The home selling process

The seven stages of selling in Ontario

Stage 1 comes first on purpose. Timelines below are typical for GTA resale listings.

1. 1

   Hire a listing agent you trust

   Before you prepare or price

   In Ontario, when you list on MLS you sign a Listing Agreement (seller representation agreement) with your brokerage. It defines the list price range or strategy, term, geographic area, marketing services, commission, and what happens if you sell to someone you knew before listing.

   Interview agents before you commit. The agent who promises the highest price without showing sold data is a warning sign — not a selling point. You want someone who explains the market honestly, shows you a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), and outlines how they will market your home on MLS and beyond.

   Commission is negotiable. Typical GTA listing agreements include a total commission paid at closing from your proceeds, often split with the buyer's brokerage as a co-operating portion. Your agent must explain the structure in writing before you sign.

   • Interview at least two listing agents — compare CMA quality, marketing plan, and communication
   • Ask how many homes they have sold in your neighbourhood and price range in the last 12 months
   • Confirm who handles showings, offer night, and follow-up — the lead agent or a team member
   • Read the listing agreement term, holdover clause, and cancellation process before signing
   • Never sign a listing agreement you do not understand because you feel rushed
2. 2

   Understand value, timing, and net proceeds

   1–2 weeks

   Your agent prepares a CMA using recent sold MLS data, active competition, and your home's condition, upgrades, and location. Sign in on our site to review sold prices on comparable homes together — list price on active listings is marketing; sold price is proof.

   Discuss timing: spring and fall are busy in the GTA, but the right time is when you are ready — prepared, priced correctly, and able to show on short notice. Estimate net proceeds after mortgage payout, commission, legal fees, and adjustments.

   • Request a written CMA with 3–5 strong sold comps and active competition noted
   • Use our free home evaluation as a starting conversation — your agent refines with a full CMA
   • Calculate rough net: sale price minus mortgage balance, commission, legal, and closing adjustments
   • Plan your next home or rental before you list if you need somewhere to go on closing day
3. 3

   Prepare the home for market

   1–4 weeks

   Buyers decide in seconds online and in person. Declutter, repair deferred maintenance, neutralize bold décor, and address odours before photos. You do not need a full renovation — focus on first impressions and anything a home inspector would flag.

   Your agent should walk through with a prep checklist tailored to your property. Professional staging is optional but photography is not — listing photos are your storefront on MLS and every major portal.

   • Complete repairs: leaky taps, sticking doors, cracked caulking, burned-out bulbs
   • Deep clean kitchens, bathrooms, windows, and floors
   • Store personal items and excess furniture — buyers need to imagine themselves living there
   • For condos: confirm board rules on showings, pets, and elevator booking
4. 4

   Set price and go live on MLS

   Listing day

   Price is your strongest marketing tool. A home priced at market attracts showings; an aspirational price often sits while correctly priced neighbours sell. Your agent enters accurate MLS data — property type, bed/bath, taxes, fees, and remarks must match reality or you lose buyer trust.

   Once live, your listing syndicates to major portals and agent networks. Lockbox or showing instructions, deposit requirements, and offer presentation rules should be agreed before the first showing.

   • Agree on list price and strategy: at market, slightly below for urgency, or premium with patience
   • Confirm inclusions — fixtures, appliances, window coverings — before offers arrive
   • Plan a price-review date if feedback after two weeks is weak
   • Ensure listing brokerage attribution and MLS rules are followed on all marketing
5. 5

   Market, show, and gather feedback

   2–8+ weeks

   Strong marketing means professional photos, accurate details, easy showing access, and follow-up after tours. Leave the home during showings — buyers explore more freely without owners present. Lights on, temperature comfortable, pets secured, valuables stored.

   Your agent collects feedback from buyer agents after showings. Steady traffic with no offers usually signals price, condition, or competition — not bad luck. Review feedback weekly and adjust strategy with data, not emotion.

   • Open houses when appropriate — not every home benefits, but many do in active markets
   • Respond quickly to showing requests — delayed access kills momentum
   • Track days on market and compare to recent solds in your pocket
   • Do not reject price feedback because one buyer 'did not get it' — patterns matter
6. 6

   Review offers and negotiate

   1–7 days per offer round

   An offer is more than price: deposit size, closing date, conditions, and inclusions all affect net proceeds and certainty. In multiple-offer situations, your agent summarizes each offer on a comparison sheet — price, deposit, conditions, closing, and chattels.

   You choose to accept, reject, or counter. The highest price is not always best — a conditional offer may fall through. A firm deal with a larger deposit and workable closing date may beat a higher price tied to a sale-of-buyer's-home condition.

   • Compare net certainty, not just headline price
   • Understand irrevocable periods on counters — timing matters
   • Loop your lawyer in on unusual clauses before you accept
   • In bidding wars, set your minimum acceptable terms before offers are opened
7. 7

   Fulfill conditions and close

   30–90 days after acceptance

   After acceptance, the buyer works through conditions — inspection, financing, status certificate for condos, lawyer review. Once waived, the deal is firm. Your lawyer handles title transfer, mortgage discharge, and payout of net proceeds.

   Complete any agreed repairs before closing. Plan to be vacant and broom-clean on possession unless you negotiated a rent-back. Keys, remotes, and access codes go to the buyer as agreed.

   • Retain a real estate lawyer early — your agent may recommend several
   • Order mortgage discharge statement from your lender
   • Cancel or transfer utilities as of closing date
   • Possession time is in the agreement — often 6:00 p.m. on closing day