Selling a condo
Sell the suite, and answer the building questions first.
Buyers of condos ask about fees, parking titles and rules before they ask about the kitchen. A sale goes smoother when those answers are ready on day one.
How a condo sale works.
The order I follow with sellers. Your own timing and your next move can change it.
Price from your own building
Recent sales in the same tower, same exposure and similar floor tell us more than the neighbourhood average. Suites with parking and without are priced separately.
Order the status certificate early
It can take up to 10 days to arrive. Having it ready lets buyers firm up faster and shows you have nothing to hide.
Prepare the suite
Small repairs, a deep clean, and a floor plan drawn to scale. Condo buyers compare square footage closely.
Agree the showing rules with the building
Some buildings don’t allow lockboxes, limit hours or need every visitor registered at the desk. We plan showings around them.
Review offers
Price is one line. Deposit size, conditions and the closing date matter as much, especially if you’re buying next.
Closing
Your lawyer handles the discharge of your mortgage and the adjustments. You hand over every fob, key and the parking remote.
Showing rules in condo buildings.
Every building runs its own front desk. These are the rules I check before the first showing is booked.
- Lockboxes
- Many buildings ban them on the property. My assistant meets agents with the key or arranges a key at the desk where allowed.
- Visitor registration
- Some desks want every visitor’s name in advance. We send the day’s list each morning.
- Showing hours
- A few buildings limit showings to set hours or ask for notice. We set the listing’s booking rules to match.
- Amenity tours
- Buyers want to see the gym and the party room. Some buildings allow it only with staff, so we book it ahead.
- Parking for visitors
- Visitor spots are often few and timed. Buyers get directions to the nearest public lot.
What to have ready.
Gather these before we list. Buyers and their lawyers will ask for most of them.
Parking and locker numbers
The unit numbers and whether each is owned, exclusive use or rented.
Fee breakdown
Your current monthly fee and what it includes, from the budget or a recent statement.
Recent hydro bills
Two or three months, so buyers can see the running cost.
Upgrades and approvals
Dates, receipts and any board approval for flooring or layout changes.
Included appliances
What stays, plus any light fixtures or blinds you plan to take.
Fobs, keys and remotes
Count them. Replacing a fob through management takes time and costs money.
Rental equipment
Any rented water heater, filter or submeter contract that the buyer would take over.
Your next move
Buying next? Renting? The closing date should fit it.
Commission is agreed in writing before we list, and it’s negotiable.
The listing agreement sets out what I’m paid, how it’s shared with the buyer’s brokerage, and what happens if the suite doesn’t sell. I’ll walk you through each line and you can take it home to read before you sign.
Selling a house to move into a condo? I refer the house sale to a colleague who sells freehold every week, and the two of us plan both closings so you aren’t carrying two homes for long.
Talk about your sale