Ken Small, REALTOR® · Century 21 First Canadian Corp., Brokerage
Ken Small Real Estate Team
Selling a home in London

How much does it cost to sell a house in London, Ontario?

There is no set commission rate in Ontario, so we can only give you our own numbers. With us, you pay a $1,500 Launch Retainer and 3% when your home sells.

You might be worried the costs will eat more of your equity than anyone told you. So here is every line, and what you keep.

Seller Take-Home Calculator

The Bottom Line (Quick Answer)

  • With the Ken Small Real Estate Team in London, Ontario, selling costs a $1,500 Launch Retainer up front. Then 3% when it sells.
  • On a $600,000 sale, with the 2% we recommend to the buyer’s brokerage and HST, that is $35,595.
  • Then legal fees, any mortgage penalty and any prep. You keep the rest, after your mortgage is paid off.

The short version

  • Commission is always negotiable and agreed with you in writing.
  • There is no land transfer tax to sell.
  • Sale price, minus every cost, minus your mortgage payoff, equals your pocket.

What does it cost to sell a house in London? Line by line

Here is every cost on a $600,000 sale. It is an example price, not a real sale. On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every amount.

CostWho sets itOn $600,000
Launch RetainerOur fee, paid up front$1,500
Listing-side commission, 3%Our fee, paid only if it sells$18,000
Buyer’s brokerage, 2%Your call; we recommend 2%$12,000
HST, 13% on the three lines aboveOntario HST (source: Canada.ca)$4,095
Legal feesYour lawyerYour lawyer’s quote
Mortgage payout and any penaltyYour lenderYour payout statement
Prep, staging, movingYouOptional
Commission, retainer and HST$35,595

Our calculator starts legal fees at $1,500. Change it to your lawyer’s quote. London’s average sale price was $591,927 (source: LSTAR Residential Market Activity Report, September 2026). An average hides big swings by street and by price band, so find out what your own home is worth.

Real estate commission and the HST on it

Commission is always negotiable and agreed with you in writing. There is no fixed rate. On our example it is the biggest line. HST of 13% applies to the commission.

Legal fees

Your lawyer closes the sale. They handle title, the transfer and the funds. Expect a lawyer’s fee plus disbursements.

Mortgage discharge & any penalty

Your remaining balance gets paid off from the sale. Break a fixed mortgage early and your lender may charge a prepayment penalty. Ask them what it costs before you list.

Prep, staging & adjustments

Optional, but often worth it: cleaning, small repairs, and staging the main rooms. At closing you also settle property tax and utility adjustments. And anything you paid ahead.

The only number that matters is what you keep

Sale price, minus every cost, minus your mortgage payoff, equals your pocket. Get it in writing before you list. Book a call with Ken and we build it with you, free.

How much does a lawyer cost to sell a house in Ontario?

Your lawyer sets it: a fee, plus disbursements. Ask for a written quote before you list. Our calculator starts legal fees at $1,500 until you enter that quote.

Fees for selling a house in London: what we charge

Our fees for selling a house are a $1,500 Launch Retainer and 3% when it sells. We recommend 2% to the buyer’s brokerage, and that is your call. HST goes on top. We publish this so you do not have to ask.

Two things can bring your cost down. Police, fire, rescue or military? 10% of our listing-side commission is credited to you at closing. It is subject to lender and broker approval. It is a credit, not a lower sale price: see the First Responder Discount. And our 30-day guarantee, below, can pay you $5,000 at closing, or $3,000 on a home listed under $350,000.

See what each dollar of our fee buys →

What are the closing costs for a seller in Ontario?

Beyond commission and HST, a seller pays legal fees and the mortgage payout at closing. You also settle property tax and utility adjustments.

What sellers do not pay. There is no land transfer tax to sell. A resale home is generally HST-exempt on the sale price itself. The HST is on the services, like commission and legal fees.

Is there a calculator for the cost to sell a house in Ontario?

Yes. Our Seller Take-Home Calculator shows your estimated take-home in seconds, with no sign-up. It is an estimate from the price you enter, not a valuation.

Why not just use a discount broker?

We are not the cheapest, and we don’t hide it. We publish what we charge and what it buys. And we back it in writing. Call three agents. Ask each one what they charge and what is included. Then compare what you would keep.

Full service vs 1% commission in London: the math, including when the cheaper one is the better choice.

The guarantees behind our fee

Our fee comes with two written guarantees. If your home meets the rules, one of them covers you. Here is the whole deal, in plain English.

Your Home Sold Guaranteed, or I’ll Buy It

If your home does not sell in the agreed time, we buy it at the guaranteed price. If a buyer offers more, you take the higher offer. Six rules decide if your home qualifies:

  1. You buy your next home from one of our own listings, with Ken working for you. Nothing on our list fits? Tell us. We can look at another home you like.
  2. Your next home is worth the same or more than the one you are selling.
  3. The program runs in London, Ontario, on homes worth up to $500,000. Not rural or country properties. Just outside London, or over that price? Call Ken. We may still be able to do it.
  4. Your guaranteed price is your agreed market value, less 7%, less the standard commission. That 7% pays for the risk we take by promising to buy.
  5. Your new home closes 120 days after the guarantee is issued.
  6. A better offer beats the guarantee. If a buyer offers more while your home is listed, that is the one you take.

Nothing is binding until you and the buyer sign an Ontario Form 100, the Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

Your Home Sold In 30 Days or I Pay You $5,000

Not every home fits the buyout rules. If yours does not, this one covers you instead. Sold means a written offer you accept in the first 30 days, at any price, not the closing. The $5,000 is paid when your sale closes. Five rules:

  1. Your home is in London, Ontario. Outside London? Call and ask.
  2. You and Ken agree on a Guaranteed Minimum Sale Price, in writing, before the home is listed. It is set from the same agreed market value the buyout uses, and cannot be higher than your list price.
  3. The home is kept in showcase condition, as it looks in the listing photos, with reasonable daily showing access. Refuse showings, or pause, cancel or move the listing in the first 30 days, and the guarantee ends.
  4. Turn down a written offer at or above that minimum, at any time during your listing, and the guarantee ends. At or above the minimum means the price after any credit you give the buyer. Countering such an offer counts as turning it down. Choosing one offer over another does not.
  5. Homes listed at $350,000 or more: $5,000 paid at closing, as a rebate or off the commission (seller’s choice). Homes listed under $350,000: $3,000 paid at closing instead, as a rebate or off the commission (seller’s choice).

Sold means a written offer you accept in the first 30 days, at any price, not the closing. You never have to accept an offer below your minimum. That is always your call, and saying no to one never costs you the guarantee. The 30 days start the day your home goes live on MLS. An offer made in the 30 days counts if you accept it while it, or a counter, is open. The buyer’s conditions and the closing date are between you and the buyer. If an accepted offer falls through, the guarantee has been met; the 30 days do not start again. No accepted offer in 30 days? We keep marketing your home through your three-month listing. The remedy in (5) is paid when that sale closes. No closing, no payment.

More terms, word for word from the guarantee:

“Listed at” means the original list price in the signed Listing Agreement; a later price change does not move a home from one tier to the other. The $5,000, or $3,000, is paid at the closing of a sale accepted during your listing. That closing can come after the listing ends. No closing, no payment. The guarantee you sign with your listing agreement is the one that counts.

See every guarantee and condition →

Who this is not for

If your only filter is the lowest possible commission, we’re probably not your team. We don’t discount the marketing that sells your home. If you want the cheapest sign on a lawn, someone else will take that job.

What London sellers say about working with us

★★★★★

We would 100% recommend Ken Small if you are wanting to sell or purchase a home. After 65 years in the same house, my father and I had a huge task on our hands to clean it out and get it ready to put on the market. We were able to leave most of this with Ken and his team.

We honestly feel we could not have done this without him. He stepped right in and knew what needed to be done. We felt like he was on the same page with us and we had several offers to look at in less than a week. Ken is kind, personable, professional and turned a very stressful situation into a worry-free one for us once he was on the job.

Awesome job Ken, we can’t thank you enough. We second the other reviewer’s opinion that Ken goes above and beyond!

Denise F. · Seller · Aug 2024 · via Google

4.9 average from 14 Google reviews, as shown on our reviews page (October 2026). Read every review →

Read every review, word for word.

The honest takeaway

We put what you keep in writing before you list.

Common questions about the cost to sell in London

How much does it cost to sell a house in London, Ontario?
With us, it is a $1,500 Launch Retainer and 3% of the sale price, paid only on a successful sale. What you offer the agent who brings the buyer is your call; we recommend 2%. HST of 13% applies. Then legal fees, any mortgage discharge or penalty, and prep or staging. On a $600,000 sale, commission, retainer and HST come to $35,595. We put what you keep in writing before you list.
How much is real estate commission in Ontario?
There is no fixed rate. Commission is always negotiable and agreed with you in writing. Ours is 3% on the listing side, plus a $1,500 Launch Retainer. HST of 13% applies to it.
Do I pay HST when I sell my home?
You do not pay HST on the sale price of a used residential home. But you do pay 13% HST on the services you use. Most notably the real estate commission and legal fees.
What other costs come out at closing?
Legal fees to close the sale. Discharging your mortgage, plus any prepayment penalty your lender charges. Property tax and utility adjustments. And anything you prepaid. Your remaining mortgage balance is paid off from the proceeds.
How do I find out exactly what I’ll net?
Book a 15-minute call with Ken for a free Net Proceeds Estimate. We itemize every cost for your home and mortgage. You get your walk-away number in writing. It is a worksheet built on current tax rates, average local legal fees and the mortgage balance you give us. The closing lawyer and the final sale price set the real payout.
Who pays closing costs when you sell a house in Ontario?
Each side normally pays its own costs, unless the offer says otherwise. The seller pays the commission, the HST on it, their own legal fees and the mortgage payout. The buyer pays the land transfer tax. There is no land transfer tax to sell.
How much does it cost to sell a home in Ontario?
There is no set commission rate in Ontario, so we can only give you our own numbers. With us, you pay a $1,500 Launch Retainer and 3% when your home sells. We recommend 2% to the buyer’s brokerage, and you decide that one. HST of 13% goes on top. Then come legal fees and your mortgage payout.

Want to know what you’ll actually keep — in writing?

Start with a 15-minute call with Ken. No obligation.

What’s My Home Worth?

About Ken Small

Ken Small, REALTOR®, has been a real estate agent in London since 2003. He leads the Ken Small Real Estate Team at Century 21 First Canadian Corp., Brokerage. The office is at 420 York Street, London, ON N6B 1R1. RECO #4727293. Meet the team →