms in your favour – netting you potentially tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, making the commissions totally worthwhile.
But when speed, certainty, or avoiding showings matter more than squeezing every last dollar of sale price, a cash offer that eliminates the commission can be a practical alternative for any seller across Canada.
Sales Tax on Commissions
Sales taxes are added to the total commission amount (not the price of the home, unless it is a new build in which case that gets paid by the buyer):
| Province / Territory | Sales Tax on Commission | Rate | Who Pays |
| Alberta | GST | 5% | Seller |
| British Columbia | GST | 5% | Seller |
| Manitoba | GST | 5% | Seller |
| New Brunswick | HST | 15% | Seller |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | HST | 15% | Seller |
| Northwest Territories | GST | 5% | Seller |
| Nova Scotia | HST | 14% | Seller |
| Nunavut | GST | 5% | Seller |
| Ontario | HST | 13% | Seller |
| Prince Edward Island | HST | 15% | Seller |
| Quebec | GST + QST | 14.975% | Seller |
| Saskatchewan | GST | 5% | Seller |
| Yukon | GST | 5% | Seller |
Real Estate Lawyers & Legal Fees
Once you receive an Offer to Purchase, you’ll want to hire a real estate lawyer to oversee the transaction and avoid making a mistake selling your most valuable asset.
As a seller, your lawyer will ensure your title is in good standing, your contract is flawless, and that all of your filings are completed according to your provincial laws.
Legal or notary fees that protect and oversee the sale of your home will cost around $1,000. If you’re also buying a new home, budget an additional $1,500 to $2,000 to oversee the purchase, title search and title transfer.
How Much Does It Cost To List?
Getting a home ready to market takes serious preparation. Here’s what you can expect to pay to list your home on the MLS.
Cleaning Services
Step one is deep cleaning your house. A professional cleaning will help you get postcard-perfect photos and avoid scaring off buyers with unsightly dust, grime, and clutter.
For a 2,000 square foot home, cleaning will cost between $350 to $600.
Repairs
If your house needs major repairs, it can take months of work and easily cost you thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Then there’s the cost of waiting. In busy housing markets like Kelowna, BC, it can take months to line up professional contractors.
Most homeowners budget 1 to 3 percent of their home’s value for repairs each year. For a $500,000 home, expect a repair bill around $10,000.
On average, strategic pre-list improvements yield up to $2 back for every $1 spent, making targeted repairs one of the highest-value steps in preparing your home for market.
Home Refreshes: Paint, Lighting, Plumbing, Window Coverings, etc.
A common blind spot for sellers is the cumulative cost of “minor” repairs. While single fixes seem inexpensive on their own, preparing a house to meet modern listing standards typically requires a realistic allocation of $2,000 to $10,000, depending on home size, condition, and whether labor is DIY or hired out.
Interior Paint & Trim ($1,500 – $4,500)
A fresh coat of neutral paint is the single most cost-effective way to make a home feel clean, modern, and well-maintained. Focus on high-traffic areas, dark hallways, entryways, and scuffed baseboards. Cover bold accent colors with universally appealing warm neutrals to help prospective buyers visualize their own furniture in the space.
Lighting & Plumbing Fixtures ($500 – $1,500)
Outdated brass or mismatched light fixtures immediately date a property. Replacing entryway chandeliers, kitchen pendants, dining lights, and bathroom vanities creates a high-end feel at a fraction of full renovation costs. Swapping out worn faucets and cabinet hardware adds a cohesive finish across bathrooms and kitchens.
Window Coverings & Blinds ($400 – $1,200)
Broken or yellowed blinds actively pull down buyer perception. Replacing damaged slats or installing simple, modern cordless roller shades improves natural light flow—a key decision factor for buyers—while giving room interiors a crisp line.
Deep Cleaning & Curb Appeal ($600 – $1,800)
Professional deep cleaning (including carpets and grout lines), power-washing the driveway, re-edging garden beds, and adding fresh mulch give the exterior and interior a move-in-ready presentation that instills buyer confidence.
Home Inspection
Before listing your home on the MLS you’ll need to pay for a home inspection to check the condition of the roof, gutters, plumbing, electrical systems, doors, windows, walls, and foundation.
Depending on the size of your home, an inspection will cost between $400 to $800.
Condo Status Certificates
If you’re selling a condominium unit, you’ll need to obtain a Status Certificate – also known as an Estoppel Certificate (AB), or Information Certificate (BC). This lengthy document includes information about the building’s legal and financial status, bylaws, building rules, and the condo owner’s financial obligations.
A condo certificate usually costs $100 and processing takes one or two weeks.
Staging Your Home
Staging is the process of decorating, organizing, and furnishing your living spaces to increase your home’s perceived value. A home stager brings in plants, area rugs, mirrors, lighting, art, and furniture that maximize impact.
Home staging can cut your selling time in half and boost your selling price by up to 20 percent, so it’s usually a worthwhile investment. Some agencies include the staging cost in their commission fee. Otherwise professional staging services take about 14 days and will cost between $2,000 to $5,000.
Nowadays, some real estate firms offer virtual tours and AI home staging that lets you skip this step completely.
Quick Sale Discount
If you’re in a hurry to move, you’ll probably need to discount your asking price. A typical discount for a fast property sale is 3 to 5 percent. On a $500,000 property, this will cost around $20,000.
Mortgage Discharge Fee
If you end your mortgage early, you’ll pay a mortgage discharge fee. This fee covers the bank’s administrative cost to remove the mortgage from your property title before the mortgage term ends.
Mortgage discharge fees cost up to $300 depending on your financial institution.
Mortgage Prepayment Penalties
While a standard mortgage discharge fee covers administrative costs, it does not account for mortgage prepayment penalties. If home sellers break a closed mortgage contract before the end of its term, Canadian lenders levy a mortgage penalty.
For fixed-rate mortgages, this fee is typically the greater of three months’ interest or the Interest Rate Differential (IRD). Depending on the principal balance and the gap between the contract rate and current market rates, prepayment penalties routinely range from $10,000 to $30,000. Sellers must request a payout statement from their lender prior to listing to determine this exact cost.
Capital Gains Tax
If you’ve profited on your home sale, the amount you earn (the difference between the home’s sale price and the price you paid originally) is referred to as a capital gain.
The capital gains inclusion rate is 50% for individuals, corporations, and trusts. This means that one-half of a capital gain is included in taxable income. Your capital gains tax rate will vary depending on your income bracket, and should be included with your tax return in the year that you sell.
If you’re selling a primary residence, you won’t have to pay tax on your capital gain. Your home is considered a primary residence if you’ve lived there for each month of ownership; in other words, you were not renting the place out or using the property as an investment vehicle. In Canada, this is known as a principal residence exemption. When in doubt, seek professional advice from a tax accountant like a CPA.
BC Home Flipping Tax: Rules, Deductions, and Exemptions
Sellers transacting in British Columbia must account for the provincial home flipping tax (effective January 1, 2025). Designed to curb short-term speculation, this tax applies to profits realized from selling a residential property or assigning a presale contract held for less than 730 days (2 years).
- The Tax Schedule: Net profits from properties sold within 365 days are taxed at 20%. For properties sold between 366 and 730 days, the tax rate gradually tapers down to 0% on a prorated basis.
- Independent Assessment: This provincial tax is assessed separately from federal income tax and federal capital gains rules.
Even if a home is sold within the two-year window, sellers may lower or eliminate their tax liability through statutory deductions and life-circumstance exemptions.
The Primary Residence Deduction ($20,000 Max)
If you sell a property you lived in as your main home, you may qualify for a taxable income deduction of up to $20,000 on your net profit.
- To qualify for the deduction:You must have owned and occupied the property as your primary residence for at least 365 consecutive days prior to the sale.
- The property must contain a housing unit (presale contract assignments do not qualify for this deduction).
Flipping Tax Exemptions
The province recognizes that life events can force an unexpected sale. Sellers who dispose of a property within 730 days due to qualifying hardship or major life changes are exempt from paying the flipping tax (death, relocation, involuntary job loss, household changes, threats to personal safety).
Land Transfer Tax
Land transfer tax is always paid by the buyer; never the seller.
Important: If this is your first home sale and you are not buying another property, you will not pay this tax.
However, if you are selling and buying a new home at the same time, you need to budget for the land transfer tax on your purchase. The amount varies significantly by province.
Key Provincial Rates (2026)
| Province / Territory | Tax Name | Rate Structure | Approx. Tax on $900,000 Home | Notes |
| British Columbia | Property Transfer Tax (PTT) | 1% first $200k2% $200k–$2M3% $2M–$3M5% over $3M (residential) | $16,000 | First-time buyer exemption available (full up to $500k) |
| Ontario | Land Transfer Tax | 0.5% / 1% / 1.5% / 2% / 2.5% graduated | ≈ $14,475 | Toronto buyers also pay Municipal LTT (roughly doubles the cost) |
| Alberta | None | Small land title registration fee only | ≈ $350–$450 | One of the lowest-cost provinces |
| Saskatchewan | None (or very low) | Small registration fee or 0.3% in some cases | Low | Minimal cost |
| Manitoba | Land Transfer Tax | Graduated (0.5%–2%) | ≈ $12,000–$14,000 | — |
| Quebec | Welcome Tax (Taxe de bienvenue) | Graduated by municipality (typically 0.5%–1.5%+) | Varies by city | Higher in Montreal |
| Nova Scotia | Deed Transfer Tax | Usually 1.5% (set by municipality) | ≈ $13,500 | — |
| New Brunswick / PEI | Deed Transfer Tax | Typically 1% | ≈ $9,000 | — |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Registration fee | Low flat + small percentage | Low | — |
| Territories | Registration fees | Very low or none | Minimal | — |
Examples on a $900,000 purchase:
- BC: $16,000
- Ontario (outside Toronto): ≈ $14,475
- Toronto: ≈ $28,950 (provincial + municipal)
- Alberta: only a few hundred dollars in registration fees
First-time home buyer rebates or exemptions exist in several provinces (notably BC and Ontario) and can significantly reduce or eliminate the tax on qualifying purchases.
Because this tax is paid by the buyer, it does not affect your net proceeds as a seller — but it does affect your total cash needed if you are buying another property at the same time.
Strata Special Levies
For sellers of condominium or strata units, unresolved special levies represent a hidden closing cost. If the strata corporation has passed a resolution for a special levy (e.g., roof replacement or building envelope repairs) prior to the completion date, the seller is typically legally obligated to pay the levy in full from the proceeds of the sale, even if the work has not yet commenced or the payments were originally scheduled in installments.
Moving Expenses
If you do it yourself, moving is probably the worst aspect of selling your home. It’s time consuming, laborious, and won’t necessarily be a positive bonding experience.
Hiring a reputable, professional moving team can prevent a ton of stress. Career movers know how to handle furniture without damaging your walls and door frames, and will make sure your delicate items arrive in good condition. Some movers assist with packing, disassembly, and unpacking so you can stay focused on work and avoid the heavy lifting.
Depending on the size of your home, moving locally will cost between $1,000 to $3,000. If you’re moving between cities, expect to pay closer to $6,000 to $8,000. And if you’re moving across Canada – say from Vancouver to Toronto – it will cost you between $10,000 to $20,000.
If You’re Buying & Selling Simultaneously
When you transition from one property to another, transaction fees and closing costs hit you from both sides of the deal. To build an accurate budget, you have to account for friction costs on both sides of your move — including the costs of buying:
Here is the bullet breakdown for buying a $900,000 home in BC:
- Property Transfer Tax (BC PTT): $16,000
(Calculated as 1% on the first $200k + 2% on the portion up to $2M) - Purchase Legal Fees & Title Insurance: $1,500 – $2,200
(Covers lawyer/notary conveyancing fees, title search, tax search, and title insurance policy) - Property Inspections & Appraisals: $800 – $1,200
(Home inspection: $500–$700; Bank appraisal fee: $300–$500) - Moving & Setup Expenses: $2,000 – $4,500
(Professional movers, utility hookups/transfers, mailbox/locks setup, and initial move-in supplies)
Total Estimated Buyer Costs (BC): $20,300 – $23,900
Outstanding Property Taxes
One of the financial responsibilities sellers often put to the wayside are outstanding property taxes for the year in which they move. To fix this, real estate lawyers use a statement of adjustments to proportionally divide the annual tax bill based on the exact days each party owns the home. This split ensures the seller pays for the days up until closing, while the buyer takes over financial responsibility starting on the possession date.
The Cost of Inconvenience
Selling a home can feel like taking on a second job in a brand new field. Taking time to sell your home disrupts your work and social life for months on end. It takes an average of 12 home showings to sell through a conventional listing, and 30 percent of your potential buyers will back out. While your home is listed, you’ll have to keep it show-ready for open houses and short-notice showings.
Selling on the MLS means you have almost no control over the timeline. On top of that, you’ll deal with the stress of no shows, insulting offers, and the uncertain wait for the buyer’s financing approval.
Adding Up The Costs
It costs serious dough to list and sell your home in Canada. You’ll need to hire cleaners, repairmen, pay for storage, and maybe inspectors. Then you’ll stage the home, find a buyer, and let realtors, lawyers, and bankers bite into your revenue. Finally, you’ll hire a team to help you move.
Factoring in all of your expenses, the total cost of listing and selling a $900,000 home in Canada via standard MLS listings can range between $38,000 and $93,000+, depending on repair scopes, mortgage penalties, and price negotiation concessions.
| Item / Category | Estimated Cost Range | Notes / Basis |
| Realtor Commissions + GST (BC Example) | $28,350 – $32,550 | 7% on 1st $100k + 2.5%–3% on $800k balance + 5% GST |
| Legal & Conveyancing Fees | $1,000 – $1,500 | Title discharge, contract review, and payout filings |
| Deep Cleaning Services | $350 – $600 | ~2,000 sq. ft. home deep clean |
| Home Refreshes & Light Touch-ups | $2,000 – $5,000 | Interior paint touch-ups, light fixtures, hardware, curb appeal |
| Professional Staging Services | $2,000 – $4,000 | Partial to full 30-day staging package |
| Pre-Listing Home Inspection | $400 – $800 | Upfront condition assessment |
| Mortgage Discharge Fee | $200 – $300 | Administrative bank payout fee |
| Local Moving Expenses | $1,500 – $3,000 | Professional local moving team & packing supplies |
| SUBTOTAL (Standard Out-of-Pocket Selling Costs) | $35,800 – $47,750 | Baseline friction costs to list on MLS |
| Optional/Conditional Expenses: | ||
| Mortgage Prepayment Penalty (if breaking closed term) | $10,000 – $25,000 | Greater of 3 mos. interest or IRD (if applicable) |
| Fast-Sale Price Discount (3.5% on $900k) | $31,500 | Market concession for quick timeline / price reduction |
| TOTAL ESTIMATED SELLING COSTS | $35,800 – $104,250 | Ranging from a clean sale up to a heavy penalty/discount scenario |
Keep in mind that expenses like cleaning, staging, and hiring an experienced negotiator will increase your revenue and offset some of these selling costs.
Nonetheless, our selling expense estimate of ~$80,000 means parting ways with a serious chunk of change.
Fortunately, there’s a much faster, easier, and less costly way to sell your home – directly to an investor. Cash buyers like us will purchase your home in its current condition in as few as 7 to 10 days, usually less than 30.
There are a ton of benefits to selling your home for cash. You’ll save time, lower your expenses, reduce your stress, and then be able to focus on your own life and move ahead strong.
Cash Offer Canada: Your “We Buy Homes Fast” Company
Cash Offer Canada is a registered home buyer in Canada; we charge a flat fee of 10% per sale, which averages out to $90K for a $900,000 property — with the added benefit of selling FAST within 7 to 30 days, in most cases.
If you’re in one of our Canadian locations (currently expanding country-wide), we’ll provide an instant cash offer on your home pending our in-person visit + licensed home inspection.
To find out more and to get a cash offer for your home, contact us today or send us an email.
Cash Offer Canada was founded by AJ Hazzi, a licensed BC Managing Broker who has been an active Realtor® and real estate investor since 2002. Built as a direct service for homeowners who want to bypass the friction of the traditional open market, Cash Offer Canada gives sellers a stress-free alternative to standard MLS listings—eliminating public showings, open houses, expensive pre-sale repair demands, and buyer financing fallthroughs.