Find out how much your home is worth

Most sellers in Ontario pay roughly 4% to 6% of the sale price all in, and most of that is commission.

• Real estate commission. Negotiable and set in your listing agreement. It often falls in the 4% to 5% range, plus HST, and is usually split between the listing and buyer’s agents.
• Legal fees. Roughly $1,000 to $2,500 including disbursements. A real estate lawyer is required for the sale.
• Mortgage discharge. About $200 to $400, plus any early repayment penalty from your lender, which is the biggest surprise for many sellers.
• Adjustments. Property tax and utilities are prorated up to your closing date.

You don’t pay land transfer tax when you sell. That’s a buyer’s cost. Staging, photos and repairs are optional extras.

Usually not, if the home has been your principal residence for the whole time you’ve owned it. Canada’s principal residence exemption makes that gain tax-free.

You still have to report the sale on your tax return, even when you owe nothing. That’s done on Schedule 3 and Form T2091.

Tax can apply if you rented the home out, if it wasn’t your main home for every year you owned it, if you own more than one property (only one can be designated per family each year), or if the sale looks like a flip. This is general information, not tax advice, so check with an accountant if any of that applies to you.

In 2026, most Toronto homes have taken about three to seven weeks to sell. Detached, semi-detached and townhouse listings have averaged roughly three to four weeks, while condos run longer, closer to five.

Two things to keep in mind. The clock on a listing resets if it’s pulled and relisted at a lower price, so the real time on market is often longer than the headline number. And once you accept an offer, closing usually lands 30 to 60 days later.

Price is the biggest lever. A home priced to the current market tends to move quickly, and an overpriced one tends to sit.

It comes down to your numbers and how much risk you’re comfortable carrying.

• Sell first. You know your budget and closing date, and you’re not pressured to take a weak offer. The trade-off is you may need temporary housing between closings.
• Buy first. No scramble to find a home, but you may carry two mortgages for a while, and your lender will check that you can afford both. A bridge loan can cover the gap. It typically runs 30 to 120 days at a higher rate than a regular mortgage.

A common middle path is to sell with a flexible closing date so the timing lines up with your purchase. Run the numbers with your mortgage broker or bank before you list.

They’re a reasonable starting point, but they can’t see what makes your home yours: the renovations, the layout, the street, how it shows. Free tools can be off by several percent, and on a GTA home that’s easily tens of thousands of dollars.

Your MPAC property assessment isn’t a market value either. Ontario’s assessments are still based on 2016 values, so use them for your property tax, not for pricing a sale.

A proper local evaluation compares your home with recent nearby sales of similar homes and accounts for condition and updates. That’s what Marc prepares when you request one above.