Seller Resources
Questions to Ask When Selling a House: Know What to Ask Before You List
Selling a home involves decisions about value, timing, preparation, pricing, marketing, costs and offers. Knowing what to ask before those decisions are made can make the process easier to manage. We answer the questions to ask when selling a house in the context of your property, your timeline and what you want to accomplish. You do not need to understand every part of the selling process before speaking with us. We can start with the question that matters most to you and build the plan from there.
How Do We Know What Our Home Is Worth?
We start by looking at the property itself and the market buyers are seeing now.
Depending on the home, that may include:
- Recent comparable sales
- Parking
- Active competing listings
- Outdoor space
- Property type
- Lot characteristics
- Size and layout
- Location
- Condition
- Building factors for condos
- Renovations
- Current buyer demand
A neighbourhood average can provide context, but it cannot account for every difference between properties. Two houses on the same street can perform differently because of lot size, renovation level, parking or condition. Two condos in the same building may differ because of floor level, exposure, layout, view or carrying costs.
We explain the comparables and market conditions behind our opinion of value so you can understand how we arrived at the number.
Is Market Value the Same as the List Price?
Not necessarily. Market value is an estimate of what buyers may reasonably pay under current conditions. The list price is how we position the property when it reaches the market.
Depending on the home and the competitive environment, we may consider:
- Listing close to expected market value
- Using a more conventional negotiation strategy
- Positioning below expected value to encourage broader interest
- Taking a different approach for a property with few direct comparables
We explain what we expect the pricing approach to accomplish and what market evidence supports it.
We do not choose a number simply because it is the highest number possible. We want the price to make sense against the alternatives buyers can compare.
What Should We Ask Before We List?
Some of the most useful questions about selling a house should be answered before the listing goes live.
We recommend understanding:
- How the property will be valued
- How feedback will be communicated
- How the list price will be chosen
- What selling costs may apply
- What preparation is recommended
- How offers will be reviewed
- What the marketing plan includes
- How the listing will be monitored after launch
- How showings will be handled
- What happens if buyer activity is different from expected
We make our approach, communication and financial terms clear before the property reaches the market. You should understand the plan before being asked to rely on it.
Not every property needs a complete overhaul. We look first at what buyers are likely to notice and what could interfere with the way the home presents.
Depending on the property, preparation may include:
- Cleaning
- Furniture editing
- Decluttering
- Staging
- Minor repairs
- Landscaping
- Paint
- Storage
- Lighting
- Exterior presentation
We also identify work that may not make sense. A major renovation can consume time and money without guaranteeing the same amount back in the eventual sale. We help you prioritize the work that supports the selling plan rather than creating projects simply because they can be done.
Not every home requires the same level of staging. We use staging when it can make a property easier for buyers to evaluate.
That may involve:
- Rearranging existing furniture
- Improving room flow
- Removing oversized pieces
- Emphasizing natural light
- Simplifying decor
- Selectively furnishing a vacant property
- Defining an open-concept area
A smaller condo may need furniture editing to make floor space easier to see. A vacant property may benefit from additional context around room scale and function. We recommend the level of preparation that fits the property rather than treating full staging as an automatic requirement.
Marketing begins with preparation and presentation. Once the home is ready, we create the buyer-facing presentation around the property's actual strengths. Depending on the listing, our approach may include professional photography, video, floor plans, listing content and digital exposure. We also determine which property details deserve emphasis.
For a house, that could include:
- Lot characteristics
- Outdoor space
- Parking
- Basement
- Renovations
- Neighbourhood access
For a condo or loft, it could include:
- Layout
- Parking
- Exposure
- Locker
- View
- Amenities
- Ceiling height
- Maintenance fees
- Architectural character
We want buyers to understand why the property may be relevant to them before they decide whether to book a showing.
The selling price is not necessarily the amount you will have available after closing.
Depending on the transaction, expenses can include:
- Real estate remuneration
- Repairs or preparation
- Applicable HST
- Staging
- Legal fees
- Moving expenses
- Mortgage discharge costs
- Closing adjustments
- Possible lender penalties
Not every cost applies in every sale. We help you identify the likely cost categories early so you can think in terms of estimated net sale proceeds, not only the gross selling price. For exact mortgage charges, we recommend confirming the figures with your lender. Your lawyer confirms legal costs and the final closing adjustments.
If there is an outstanding mortgage, it generally needs to be addressed as part of the closing process.
Depending on your mortgage terms, this may involve:
- The remaining mortgage balance
- Interest adjustments
- Discharge costs
- Other lender-specific charges
- Prepayment penalties
If you are buying another property, it can also be useful to ask your lender whether the mortgage can be ported. We connect those figures to your selling and next-purchase planning, while your lender or mortgage professional provides the exact mortgage details.
Before listing, we establish how buyer access will work around your schedule.
We may discuss:
- Notice requirements
- Building access
- Occupancy
- Open houses where appropriate
- Pets
- Maintaining the property's presentation
- Security
If you are living in the home, we want the showing routine to be sustainable. The objective is to make the property accessible to serious buyers without making the process unnecessarily difficult for you.
Purchase price matters, but an offer contains more than one number.
When we review an offer with you, we may consider:
- Price
- Inspection conditions
- Deposit
- Inclusions and exclusions
- Closing date
- Other property-specific terms
- Financing conditions
The highest-priced offer is not automatically the most suitable offer. A different deposit, closing date or condition structure may materially affect how an offer fits your situation. We explain the complete terms before you decide how to respond.
Multiple offers create competition, but the decision still needs to reflect your priorities.
We compare factors such as:
- Price
- Conditions
- Deposit
- Certainty
- Closing date
- Compatibility with your next move
We keep the focus on the complete offer rather than treating the headline price as the only factor.
An accepted offer may contain conditions. Depending on the transaction, these might relate to financing, inspection, condominium documents or another negotiated term.
The sale generally becomes firm when the relevant conditions have been fulfilled or waived according to the agreement. Once that happens, the focus moves from negotiation to preparing for closing.
Your lawyer handles the legal completion of the transaction.
Depending on the sale, that can include:
- Closing documents
- Financial adjustments
- Title-related matters
- Transfer of sale funds
- Mortgage payout
- Legal completion of the transaction
We coordinate the real estate side and keep you informed as the transaction moves toward closing. When a question requires legal advice, we direct you to your lawyer rather than trying to substitute for legal guidance.
What If We Get Showings but No Offers?
Buyer activity gives us information.
If showings are taking place without offers, we review the pattern rather than reacting to one showing.
We may look at:
- Pricing
- Presentation
- Property condition
- Competing inventory
- Buyer feedback
- Changes in market activity
We then discuss what the information may mean and whether an adjustment is warranted.
Should We Sell Before We Buy?
There is no universal answer.
The right order depends on your circumstances, including:
- Current market conditions
- Available equity
- Financial flexibility
- Tolerance for carrying two properties
- The type of property you want next
- Whether temporary accommodation is practical
- Closing-date flexibility
Selling first can give you more certainty around your available proceeds. Buying first can give you more certainty around where you will live next.
We help you work through the trade-offs before choosing the sequence that fits your situation.
What Are the Most Important Home Selling Questions?
Before making the major decisions, we believe you should understand:
- What is our home worth?
- How will showings and feedback be handled?
- How will the list price be chosen?
- How will offers be evaluated?
- What should we prepare before listing?
- What happens after we accept an offer?
- What is included in the selling and marketing plan?
- How does the sale fit with our next move?
- What will the sale likely cost?
Those questions are connected. Price affects positioning. Preparation affects presentation. Selling costs affect net proceeds. Offer terms affect timing. Closing can affect the next move.
We help you consider those decisions together.
Have a Question About Selling Your Home?
If you are considering selling in Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area, we can start with whatever is creating the most uncertainty.
We can help you understand:
You do not need every answer before getting started. We can help you understand what matters before each major decision is made.
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If you are considering selling in Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area, we can start with whatever is creating the most uncertainty. You do not need every answer before getting started. We can help you understand what matters before each major decision is made.