Net proceeds from selling

What you actually walk away with after selling

The headline sale price is rarely the cheque you take home. Selling a Canadian home involves a stack of costs that come out of the proceeds before anything reaches your bank account. This calculator runs the full subtraction so you can plan accurately.

The biggest deductions

• Mortgage payoff — the lender takes their full balance plus accrued interest to the closing date. If you're mid-term on a fixed mortgage, add the prepayment penalty.
• Real estate commission + HST — typically 4-6% of price total (buyer agent + seller agent), plus HST (13% in Ontario, 5% GST in AB/BC, 15% HST in Atlantic provinces).
• Legal fees — $1,500-$2,500 including disbursements.
• Staging + repairs — variable. Spending $3-5k on staging often pays back 5-10x in higher sale price.
• Prepayment penalty — only if you have a closed mortgage and aren't porting. Use our break penalty calculator.

Smaller line items

• Discharge fees (lender: $200-$400)
• Status certificate (condo seller: $100-$300)
• Tax + utility adjustments (could be in either direction)
• Moving costs (separate budget)

Commission negotiation

Canadian commission is negotiable. Standard is 4-6%, but in hot markets sellers often negotiate down to 3.5-4% total. In slow markets, full 5% is sometimes the cost of finding any buyer. The HST applies to whatever rate you negotiate.

If you're also buying

Net proceeds become your new down payment. Run the down payment + CMHC calculator on the purchase to verify the math closes the gap. If proceeds fall short, consider porting the existing mortgage (see blended rate calculator) or bridge financing.

Tax implications

If the home was your principal residence the entire ownership period, the gain is fully exempt under the Principal Residence Exemption. Rental properties + flips trigger capital gains — see our capital gains tax calculator.

Related

• Break penalty calculator
• Blended rate (port + add)
• Down payment + CMHC
• Capital gains tax