All guides
What it really costs to buy or sell a home in Canada: realtor commission and HST, land transfer tax by province, Quebec welcome tax, legal fees and GST rebates.
Costs, Comparisons and 2026 Rules
- BC property transfer tax in 2026: rates, first-time buyer and new home exemptions
How British Columbia's property transfer tax is calculated, who qualifies for the first-time buyer and newly built home exemptions, and worked examples at common prices.
- Cost of buying and selling a home in Canada: every fee and tax explained
A complete map of the costs of selling and buying a home in Canada in 2026, from realtor commission and HST to land transfer tax, legal fees and GST rebates.
- Competition Bureau, CREA and realtor commission rules: what is changing for buyers and sellers
What the Competition Bureau is investigating about CREA's commission and cooperation rules, how it differs from the US NAR settlement, and what to ask your realtor in 2026.
- GST/HST on a new home and the first-time buyer GST rebate (2026 guide)
When GST or HST applies to a home purchase, how the First-Time Home Buyers' GST Rebate of up to $50,000 works, and how it fits with existing new housing rebates.
- Land transfer tax by province in Canada: rates, who pays and first-time buyer relief
Compare land transfer tax across Canadian provinces in 2026, including Ontario, Toronto, BC, Quebec's welcome tax and the provinces that charge only title fees.
- Ontario land transfer tax and Toronto MLTT in 2026: brackets, rebates and examples
How Ontario land transfer tax and Toronto's Municipal Land Transfer Tax are calculated in 2026, the new MLTT brackets above $3 million, first-time buyer refunds and NRST.
- Quebec welcome tax and notary fees: what buyers and sellers pay in 2026
How Quebec transfer duties (the welcome tax) are calculated and billed, why Montreal pays more, what the notary charges for, and the Quebec-specific costs sellers face.
- Realtor commission in Canada: how it is calculated, split and taxed
How real estate commission works in Canada in 2026, from percentage and tiered rates to flat fees, the buyer-side split, GST/HST on commission and when it is paid.
Worked Examples and Checklists
- Buyer closing costs on a $1 million home: Toronto vs Vancouver vs Quebec compared
The same $1,000,000 resale home bought in Toronto, Vancouver and a Quebec municipality, with land transfer tax, legal or notary fees and first-time buyer relief worked out.
- Buying before selling: bridge financing and the cost of owning two homes
What it costs to buy a new home before selling your current one in Canada, how bridge financing interest is calculated, and how to choose between buying first, selling first or a conditional offer.
- Closing costs checklist for Canadian buyers and sellers: every item, by stage
A stage-by-stage checklist of closing costs when buying or selling a home in Canada, with province-specific items, who pays each one and how to estimate it.
- Full-service realtor, flat-fee MLS or private sale: which costs less in Canada?
A worked cost comparison of a full-service listing, a flat-fee MLS listing and a private sale in Canada, with the break-even price difference and a decision checklist.
- How to negotiate realtor commission in Canada: a practical checklist
What you can negotiate in a Canadian listing agreement, how to compare written proposals in dollars, sample structures, and the trade-offs of pushing the rate down.
- New build vs resale home: the tax arithmetic in Ontario, BC and Alberta
Worked comparisons of GST/HST, rebates, land transfer tax and builder closing adjustments on a new home versus a resale home at the same price, for first-time and repeat buyers.
- How much will I get from selling my house? A worked net proceeds example
Step-by-step calculation of a Canadian seller's net proceeds, from sale price through commission, HST, legal fees, mortgage payout and adjustments, with the arithmetic shown.
Mistakes, Disputes and Official Sources
- Foreign buyer ban and non-resident taxes in Canada: what applies in 2026
Who the federal ban on non-Canadian home buyers covers, its exceptions and end date, plus Ontario's NRST, Toronto's MNRST, BC's additional transfer tax and rules for non-resident sellers.
- Costly mistakes when buying or selling a home in Canada (and how to avoid them)
The buying and selling mistakes that cost Canadians the most money, from commission terms and missed first-time buyer refunds to builder rebates, flipping rules and non-resident withholding.
- Listing agreement traps in Canada: holdover clauses, term length and fees
The clauses in a Canadian listing agreement that most often cost sellers money, including holdover periods, exclusivity, cancellation, deposits on failed deals and admin fees.
- Official sources for home buying and selling costs in Canada: where to check every rate
A province-by-province list of the government, tax and regulator websites where you can verify land transfer tax, welcome tax, GST/HST rebates, commission rules and non-resident taxes.
- How to complain about a realtor in Canada: regulators by province and what they can do
Who regulates real estate agents in each province, how to file a complaint, what regulators can and cannot do about commission disputes, and when to go to court instead.
- Tax when you sell a home in Canada: principal residence, flipping rules and BC's flipping tax
When the sale of a Canadian home is tax-free, how to report it, the federal 12-month flipping rule and its life-event exceptions, BC's home flipping tax and non-resident withholding.
- Underused Housing Tax in 2026: is it gone, and what do owners still owe?
The status of Canada's Underused Housing Tax after Budget 2025, who still has to file for 2022 to 2024, how the 1% tax worked, and what buyers and sellers should check.