Selling a House in Calgary: Your Step-by-Step Guide

1. Get a home evaluation and establish your list price.

A good starting price comes from the homes buyers can choose today and the homes they have actually purchased. Don compares recent sales, active competition, property type, condition, layout, location and improvements. An automated estimate cannot inspect your renovation quality or hear why you need to move.

Tell Don your ideal possession date, whether you need to buy another home and your priorities for the sale. Before making a moving budget, ask your lender for a mortgage payout estimate, any early-payment penalty and your portability options. Your sale price and the amount you have available for your next purchase are different numbers.

Don will discuss a likely selling range, recommend a list price and explain the approach. Agree on when to review buyer response after launch. Starting high just to leave room for negotiation can mean losing attention while the listing is new.

Get your free Calgary home evaluation, or read how to choose a list price that attracts serious buyers.

2. Build a simple fact sheet before buyers ask.

Buyers often ask the same questions. Gathering the answers now helps Don market the property accurately and respond quickly when an interested buyer calls.

• Furnace and hot-water tank: installation dates, service records, warranties and whether equipment is owned or rented.
• Roof and windows: replacement dates, scope of work, receipts and any warranty that can transfer. Replacing a few windows is different from replacing every window.
• Renovations: dates, contractors, permits, inspections and relevant receipts. Include basement work, decks, electrical changes and air conditioning.
• Appliances and systems: known issues, included equipment, alarm or smart-home subscriptions, water treatment and unusual operating instructions.
• Ownership and access: owners’ legal names, tenant arrangements if applicable, possession needs and anyone who must sign.

If you do not know an age, say so. A service sticker may help, but it is better to verify than advertise a guess. Tell Don about known water entry, structural or safety concerns and work without permits so the right disclosure and next steps can be addressed. Cosmetic preparation must never hide a known problem. RECA: material latent defects

For condos, answer these questions early.

• Are pets permitted? What size, number or board-approval rules apply?
• What exactly do the monthly fees include: heat, water, electricity, insurance, amenities or other services?
• Are there special assessments? Record the amount, purpose, payment dates and what has already been paid. Ask about announced projects and outstanding amounts.
• Is air conditioning permitted, and what written approval is needed for installation or other alterations?
• Are parking and storage titled, assigned or leased? Which spaces belong with this unit?
• Are there rental restrictions, insurance deductibles or upcoming work a buyer should review?

Use current bylaws, the condominium plan and written information from management. Permission given to another owner does not establish permission for your unit. Condo Law for Albertans: bylaws · AREA: documents to obtain when buying a condo

3. Order your RPR or condo documents before they hold up the sale.

Real Property Report and Calgary compliance

A Real Property Report, or RPR, shows the property boundaries and improvements. For many house sales, the contract calls for an RPR with municipal compliance. Check the agreement with Don and your lawyer; conventional condominium units and bare-land condos can have different requirements.

Find your existing report and check which survey company prepared it. Call that company first to ask whether it can update the report; an update may cost less than a new RPR. Tell the surveyor about any newer fence, deck, garage or other changes so they can confirm what is needed.

The City of Calgary’s compliance review checks the location of structures against land-use requirements. It does not replace development or building permits. For a typical single- or semi-detached home, the City lists a $189 compliance fee per parcel. Initial reviews normally take one to two days; files requiring further review can take longer. Order early enough to resolve an issue. City of Calgary: compliance requirements and fees · City application portal

What belongs in a condo document package?

Ask for current bylaws, budget, financial statements, reserve fund study and plan, insurance information, meeting minutes, management information and assessment notices. Confirm the exact documents required by the purchase contract; a package name alone does not tell you what is inside. An estoppel certificate addresses financial information about the unit. Independent document review is a separate service.

Alberta’s document-request rules generally give the corporation 10 days to respond to a written request for the specified available documents. That is a reason to order before an offer arrives, rather than assume everything will be ready overnight. Alberta: condominium documents for owners and purchasers · Alberta lawyer’s explanation of condo closing documents

4. Prepare your home for photos and the first showing.

Start with the work buyers will notice: clean thoroughly, reduce clutter, touch up damaged paint, replace failed light bulbs and deal with small maintenance issues. Clear counters, open sightlines and tidy the entrance. Ask Don before starting an expensive renovation; the goal is to improve your sale outcome, not spend heavily on finishes the next owner may replace.

Prepare the outdoor areas too. Remove seasonal clutter, tidy landscaping and arrange parking so the exterior photographs well. Pack personal paperwork, valuables, medications and identifying family photos. If you plan to exclude a special light fixture or other attached item, discuss replacing it before photography and documenting the exclusion.

Before the media appointment, confirm access, pets, cleaning and any remaining work. Have the home ready before the photographer arrives. Wide-angle cameras capture much of the space, often through doorways into the next room, so plan to put belongings away in advance instead of moving piles from room to room during the shoot.

If you still need somewhere to put things

Ask the photographer to photograph one bedroom or bathroom first. Once they confirm they are finished with that room, move the remaining items into it and leave the other spaces clear. Then step out of the photographer’s way and follow their direction about where to wait. Working around people and clutter can limit the angles and make the photos less effective.

Keep the home close to its photographed condition once showings begin.

Read the Calgary home-preparation checklist.

5. Get ready for your MLS® launch.

Don’s working target is to be ready for MLS® and launch within 24–48 hours after the photo appointment, once the finished media, measurements, listing information and required signatures are in place. If editing, repairs or missing documents need more time, Don will confirm the revised launch date with you.

Before going live, check the address, price, room details, property features, included items and showing instructions. Decide how much appointment notice you need and when the home can be shown. The first interested buyer may want to visit quickly.

Don coordinates the listing and marketing; you help by keeping access practical and letting him know immediately if circumstances change. If you are buying and selling together, discuss the timing before accepting a possession date. Plan the two moves together.

6. What to expect during showings.

Showings are appointments for buyers and their real estate representative to assess the home. Agree on the notice period, approval process and any unavailable times. If possible, leave during the visit and take pets with you, so buyers can look around and speak openly.

Don can communicate instructions such as shoes off, no bathroom use, lights off and doors locked. Most visits are straightforward, but an instruction is not a guarantee that every visitor will follow it. A light may be left on, a door may need checking or someone may use a toilet. Plan for an occasional check after appointments, especially in a vacant home.

Practical ways to protect the home

• Provide a clear shoe-removal sign and a mat or boot covers at the entrance.
• Secure valuables and medications. Put away anything fragile that could be knocked over.
• Tell Don about alarms, difficult locks, doors that do not latch reliably and rooms with access restrictions.
• For a vacant property, arrange local checks with a trusted person and confirm vacancy requirements with your insurer.
• If something is damaged, missing or left unsecured, document it and contact Don promptly so he can follow up.

If you do not want the toilets used

A polite “Please do not use” sign plus a small strip of green, low-tack painter’s tape across the closed seat and lid can make the request obvious. Test the tape on the finish first. It is a reminder, not a lock or a guarantee.

Remove the tape for an agreed inspection so plumbing can be tested. Never use it to conceal a defect. If the home is winterized or the water is off, give Don clear instructions in advance and label the fixtures appropriately; visitors should not attempt to use them. Agree on how utilities will be restored safely for inspection.

7. How showing feedback works.

Don follows up with showing agents in the days after the appointment. The useful questions are simple: Did the layout and condition suit the buyer? How did the price compare with other homes? Is there anything stopping an offer?

Some agents reply quickly; others do not respond, are difficult to reach or have shown several properties and cannot offer much detail. Don aims to get a useful response from roughly one in every two or three showings. That is a follow-up goal, not a guaranteed response rate.

One opinion is a data point. Repeated comments, the number of appointments, competing listings and actual offers give a better picture. A quiet first week may call for a different discussion from a busy week with consistent objections about price. Don will help you decide whether to adjust preparation, access, presentation or pricing.

8. Review the whole offer: price, terms, conditions and what stays.

The highest number on the page is only part of an offer. Don will work through the proposed price, deposit, conditions and deadlines, possession date, included items and any special obligations. A stronger price with difficult timing may be less useful to you than a slightly different offer that fits your next move.

• Price: compare the offer with recent buyer response and your expected proceeds.
• Deposit: review the amount, due date and trust arrangements. The deposit forms part of the purchase price; it is not an extra payment or automatically yours if a sale falls through.
• Conditions: understand what the buyer needs to investigate and how long the home will be conditionally sold.
• Possession: allow enough time for moving, legal work and your own purchase.
• Repairs or credits: define the work, who performs it, the deadline and how completion will be confirmed.
• Other terms: clarify inclusions, exclusions, any walkthrough and requested access before possession.

Don can negotiate across these items together. Keep counteroffers and agreed changes in writing, and make sure the final signed version reflects the whole agreement. AREA: understanding real estate deposits

Do blinds, curtains, shelves and TV mounts stay?

As a rule of thumb, fixtures fixed to the walls or built into the home generally stay, including wall mounts, built-in shelving and cabinets. If you want to keep something, tell Don before listing and have it clearly excluded in writing in the purchase contract.

List blinds, curtains, curtain rods, appliances and any other items that could cause confusion. If the contract includes all window coverings, leave the blinds and curtains unless an exclusion has been agreed in writing. A quick conversation and a clear list prevent surprises on possession day. AREA: what stays with the home

On the flip side, remove your unwanted furniture, garbage and other belongings. Leave the agreed inclusions, and ask before leaving extra materials or household items for the buyer. Do not leave junk behind for someone else to deal with.

9. Work through the inspection, financing and condition period.

For planning, Don commonly works around a five- to ten-business-day condition period. It is negotiated, not a standard deadline imposed on every sale. The date and time in your signed contract control. Financing and home inspection are common conditions; condo-document review may also be included.

The buyer needs to be satisfied before removing conditions.

Financing and inspection conditions protect the buyer while they confirm the purchase works for them. Under the standard Alberta financing condition, the buyer must obtain financing satisfactory to them. Even if a lender approves the mortgage, the buyer may be unhappy with the interest rate or other terms and choose not to remove the financing condition.

If the buyer is not satisfied and ends the agreement under that condition before it is removed, their deposit is returned under the contract’s trust terms. The buyer still has to act in good faith and make reasonable efforts to satisfy the condition, with notices handled by the contractual deadline. A refund may take time to process. AREA: financing conditions · AREA: when deposits are returned

For a seller, this means an accepted conditional offer still needs to get through the buyer’s review. A mortgage preapproval alone does not make the sale firm. Don follows up on progress, helps address concerns and keeps you informed until the required conditions have been removed.

Expect more than just the inspector.

The buyers may attend the inspection, and their agent may attend too. Confirm who is coming and the expected appointment length rather than assume only the inspector will be inside. Plan to be away, secure pets and make the electrical panel, furnace, tank, attic access and other agreed inspection areas accessible. Keep utilities operating unless a different arrangement has been made.

Give Don service records and explain any known issue before the appointment. Buyers can become concerned about something that looks small to a seller, such as a loose toilet. It may need a simple repair, or it may raise questions about leaking or damage underneath. Get the facts and a qualified assessment where appropriate.

When an issue arises, Don can discuss clarification, supporting records, a repair or a negotiated amendment. Any repair, credit or other change needs agreement in writing. Don will help you weigh the request and negotiate a practical response. AREA: home-inspection practices

Do not treat the sale as firm until Don confirms that the required condition notices have been delivered and the contract’s requirements met. If an extension is needed, deal with it before the deadline and record the agreement properly.

10. From a firm sale to your lawyer’s final signing.

Once conditions are removed, send Don your lawyer’s name and contact details promptly. The brokerage’s conveyancing handoff gets the signed sale paperwork to the legal team. Your lawyer handles the legal transfer, mortgage discharge and payout, closing adjustments and distribution of proceeds.

The package needs the latest signed contract and amendments, including any revised price or possession date. An earlier copy in an email thread is not enough. This is one of the practical reasons Don keeps track of the paperwork after the offer is accepted.

Choose an Alberta real estate lawyer early. Tell the lawyer about every mortgage or secured line of credit, ownership changes, travel plans and any issue with the RPR. Respond promptly to requests for identification and signing appointments. Confirm wire or banking instructions directly using a trusted phone number if anything changes.

Can you sign remotely?

Remote signing may be available through an active, practising Alberta lawyer, including when you are outside Alberta or Canada. Arrange it with the lawyer well ahead of closing. Identity checks, witnessing requirements and courier time still matter; Land Titles documents can require original wet-ink signatures even when the appointment happens by video. Law Society of Alberta: remote witnessing for Land Titles

Learn about Calgary real estate lawyers and closing fees.

Selling while you are a non-resident of Canada.

Tell Don and your lawyer at the beginning, and involve a Canadian tax accountant. Tax residency depends on your circumstances and residential ties; it is not determined simply by citizenship or where you happen to be travelling. CRA: determining residency status

For sales subject to Canada’s section 116 process, a non-resident generally notifies CRA before the proposed sale or within 10 days after the actual disposition. A certificate of compliance may be needed, with forms such as T2062 or T2062A depending on the property.

Without the appropriate certificate, substantial money may need to be withheld from the sale proceeds—commonly 25% of the relevant purchase-price amount, and 50% for certain property types. This can be based on gross proceeds rather than just your gain. Withholding is not necessarily your final tax bill. Your lawyer and accountant should establish the applicable amount, filings and release process before you commit the proceeds to another purchase.

CRA: disposing of Canadian property as a non-resident · CRA: T2062 form and instructions

11. Possession day: when do the keys and money move?

If the contract sets noon as completion time, plan around noon—but leave room for delays. In Don’s experience, a noon closing can move into the afternoon, sometimes around 1–5 p.m. That is a practical possibility, not a guaranteed latest time. Lender funding, legal documents, bank processing and linked purchases can all affect the timing.

Do not hand over keys just because the clock reaches noon or the moving truck arrives. Don waits for the lawyer’s authorization to release access. Keep your phone available and avoid booking a tightly timed second transaction around an assumed funding time. AREA: closing-day practices

Key release and your bank deposit are different milestones.

The buyer’s funds reaching the seller’s lawyer does not mean your proceeds are already available in your personal account. Mortgage payouts, adjustments, legal processing and the chosen payment method affect when the balance reaches you. It may be the next business day or longer. Confirm the expected payout timing with your lawyer before relying on the money.

The home must meet the contract’s condition requirements, including being in substantially the same condition as when the offer was accepted, subject to the agreement. This matters whether or not a final walkthrough is scheduled. Complete agreed repairs, remove your belongings and leave every included item. A walkthrough is an access arrangement to settle in the contract; it is not automatically available in every sale. AREA: possession-day preparation and proceeds · AREA: possession-day expectations

Your final handover checklist

• Move out on time: leave enough time for cleaning, junk removal and a last check before the contractual possession time. Clear unwanted items from the garage, yard and storage spaces too.
• Check the agreement: leave included appliances, window coverings, mounts, shelving and other named goods. Do not substitute a different item without agreement.
• Finish agreed work: keep receipts and give Don any required confirmation before the deadline.
• Prepare the access items: keys, garage remotes, mailbox keys, condo fobs, parking passes and relevant manuals. Confirm where they should be left or delivered.
• Coordinate accounts: arrange utilities, insurance and any alarm or smart-home transfer around your lawyer’s closing advice. Do not cut essential services prematurely.
• Report a new problem: if something leaks, breaks or is damaged before possession, tell Don immediately so the parties can address it.
• Stay reachable: keep Don and your lawyer’s details handy until funding and access are confirmed.

A useful handover note can explain the thermostat, filters, shut-off valves, mailbox location and any equipment that needs special instructions. Share access codes privately through the agreed handover process.