Published 13 August 2026 · Updated 29 September 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
Selling a house in Ontario, the main costs are: real estate commission — negotiable, with no rate fixed by RECO or any authority — plus 13% HST on that commission, legal fees, mortgage discharge or prepayment costs, staging and repairs, and moving.
Condo sellers often add a status certificate, capped at $100, when the offer requires one.
What does it actually cost to sell a house in Ontario?
Seven line items cover almost every sale I work on. Some are negotiated, some are set by your lender or your lawyer, and one — for condo sellers — is capped by statute. Here is the full checklist, with an honest note on how each number gets set, because the “typical cost” figures that circulate online are mostly unverifiable.
| Cost | What it is | How the number is set |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate commission | The fee you negotiate with your listing brokerage, which may also cover some or all of the buyer’s brokerage fee | Negotiable — flat fee, percentage or combination. RECO confirms no rate is fixed or approved by RECO, any government authority, or any real estate association or board. |
| HST on commission | Ontario’s 13% HST, charged on top of the commission | Fixed at 13% of whatever fee you negotiate. |
| Legal fees and disbursements | Your real estate lawyer’s work to close the sale | Set by the law firm — get two or three quotes. I do not publish a “typical” range because no official source exists for one. |
| Mortgage discharge / prepayment costs | What your lender charges to release its mortgage, including any penalty for ending the term early | Set by your mortgage contract — only your lender can quote it. Ask before you list. |
| Staging and repairs | Preparing the home to compete: fixes, paint, cleaning, staging | Discretionary — scaled to the home and the segment it competes in. |
| Moving costs | The physical move out | Market-priced; depends on distance and volume. |
| Status certificate (condos) | The corporation’s disclosure package, which condo sellers often provide when the offer requires it | Capped at $100 including all taxes under the Condominium Act, 1998. |
What is your home actually worth today?
I will give you a real number based on comparable sales on your street — not an automated estimate. No obligation, and I will tell you plainly if now is the wrong time to sell.
Get my home valuation Call or text 833-330-1925
Jatin Dua, Broker of Record — RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with another brokerage.
How much is real estate commission in Ontario?
Whatever you negotiate — and I mean that literally, not as a dodge. RECO’s rule is unambiguous: “The amount is not fixed or approved by RECO, any government authority, or any real estate association or real estate board.” The fee can be a flat amount, a percentage of the sale price, or a combination, and the only structure Ontario prohibits is an escalating commission, where the rate rises with the price achieved.
Two things belong in your commission conversation beyond the headline number. First, what the fee includes — pricing work, preparation, marketing, negotiation — because a cheap fee attached to a thin service plan can cost you more on the sale price than it saves in commission. Second, how much of the total is being offered toward the buyer’s brokerage. Sellers commonly cover some or all of the buyer-side fee, but RECO is clear that a seller might not offer any amount — that choice is yours to make with your agent, and it affects how buyers’ agents and their clients experience your listing. I walk sellers through both halves in writing before anything is signed.
Do I pay HST when I sell my house?
Budget for HST on the services you buy to sell — most significantly, 13% on the real estate commission. It is the line sellers most often forget when they estimate net proceeds in their head: a negotiated fee is really that fee times 1.13 once HST is added. When I prepare a net sheet for a seller, the HST line sits directly under the commission line so the true cost is never a closing-day surprise.
What will my mortgage cost me when I sell?
Ask your lender — before you list, not after you have accepted an offer. Discharging a mortgage on sale can involve a discharge fee, and if you are closing before your term ends, a prepayment penalty. Both are creatures of your specific mortgage contract, which means no blog post — including this one — can tell you your number. Only your lender can.
Which selling costs are actually worth spending on?
Preparation, chosen surgically. Staging and repairs are the only items on the list that are genuinely discretionary, which makes them the place where judgment earns its keep. My approach is honest triage: spend where buyers in your specific segment will pay back the dollar — and skip the rest. Not every home needs full staging, and a renovation begun the month you list rarely returns its cost. What I will not do is prescribe a generic “always stage, always paint” rule, because the right answer depends on the home, the competition, and the season you are launching into.
Condo sellers have one more small line: if the buyer’s offer requires a status certificate — and most condo offers do — you will often be the one providing it. The fee is capped at $100 including all taxes, and the corporation must deliver it within 10 days of request and payment, so build that timing into your conditional period rather than discovering it inside one.
The takeaway
The real cost of selling in Ontario is a short list: a negotiable commission plus 13% HST on it, your lawyer, your lender’s discharge and any prepayment penalty, preparation, moving, and — for condos — a $100-capped status certificate. The two numbers that swing the most are the commission you negotiate and the penalty your lender quotes. Pin both down in writing before the sign goes up.
How I help
I am the Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty in Etobicoke, and before a client lists I build a written net-proceeds sheet: my fee and what it covers, HST, the lender and lawyer questions to ask, and a preparation plan scaled to the home rather than a one-size checklist. You see every cost before you commit to any of them.
Want a real net-proceeds number for your sale?
Send me your address and roughly what is left on your mortgage. I will send back an itemized estimate of your selling costs and likely net proceeds at realistic price points, with every assumption stated. No pitch, no obligation.
[email protected] · 833-330-1925 · Book a free consultation
Confidential. Reviewed personally and answered within 24 hours. I never share, sell or distribute your information.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a set real estate commission rate in Ontario?
No. RECO states the amount is not fixed or approved by RECO, any government authority, or any real estate association or real estate board. Commission is negotiated with your brokerage and can be a flat fee, a percentage, or a combination; escalating commission structures are prohibited.
Do I pay HST when selling my house in Ontario?
Budget for 13% HST on the services you purchase to sell, most significantly the real estate commission — your negotiated fee plus 13% on top. It is the most commonly forgotten line in sellers’ own net-proceeds math.
Do condo sellers pay for the status certificate?
Often, yes — when the buyer’s offer requires one, the seller frequently provides it. The fee is capped at $100 including all taxes under the Condominium Act, 1998, and the corporation must deliver the certificate within 10 days of request and payment.
What is a mortgage prepayment penalty?
A charge your lender may apply if you pay off your mortgage before the term ends — for example, because you sold the home. The amount is determined by your specific mortgage contract, so ask your lender for a written estimate before you list rather than after you have accepted an offer.
What is your home actually worth today?
I will give you a real number based on comparable sales on your street — not an automated estimate. No obligation, and I will tell you plainly if now is the wrong time to sell.
Get my home valuation Call or text 833-330-1925
Jatin Dua, Broker of Record — RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with another brokerage.
Sources
- RECO — How real estate agents get paid. Commission is not fixed or approved by any authority; permitted structures; the prohibition on escalating commissions; the caution that a seller might not offer any amount toward the buyer’s brokerage fee. Accessed 13 August 2026.
- RECO Information Guide (PDF). The TRESA framework for representation agreements and fee disclosure. Accessed 13 August 2026.
- Condominium Authority of Ontario — Status certificates. The $100 all-in fee cap and the 10-day delivery requirement. Accessed 13 August 2026.
- Condominium Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 19 (e-Laws). Section 76 and, under O. Reg. 48/01, the status certificate fee cap. Accessed 13 August 2026.
Related reading
- What is my home worth? CMA vs appraisal vs MPAC, explained
- Capital gains tax when selling your home in Ontario: 2026 rules
- Sell first or buy first in Toronto?
- How to choose a realtor in Etobicoke
About the author — Jatin Dua, Etobicoke real estate agent
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, working out of 799 The Queensway in Etobicoke. I write these guides myself and verify every claim against the primary sources linked above — and where a commonly quoted number has no official source, such as “typical” legal fees, I say so rather than inventing one.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925.