Ask if there is a penalty for paying off your mortgage early.

Buying your next home too? Ask about porting (moving) your mortgage to the new home, and what bridge financing would cost if your purchase closes before your sale.

Send us their contact info. Don't have one? Call one of ours, Mia at MMA Law or Manpreet at Legal Studio.

We come over to assess your home and talk strategy. We walk you through each pricing option and choose the best one together. Nick gathers what we need for the listing.

Please have these ready:

• Your property survey, if you have one
• This year's property tax bill (if you don't have it yet, last year's will do)
• Photo ID, such as your driver's licence
• Any rental contracts, such as a water heater, furnace or air conditioner
• A list of anything you plan to take with you, such as light fixtures or a TV mount
• Condo owners: your management company's contact information

Patricia, our stager, comes in for a consultation. Think of her as the "bad cop." She isn't judging your home. Her job is to tell you exactly what to do before your home goes on the market.

We pay for the consultation. After that, you can hire Patricia to do the staging (at your cost), or do the work yourself using the detailed report she gives you.

Once staging is done, our photographer takes the listing photos. He gives us about 50, but we only post the best 15 to 20.

The goal is to bring as many buyers as possible into your home, not to give it all away online. Less is more.

Nick sends you the listing documents to e-sign. This includes your listing agreement.

Before you sign, we'll give you a short guide from Ontario's real estate regulator. Please read it and ask us anything.

Nick is your main contact. Reach out to him with any questions. Rav oversees everything and is always here for you too.

The more available you are, the better. Here's how showings work:

• We put a lockbox on your door so buyer agents can get in.
• Showing requests come to you by text and email. We'll show you how it works.
• Agents give at least 1 hour's notice for each showing.
• Tell us your earliest and latest showing times for each day. We recommend 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Buyer agents show your home, not us, and every visit is logged.
• Agents are asked to take off their shoes, and to turn off the lights when they leave.
• Please be out during showings. Staying close by is fine.
• Put away valuables, medications and personal papers before showings start.
• Keep your home tidy and ready to show. Take pets with you, or keep them crated.
• We don't hold open houses. They mostly bring in curious neighbours, not serious buyers.

When an offer comes in, Rav negotiates it for you and Nick goes over every document with you. Offers move fast, so please stay close to your phone.

• Most offers are conditional on a home inspection and the buyer's financing.
• The buyer's deposit is held in trust by the brokerage until closing.
• Condo owners: most condo offers are conditional on the buyer reviewing the status certificate. Order and pay for it as soon as you accept an offer.

Once all conditions are met, the sale is firm. The buyer usually gets two visits before closing. We'll arrange these visits for you.

Until closing, keep your home insurance in place and keep the home in the same condition as when you sold it, with everything included in the sale in working order.

Closing can happen any time up to 6 p.m. But if the lawyers close earlier, say at 11 a.m., your home must be empty by then.

• Book final meter readings, and cancel or transfer your utilities as of closing day.
• Set up mail forwarding with Canada Post.
• Move out the day before closing, or first thing that morning.
• Leave the home clean and empty, except for anything included in the sale. Check closets, the basement and the garage so nothing gets left behind.
• Leave one key in the lockbox.
• Leave all other keys, garage door openers and appliance manuals on the kitchen counter.

On closing day, your lawyer pays off your mortgage and sends you what's left.

• Once your lawyer confirms the sale has closed, cancel your home insurance. Not before.
• Cancel any automatic property tax payments with the city.
• Report the sale on your tax return, even if it was your principal residence. Your accountant can help.

Most listing agents charge 2% to 3%. Our fee is 2%. Our clients come from referrals, not advertising, so we pass that savings on to you.

The buyer's agent gets 2.5%. Total: 4.5%, plus HST.

If our marketing brings the buyer, your total drops to 3.5%. This doesn't apply to buyers who were already our clients.