It’s easy to focus on the potential sale price, but the amount your home sells for isn't necessarily the amount you’ll walk away with. There are several costs that can come with selling a home, and knowing what to expect ahead of time can help you plan and make informed decisions.

Here are some of the most common expenses to consider in 2026.

Getting Your Home Market-Ready

Preparing your home for sale can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on the property and what it needs.

Some common expenses include:

Professional cleaning: approximately $200–$500+

Pre-listing inspection: approximately $400–$600+
A pre-listing inspection can be helpful, but it is not required.

Painting and minor repairs: Costs vary depending on the work required.

Staging: Costs can range from a consultation to several thousand dollars for full staging. At DiLoreto & Co., we offer staging services at no additional cost to our clients.

Landscaping and curb appeal: Costs vary depending on the property's needs.

The good news? You don't necessarily need to do everything.

The right improvements will depend on your home, your neighbourhood, current market conditions and your overall selling strategy. A good listing plan should focus on the improvements that are most likely to make a meaningful difference.

Legal Fees

You'll need a real estate lawyer to handle the legal side of your sale.

For a straightforward residential transaction in Ontario, it's reasonable to budget approximately $1,000–$2,500+, although costs vary depending on the lawyer, property and complexity of the transaction.

Your lawyer will generally handle things such as:

• Closing documents
• Mortgage payout
• Title work
• Statement of adjustments
• Transfer of funds
• Final distribution of your sale proceeds

Tip: When getting a quote, ask your lawyer for the estimated total, including HST and disbursements.

Mortgage Discharge Fees & Potential Penalties

If you have a mortgage, you'll also want to check with your lender before selling.

Depending on your mortgage, you may have a mortgage discharge fee and, if you're breaking a closed mortgage before the end of its term, a mortgage prepayment penalty may apply.

These costs can vary significantly, so it's a good idea to request an up-to-date mortgage payout statement before making decisions about your sale.

Closing Adjustments

There may also be adjustments between the buyer and seller at closing.

For example, property taxes, utilities or other prepaid expenses may need to be prorated between the parties based on the closing date.

Your lawyer will calculate these adjustments as part of the closing process.

Moving & Storage

Once your home sells, you'll also have the cost of getting yourself and your belongings to your next home.

For a local move, you could be looking at approximately $650–$1,500+, depending on the size of the move, distance, number of movers and other factors.

Storage, packing materials and additional services can add to the cost.

REALTOR® Fees

There is no fixed or mandatory commission rate in Ontario. REALTOR® remuneration is negotiable and is outlined in your listing agreement.

As a Guelph benchmark, total commission arrangements are often around 4%–5% of the total sale price, depending on the brokerage, services and agreement.

As an example, on an $800,000 sale, a 4% commission would be $32,000, before HST.

With 13% HST, that would be $36,160.

The actual fee will depend on the services provided and the agreement between the seller and brokerage.

Don't Forget About Your Net Proceeds

This is one of the most important numbers to understand when you're considering a move.

Instead of only asking:

“What can my home sell for?”

Ask:

“How much will I actually walk away with?”

Your estimated net proceeds could look something like this:

Expected Sale Price
− REALTOR® fees + HST
− Mortgage payout
− Mortgage penalty/discharge costs
− Legal fees
− Preparation and staging costs
− Moving/storage costs
− Other applicable expenses
± Closing adjustments

= Estimated Net Proceeds

Every seller's situation is different.

That's why we believe it's important to look beyond the listing price and understand the complete financial picture before putting your home on the market.

Thinking about selling?

I can help you estimate what your home could sell for, identify which improvements are worth considering and provide an estimate of what you could realistically walk away with.

Let's chat! 

Connect with me - CLICK HERE to send me a message :)

Ian Clancy
Guelph Realtor®