Seller guide · 01 / 04
Planning & pricing
Your goals, timing & market position.
Start with a selling strategy built around your circumstances.
Set your priorities
Define what a good move means for you.
The guide starts with an initial consultation about goals, timing, and expectations. Bring your plans and questions to the conversation before deciding on a listing date.
- What is prompting the sale?
- Which dates or commitments affect your move?
- What would you like to understand before making a decision?
Discuss a market-based price
Base the price on recent sales evidence.
The guide describes a Comparative Market Analysis, or CMA, as part of pricing discussions. Ask how comparable sales, competing homes, condition, and buyer demand relate to your property.
- Ask which recent sales are relevant and why.
- Discuss your home’s distinctive features and condition.
- Separate personal attachment from the pricing evidence.
Choose a selling approach
Understand the reasoning behind the proposed strategy.
A pricing conversation should include how the home will be positioned and what information will guide later decisions. Discuss the implications of pricing high simply to leave room to negotiate.
- Ask how the proposed price fits the current competition.
- Clarify which feedback would trigger a review.
- Compare service, preparation, and communication as well as fees.
See the seller roadmap
Understand the stages before the listing goes live.
The guide groups the sale into eight stages, from consultation through closing and ongoing support. Confirm how each applies to your own transaction.
- Consultation → home evaluation and pricing.
- Preparation → marketing plan.
- Listing launch → offer review and negotiation.
- Buyer due diligence → closing and continued support.
Pricing a home in Markham
Prices in Markham can change from street to street. A useful comparison uses the same type of home, in the same pocket, sold in the last three to six months, and adjusts for size, lot, condition and upgrades. Asking prices of homes that have not sold are a weaker guide.
Offer date or list and sell. Setting an offer date can draw competing offers when demand is strong and the home shows well. Listing at market value and reviewing offers as they come can suit a quieter market or a home with a narrower buyer pool. The right choice depends on the home and the month.
Buying and selling at the same time. If you buy first, a bridge loan from your lender can cover the gap between closings. If you sell first, ask for a longer closing to give yourself time to find your next home.
From Kenneth's salesKenneth's 16 listings with published prices sold for an average of 108.9% of list price, and 13 of the 16 sold over asking. Every sale is on the results page.
Before your next conversation
A short checklist to help you prepare. Your ticks stay on this page until you leave or refresh.
Common questions
How is my home's listing price set?
From recent sales of similar homes nearby, adjusted for size, lot, condition and upgrades, and from current competition and buyer demand. The listing strategy, such as setting an offer date, also affects the price you choose.
Should I buy first or sell first?
Selling first removes the risk of owning two homes, but you need somewhere to go. Buying first lets you secure your next home, but you may need bridge financing. Talk to your lender before you decide.
Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my home?
If the home was your principal residence for every year you owned it, the principal residence exemption usually covers the gain. You still report the sale on your tax return. Confirm your situation with an accountant.
What does it cost to sell a home in Ontario?
Plan for brokerage commission plus HST, legal fees, any mortgage discharge penalty, and staging, repairs and moving. Sellers do not pay land transfer tax.
Thinking about selling?
Get a free valuation based on recent nearby sales, or book a short call to talk through timing and next steps.
Adapted from the RE/MAX Realtron Seller Guide, August 2026, printed pages 6–8, 19, 22, 26. This overview is for planning; confirm property-specific, financing, and legal questions with the appropriate professionals.