Selling your home, start to finish.
Selling is a predictable sequence: price it right, sign the brokerage contract, prep and photograph the home, hold showings, receive and negotiate a promise to purchase, meet the conditions, then sign the deed of sale at the notary. Getting the price right up front is what moves everything else.
Updated July 11, 2026
People often ask me where to even start when they want to sell. The truth is that selling a property here follows a fairly well-marked path. There is nothing mysterious about it: just a series of steps, in order, each with its own job. When you know what to expect, the whole thing gets a lot less stressful.
Here is the process end to end, from the moment you think about selling to the keys changing hands at the notary. I walk you through what I do at each step, what you have to do, and where things vary depending on your situation.
What does the whole selling process look like?
Here is the overview. Each step sets up the next one, and how long each takes depends on your market, your price and your property. We move at your pace, not on some imposed calendar.
- 1We set the market value together from comparable sales, the condition of the property, and the time of year.
- 2We sign the brokerage contract, which frames our agreement and gives me the mandate to represent you.
- 3We prepare the home, show it at its best, and have professional photos taken.
- 4We bring it to market: listing, online exposure, sign, visibility.
- 5We arrange showings and, if it fits, an open house.
- 6You receive one or more promises to purchase, which we review and negotiate together.
- 7The buyer meets their conditions: inspection, financing, and sometimes the sale of their own home.
- 8Once the conditions are lifted, the file goes to the notary.
- 9We sign the deed of sale, adjustments are settled, and you hand over the keys.
How do you set the right asking price?
Price is the single most important decision of the whole sale. We set it from three things: recent comparable sales in your area (similar homes that actually sold, not just ones that were listed), the condition and features of your home, and the timing of your sale. This is the real answer behind the question “what is my home worth”: a proper analysis, not a gut feeling.
The most common trap is overpricing at the start “to leave room to negotiate.” In practice, an overpriced home stalls: buyers compare it to the others and pass it over. After a few weeks with no offers, you end up cutting the price, and a listing that has sat around often sells for less than one that was priced right on day one. The right price draws more showings, faster, and sometimes multiple offers.
What is the brokerage contract, and what does a broker actually do?
The brokerage contract is the written agreement between you and me. It sets out the asking price, the length of the mandate, my compensation, and the terms of the sale. It is a document governed by the OACIQ, the body that protects the public in real estate transactions. You read it, you ask your questions, and we adjust it before you sign.
What I actually do goes well beyond “putting up a sign.” I price the home, advise on preparation, coordinate the photos and the listing, market the property, screen and guide buyers, negotiate on your behalf, manage the documents and deadlines, and protect you all the way through the conditions to the signing. You have someone whose legal role is to defend your interests.
How do you prepare and photograph the home?
A well-prepared home sells better and faster. That means decluttering, deep cleaning, handling the small repairs that jump out, and neutralizing the decor so a buyer can picture themselves there. Very often it is the small, low-cost touches that make the biggest difference in the photos and in person.
The photos are your first showing. Most buyers see your home online before they ever see it in person, so we do not cut corners there: professional photography, good light, home ready. I have a separate guide that walks through preparation room by room. We use it as a checklist before we go to market.
Preparation, in detail
This guide stays at the process level on purpose. For room-by-room preparation (decluttering, repairs, staging before the photos), see the dedicated guide on preparing your home for sale.
How do showings and open houses work?
Showings are booked by appointment, often on short notice. Ideally you are out of the house: the buyer feels freer to explore and imagine their life in it. We keep the home clean and ready to receive throughout the marketing period.
An open house is one tool among several, not a requirement. It can create traffic and a sense of demand when the market suits it; other times, individual showings are more effective. We choose based on your property, your area, and your comfort level.
How do you receive and negotiate a promise to purchase?
When a buyer wants to move forward, they submit a promise to purchase: a written offer that states the proposed price, the wished-for possession date, what is included and excluded, and the conditions. It is not yet a firm sale, but it is a serious commitment, and we treat it with care.
The most common conditions are the building inspection, obtaining mortgage financing, and sometimes the sale of the buyer's current home. We look at the whole offer, not just the number: a slightly lower price with fewer conditions and a possession date that works for you can be worth more than a higher price full of unknowns.
Then we negotiate: you can accept, decline, or make a counter-proposal on price, date, inclusions or conditions. If there are several offers, we set a strategy. My role is to give you the straight story on each option so you decide with your eyes open.
What happens between acceptance and the notary?
Once the promise to purchase is accepted, we enter the conditions period. The buyer usually has the home inspected and confirms financing with their lender. Each condition has a deadline: it has to be lifted in writing within the set time, or the offer can fall through. I watch those deadlines closely so nothing slips.
When every condition is met, the sale becomes firm. The file then goes to the notary, who checks the title, prepares the deed of sale and the buyer's mortgage deed, and coordinates the money. On signing day it is the notary who officially transfers the property and pays off your mortgage balance out of the sale proceeds.
How do adjustments at closing work?
At the signing, the notary calculates the adjustments. The principle is simple: each side pays its share for the period it owns the home. If you prepaid municipal or school taxes, or condo fees, the buyer reimburses you for the portion that covers the time after possession. Conversely, if there is an unpaid balance that is yours to carry, it is adjusted against you.
You do not have to run these numbers yourself: the notary prepares them and walks you through them on the closing statement. You see, to the dollar, who owes what to whom.
What costs should a seller expect?
Selling comes with costs, and it is better to know them ahead of time so you can estimate what you will walk away with. I give you a personalized estimate early in the process. Here are the usual items, with no invented figures. The amounts vary with your property, your loan, and your agreements.
- The broker's compensation, set out in the brokerage contract. The amount and how it is calculated are agreed between you and me, in writing, before we go to market.
- Costs tied to your mortgage: the discharge (release) of the mortgage, and, where it applies, a penalty if you pay off before your term ends. Confirm these figures with your lender.
- Notary fees, if any documents fall to you (a discharge, for example) or depending on the terms of the deal; here the buyer usually chooses and pays for the notary handling the sale.
- Adjustments at closing, when a prepaid amount is taken back from you on a prorated basis.
- Moving, and sometimes preparation expenses (cleaning, small repairs, staging).
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a broker to sell my home?
No, the law does not require it: you can sell on your own. But a broker prices the home from real data, shows it at its best, reaches more buyers, negotiates on your behalf, and manages the documents, deadlines and conditions right through to the signing. On the biggest transaction of many people's lives, that often changes the outcome and takes a lot of the stress off you.
How long does it take to sell a home?
It depends on the market, the area, the type of property, and above all the price. A well-priced home in an active market can sell quickly; a more expensive or more unusual property can take longer. I will not promise you a number of days. I give you an honest read on your market and adjust the strategy based on the showings and offers.
What if I get a lowball offer?
We do not reject it out of hand. A low offer is still an interested buyer and a starting point to negotiate. We answer with a considered counter-proposal on price, date or conditions. Plenty of sales that begin modestly close at a price you are happy with.
When does the sale actually become firm?
When every condition in the promise to purchase (inspection, financing, sometimes the sale of the buyer's home) is lifted in writing within the set deadlines. Until a condition is met, the sale can still fall through. Once they are all lifted, the file goes to the notary for the signing of the deed of sale.
Sources
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This guide is general information to help you make sense of things, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules change and every situation is different, so confirm anything that affects a decision with the right professional, a notary, lawyer, accountant, or mortgage broker, or reach out and I'll point you the right way.
