Align on the move before the listing
Start with a conversation about the move, not just the price. Agree on the preferred possession date, flexibility and who needs to approve decisions. Keep a shared record of the seller’s priorities so the launch plan reflects the life change behind the sale.
- Write down the target move date and any hard deadlines
- Agree on how updates and decisions will be shared
- Ask your lender for a current mortgage payout and any early repayment costs
Build a price range you can explain
Use recent, verified comparable sales with your realtor to inform the pricing decision. Separate those from active asking prices. Azyba’s Instant comps provides asking-price context; it is not sold-price evidence or an appraisal. Record why each comparable is relevant and what makes your home different.
- Compare location, type, size, condition and timing
- Separate asking prices from confirmed sale prices
- Agree on a launch price and a date to revisit the evidence
Prepare a property information pack
Collect the facts before writing the listing. Keep measurements, renovation records, recurring costs and relevant property documents together. Ask your realtor and lawyer or notary which disclosures and documents apply to your property and location; do not guess when information is missing.
- Gather available title, survey, tax, renovation and warranty records
- List included and excluded items clearly
- Record known issues and questions that still need verification
Calculate your net proceeds, not just the sale price
Build a net-proceeds worksheet: expected price less the mortgage payout, selling fees and applicable taxes on services, legal or notarial costs, discharge costs, adjustments, agreed repairs and moving expenses. Ask your lender for a dated payout estimate, including any penalty, before choosing your timing.
Compare three price scenarios and two closing dates. A slightly higher offer can leave less usable cash if it creates a costly overlap or requires extensive concessions. Keep tax treatment as a separate question for your tax professional; do not assume every property sale has the same result.
Choose repairs by evidence and buyer impact
Separate urgent defects, inexpensive presentation improvements and large discretionary renovations. Obtain quotes for significant issues so that you can compare repairing before sale with disclosing the issue and negotiating. Avoid starting a major project without understanding its effect on timing and cash.
A useful test: does this work remove uncertainty, improve function or merely suit my taste? Keep permits, warranties and invoices. Do not cover a defect cosmetically or describe work as permitted without supporting documentation.
Prepare disclosures and supporting documents
Gather renovation history, known issues, insurance claims, invoices, warranties, surveys or certificates, tax bills and equipment contracts. Mark each item as verified, unavailable or requiring professional review. In Québec brokered residential sales, the seller’s declarations are a key document for communicating the property’s history.
For a condo, obtain the relevant co-ownership or condominium records early. For a tenanted property, collect leases and rent records and discuss access, notices and possession with a qualified professional. Do not promise vacant possession simply because the home is being sold.
Set a pricing strategy and a review date
Separate recent sold comparables, active competition and withdrawn listings. Compare property type, size, condition, lot, parking and timing. An asking-price tool helps describe competition; it does not establish what buyers have paid. Discuss which differences justify an adjustment and which simply increase uncertainty.
Agree on a review date and the evidence that would trigger a change: qualified visits, repeat objections, competing inventory or offers. Avoid changing the price repeatedly in response to isolated comments. Preserve a clear record of revisions so your team can evaluate their effect.
Publish a listing that answers real questions
Use accurate room counts, measured areas with the measurement basis, parking details, inclusions, operating costs and a clear description of the layout. Photograph the exterior, main rooms and features that distinguish the home. A floor plan can explain circulation more effectively than repeated wide-angle photographs.
Review the advertisement on mobile and make sure the address, unit, price and contact route agree across platforms. Do not use images that misrepresent condition. Remove personal documents, family details and security information from photos before publishing.
Compare offers with a common decision table
Place price, deposit, financing, inspection, document review, inclusions, closing and possession dates in adjacent columns. Ask your professional to explain the obligations and consequences of each condition, expiry and counteroffer. A conditional offer is not equivalent to an unconditional completed sale.
Record acceptance and condition deadlines in one calendar with an owner for each task. Confirm how notices must be delivered and retain evidence. If the buyer requests a change after inspection, compare the written request with the contract and obtain advice before responding.
Coordinate selling and buying without a cash gap
Map the date sale funds become available against the deposit and closing requirements of your next home. Discuss bridge financing, temporary accommodation or a changed possession date before relying on them. Ask what happens if either transaction is delayed.
Keep essential records and moving arrangements flexible until milestones are met. Before closing, confirm the agreed repairs, included appliances, keys, access devices and utility readings. Independently verify payment instructions with your legal professional using a known phone number.
Make the listing ready for its first impression
Choose a preparation budget and focus on clear presentation. Use bright, representative photos and a factual description. Review the listing together on a phone before launch: buyers should understand the layout, condition and offer without having to ask for basic information.
- Check the map pin, address, price and property details
- Order photos so the main spaces are easy to understand
- Remove personal documents and private information from photos
Turn interest into useful feedback
Plan viewing availability and who will handle questions. After each visit, record what the buyer liked, what held them back and the agreed follow-up. Review patterns together instead of changing the strategy after one comment. Listing views are a signal of attention, not a promise of offers.
- Set a viewing schedule that works for the occupants
- Keep questions, responses and visit feedback in one record
- Review interest, objections and next actions with your realtor
Compare the whole offer
Put offers side by side with your professional adviser. Look beyond the headline price to financing, inspection or other conditions, deadlines, included items and possession. Keep offer versions distinct and confirm who is responsible for each next step before agreeing to binding terms.
- Compare price, conditions and timing in the same format
- Record the expiry and response deadline for every offer
- Review counter-offers and acceptance with your adviser
Keep conditions and closing on track
Once an offer is accepted, build a dated handover plan from the agreed terms. Assign an owner to each task and keep evidence with the transaction. Ask your lawyer or notary to confirm closing arrangements, and verify payment instructions through a trusted contact method.
- Track each condition and its written completion evidence
- Confirm the closing appointment and required documents
- Confirm possession arrangements, utilities and the move
Close the loop after the handover
Prepare keys, access devices, manuals and the property as agreed. Keep closing documents accessible and check reporting obligations with your tax adviser. Your realtor can then close the listing, record the outcome and ensure nothing remains outstanding.
- Confirm the handover and update listing availability
- Retain the final closing records and expense documents
- Review any remaining tasks with your professional team
Common selling questions
Should I renovate before selling? Compare cost, delay and likely buyer impact; repair decisions should be property-specific rather than based on a promised universal return.
Is the highest offer always best? No. Financing, conditions, possession, concessions and the risk of delay also matter.
When should the listing be removed? Update its status when the transaction milestones justify it and remove availability after the property is no longer offered. Keep your signed agreements and supporting records even after the public advertisement is withdrawn.
