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Selling a home in Ontario

Selling a home in Ontario has a clear sequence: prepare the home, price it against recent comparable sales, market it, review offers, and close. This guide walks through each step.

It is general education. A registered real estate professional and a real estate lawyer handle the parts that require a licence.

1. Prepare the home

Decluttering, cleaning, and handling obvious repairs help a home present well. What a home is worth is driven mostly by things you cannot change quickly — location, size, and condition relative to nearby homes that have recently sold.

2. Price against comparable sales

Pricing starts from a comparative market analysis (CMA): what similar nearby homes have actually sold for recently, adjusted for real differences. A professional CMA prepared by a registered representative weighs condition, updates, and the most relevant comparables.

AskEmma can produce an AskEmma Automated CMA Draft to orient you, but a draft from software is a starting point, not a professional opinion of value. Alex Goodman, Sales Representative, prepares the professional CMA.

3. List and market

Once priced, the home is listed and marketed — photos, the listing itself, and exposure to buyers and their representatives. Your representative sets this up and manages showings.

4. Review offers and negotiate

Offers arrive as written Agreements of Purchase and Sale, firm or conditional. You can accept, reject, or counter. Firm offers are binding once accepted; conditional offers become firm only after their conditions are met.

5. Close

After an offer is firm, your real estate lawyer prepares the closing documents and handles the transfer on closing day. Selling costs typically include your representative's commission, legal fees, and any mortgage discharge costs.

Common questions

What actually determines what my home is worth?

Mostly location, size, and condition measured against homes nearby that have recently sold. A comparative market analysis (CMA) turns those comparable sales into a price range.

Is the AskEmma Automated CMA Draft the same as a professional CMA?

No. The draft is a software-generated starting point. A professional CMA prepared by Alex Goodman, Sales Representative, weighs condition, updates, and the most relevant comparables.

Do the next bit with AskEmma

Ask Emma to find real listings and explain how each compares to recent sales, or talk to Alex when you want a professional opinion.

Official sources

This page is general education, not legal, tax, financial, mortgage or appraisal advice. Confirm anything specific to your situation with the right licensed professional — a real estate lawyer, a mortgage professional, a home inspector, and a registered real estate salesperson or broker.