What it costs to sell your home with us.
There is no set commission rate in Ontario, so we can only tell you ours. It is a $1,500 Launch Retainer up front and 3% when your home sells.
You might be worried the fee is more than you need to pay. Or that extra fees show up at closing. We have none beyond what is on this page. Below is every dollar and what it buys, so you can judge it yourself.
The Bottom Line (Quick Answer)
- The Ken Small Real Estate Team charges a $1,500 Launch Retainer up front. Then 3% when your London, Ontario home sells.
- We recommend 2% to the buyer’s brokerage. You decide that number.
- HST is 13% on all three. On a $600,000 sale, the total is $35,595.
The short version
- Every commission in Ontario is negotiable. There is no fixed rate.
- Our 3% is paid only on a successful sale. If your home does not sell, you owe us no commission.
- No hidden line items. No surprises at closing.
What we charge
Every commission in Ontario is negotiable. There is no fixed rate. So we won’t make you pry ours out of us. Here it is, in plain numbers.
HST applies on top, the same as any professional service. We show you what each co-op number does to your showings and your timeline. Then you decide. You make the money calls, with facts and no pressure. We recommend 2% to the buyer’s brokerage, and that one is your call. That is the whole fee.
What our fee comes to on a $600,000 sale
This is an example price, not a real sale. The math works the same on any price. On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see the amounts.
| Line | Who it pays | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Retainer | Our team, up front, spent on your launch | $1,500 |
| Listing side, 3% | Our team, only when it sells | $18,000 |
| Buyer’s brokerage, 2% | The agent who brings your buyer (your call) | $12,000 |
| HST, 13% on the three lines above | Ontario HST | $4,095 |
| Total | $35,595 |
For scale, 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. Your own number is the one that counts. Run it in the Seller Take-Home Calculator.
Who pays the commission, and where does each dollar go?
When you sell with us, you pay the commission, and only when your home sells. The split matters more than the total. It shows who is paid to work for you.
On that $600,000 sale, before HST, $18,000 goes to our side, the people working for you. $12,000 goes to the agent who brings your buyer. That puts 60% of the commission on your side of the table.
Full service vs 1% commission in London: the math, including when the cheaper option is the better one.
Why we are not the cheapest team in London
We are not the cheapest team in London, and we won’t pretend to be. We do not discount the marketing that sells your home. So do not take our word for it. Call three agents. Ask each one what they charge and what is included. Put the answers side by side. We will hand you our full itemized breakdown.
Here are the questions to ask any agent, including the one about marketing budget.
Why the $1,500 Launch Retainer
It is not our margin, and not a deposit on commission. It pays to get your home ready, and your launch built, before you go public.
The marketing is how we sell. We market your home everywhere buyers actually look — and go find the ones who aren’t looking yet. See how we sell, step by step.
See every line on a $600,000 sale
Want the full math, with legal fees and your mortgage payout too? Read what it costs to sell a house in London, line by line. It works through the same $600,000 example.
What is my home worth before I list?
Find out what your home is worth. It is free, and there is no obligation.
What moves your total cost up, and what brings it down
The Launch Retainer is flat and our 3% does not move. The rest are levers. We tell you what each one does before you decide.
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.
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:
- 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.
- Your next home is worth the same or more than the one you are selling.
- 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.
- 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.
- Your new home closes 120 days after the guarantee is issued.
- 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.
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:
- Your home is in London, Ontario. Outside London? Call and ask.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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. So if you want the cheapest sign on a lawn, someone else will take that job.
What London sellers say about working with us
4.9 average from 14 Google reviews, as shown on our reviews page (October 2026). One seller, word for word:
★★★★★We sold our home! In the midst of interest increases and market pricing decline, Ken was steadfast in his commitment to sell our home. Ken used multiple outlets, went above and beyond to market our property and counselled us well along the way. In the end, we SOLD, and are beginning our next journey as a family. Thank you Ken!
Kristian W. · Seller · May 2023 · via Google
Read every review, word for word.
The honest takeaway
The lowest fee and the most money in your pocket are not always the same thing.
Common questions about pricing and fees in London
How much does it cost to sell a house with the Ken Small Team?
What is the going rate for real estate commission in London, Ontario?
Who pays real estate commission in Ontario?
Can you negotiate real estate commission in Ontario?
What does the $1,500 Launch Retainer actually pay for?
Do I pay anything if my home does not sell?
Why isn’t the Ken Small Team the cheapest option in London?
What does it cost to sell a house in London, beyond commission?
See exactly what you keep.
No hidden line items. No surprises at closing. Start with a 15-minute call with Ken.
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 →