In order, with the reason behind each step. Use this alongside the complete selling guide.
Most sellers think about the list, the photos, and the price. The preparation that happens before those things is where deals get set up or sabotaged. These 12 steps are in the order they should happen, not alphabetically or by importance, some depend on others.
Request the status certificate from your condo corporation's property management company before you list. You'll pay up to $100 and receive it within 10 days. Read it when it arrives, or have your lawyer review it. A pending special assessment, underfunded reserve, or active litigation discovered during a buyer's conditional period can kill a deal you were counting on. Knowing about it before you list lets you price around it, disclose it proactively, or address it. See the full status certificate guide.
Your condo corporation's declaration, bylaws, and rules govern what can and can't happen during a sale. Some buildings restrict showing hours or require an agent to be present. Some have rules about signage, open houses, or lockboxes. If you have a tenant, the rules on notice and access apply. Review the rules before you list so you're not surprised mid-sale. Your property management company can give you the current version of the rules if you don't have them.
Before you talk to agents or decide on a list price, understand what your unit is actually worth. A CMA (comparative market analysis) from a knowledgeable agent shows you recent comparable sales in your building and neighbourhood and gives you a realistic price range. A formal appraisal from a licensed appraiser is more rigorous but not always necessary. The goal is to enter listing conversations with independent price knowledge so you can evaluate what agents are telling you. Read the pricing guide before this step.
Remove at least 30 to 40 percent of what's currently in the unit, from counters, shelves, closets, and storage areas. Condos read as small when they look full. Buyers need to see the space, not your stuff. Decluttering is not the same as depersonalising: you're removing excess, not removing all personality. Family photos and highly specific personal items should come down. Well-chosen plants, a few books, simple art, these help buyers see the unit as a home. Put excess items in storage for the listing period. Read the full staging guide.
Professional photography is the floor, not a luxury. Every serious Toronto condo listing has it. The listing photos are the first showing, most buyers decide whether to visit based on the photos alone. Book a photographer who works in real estate and who understands interior lighting. On the day of the shoot, turn on every light in the unit, open all blinds and curtains, remove anything that shouldn't be in the frame, and make sure the unit is completely ready before the photographer arrives. Virtual tours and floor plan photography are increasingly standard and worth adding.
Parking spots and lockers in Toronto condos can be owned or exclusive use common elements, and they're registered separately from the unit in some cases. Before you list, confirm exactly what's registered to your unit on title and make sure the listing reflects it accurately. An error here can create a legal dispute at closing. Pull your original Agreement of Purchase and Sale when you bought and cross-check it with your property records. If there's any uncertainty, ask your real estate lawyer to confirm before you list.
Your maintenance fee must be current when you sell. Any arrears will be flagged in the status certificate and must be cleared before closing. Pull your statement from the property management company and make sure you're up to date. If there are any arrears, pay them before listing, a buyer whose lawyer sees outstanding maintenance fees will either use it as a negotiating point or get nervous about what else might be wrong. This is a simple step that takes five minutes and removes one potential deal problem.
Ontario requires sellers to disclose material facts that would affect a buyer's decision. A material fact includes things like water damage you know about, appliances that aren't working correctly, any disputes with the condo corporation, or anything else a reasonable buyer would want to know. Failing to disclose can result in the buyer rescinding the deal after closing or pursuing legal remedies. This isn't just a legal obligation, it's also practical: surprises after an offer is accepted are the most common reason deals fall apart. Get ahead of anything material and disclose it upfront.
Your real estate lawyer needs your current mortgage statement to arrange the discharge at closing. Contact your lender and get a current mortgage statement showing the outstanding balance and the name of the lender. If you have a prepayment penalty for paying out your mortgage early, find out the amount, it will come out of your closing proceeds and affects how much you net. Some mortgages have significant penalties for early discharge; knowing the number before you accept an offer lets you make an informed decision about closing date and net proceeds.
Before the listing goes live, you and your agent should have a clear, agreed strategy: will you set an offer date or accept offers anytime? What's the plan if a bully offer comes in before your offer date? At what price would you accept a conditional offer versus holding out for firm? Having these conversations before you're in the middle of a live offer process means you make decisions from a position of preparation rather than pressure. Your agent should explain the rationale for their recommended approach given current conditions in your specific building and neighbourhood.
Sellers in Ontario pay real estate commission, legal fees (typically $1,500 to $2,500 for a standard condo sale), and any mortgage penalty or discharge fees. Toronto sellers don't pay land transfer tax on a sale, but they do pay it when they buy something else in Toronto. You may also owe a maintenance fee adjustment to the condo corporation if your fees are paid monthly rather than in advance. Your lawyer will provide a statement of adjustments before closing showing exactly what you'll net. Understanding the costs in advance prevents surprise at closing.
Work backwards from your target closing date to set your list date. If you want to close in 60 days, you need to be listed within the next 2 to 4 weeks to allow time for a conditional period, condition removal, and the closing process. Don't list before the unit is ready, the first week of a listing is your most valuable showing window. A rushed listing that goes live before the unit is properly prepared and photographed wastes that window. The preparation steps above take two to four weeks if you're thorough. Build that into your timeline before you commit to a closing date to a buyer on your next purchase.