Golfi Real Estate
Golfi Real Estate
Selling a home in Southern Ontario with Gina Gratta
Home Our Services Seller's Guide

Your Seller's Guide to Southern Ontario

Everything you need to sell with confidence across Hamilton, Halton, Niagara & Brantford — from your free home evaluation to the day your sale closes and the keys change hands.

From listing to closing

The selling process, step by step

Selling your home in Ontario follows six clear milestones. Here's what each one looks like — and exactly where Gina steps in to protect your interests and maximize your proceeds.

1

Free Home Evaluation & Pricing Strategy

Gina prepares a detailed Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) using recent comparable sold prices in your neighbourhood. You'll get a strategic list price — not the highest number that sounds good, but the number that attracts serious buyers and maximizes your final sale price. Overpricing costs sellers money; correct pricing sells homes.

2

Prepare & Stage Your Home

First impressions happen online before a buyer ever walks through your door. Gina will walk through your home and advise on decluttering, repairs worth doing, furniture arrangement and staging. Small investments in presentation — neutral paint, clean landscaping, cleared counters — consistently add thousands to the final sale price.

3

Professional Photography & Marketing

Your home is listed on MLS® and realtor.ca with professional photography and, where appropriate, video tours and 3D walkthroughs. Gina's marketing extends across social media platforms, digital advertising, email campaigns and the full Golfi RE/MAX network — putting your home in front of the most motivated buyers in Southern Ontario.

4

Showings, Open Houses & Feedback

Gina coordinates all showing requests through a secure lockbox and tracks agent feedback after every visit. You'll know what buyers are saying — what they love and any recurring objections. If adjustments are needed to price or presentation, you'll have real data to act on, not guesses.

5

Reviewing Offers & Negotiating

Every offer arrives as a formal Agreement of Purchase and Sale (APS) prepared on OREA forms. Gina presents all offers, explains the full terms of each — price, deposit, closing date and any conditions such as financing, home inspection or status certificate review — and advises you on the best response strategy. As a Accredited Real Estate Negotiator (AREN), she knows exactly how to navigate multiple-offer situations and get you the best possible outcome.

6

Firm Sale & Closing with Your Lawyer

Once all conditions are fulfilled the sale becomes firm. Your real estate lawyer handles the title transfer, discharges your existing mortgage, calculates property tax adjustments and prepares the Statement of Adjustments. Commission (plus HST) is paid from the sale proceeds on closing day. The keys change hands and the transaction is complete.

Your listing agent matters

Why list with Gina

Not all agents deliver the same result. Here's why sellers across Hamilton, Halton, Niagara and Brantford trust Gina Gratta to get their home sold — on time, on terms and for top dollar.

Local market expertise

Gina knows exactly what buyers are paying right now in Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Burlington, Oakville, Grimsby and Niagara-on-the-Lake. That hyperlocal knowledge is the foundation of every pricing decision she makes for her sellers.

Accredited Real Estate Negotiator (AREN)

Gina holds the AREN and PREN designations — advanced training in negotiation strategy that is especially valuable in multiple-offer situations. When it's time to review offers, that expertise helps you weigh price, conditions and closing terms with a clear head and hold firm for the best result.

Professional marketing package

Every listing includes professional photography, an MLS® listing on realtor.ca, targeted digital advertising, social media promotion and placement within the RE/MAX Escarpment Golfi network. Your home gets seen by the right buyers — not just any buyers.

Honest pricing — not flattery

Gina won't tell you what you want to hear about your home's value. She'll tell you what the market will actually bear. Overpriced listings sit, go stale and ultimately sell for less. Honest pricing, right from the start, is how sellers net more money.

Full-service from prep to close

Gina doesn't just list your home — she prepares it. From staging advice and trusted trades for last-minute repairs to lawyer referrals and closing-day coordination, she handles every detail so you don't have to.

Award-winning representation

Gina is a RE/MAX 100% Club member (2024 & 2025) and was named Agent of the Year 2024 within the Golfi team — results backed by her AREN and PREN negotiation training that works in your favour at the offer table.

Know your numbers before you list

What does it cost to sell in Ontario?

An honest, upfront breakdown — no surprises at closing. Gina prepares a full net-proceeds estimate before you list, so you know exactly what you'll walk away with.

Commission + HST

Negotiated up front · +13% HST

Agreed with Gina before you sign the Listing Agreement. Covers both the listing and cooperating buyer's brokerage. HST applies to the commission.

Legal fees

Approx. $1,500 – $2,500

Your real estate lawyer prepares the Statement of Adjustments, discharges your mortgage, transfers title and handles closing funds, plus disbursements.

Mortgage discharge

3 months' interest or IRD

If you break a fixed-rate mortgage before its term ends, your lender may charge a prepayment penalty. Ask for a discharge statement before you list.

Staging & prep

Optional · high return

Decluttering, fresh paint and a professional clean often add far more to your sale price than they cost. Gina advises what's worth doing for your home.

The bottom line

You keep more than you might think

Unlike buyers, Ontario sellers pay no land transfer tax — that cost belongs to the buyer. Before you commit to anything, get a precise, no-obligation estimate of your net proceeds.

Get My Net-Proceeds Estimate
$0
Land Transfer Tax
for Ontario sellers
Free & No Obligation

What Is Your Home Worth?

Before you make any decisions about selling, find out what your home is actually worth in today's market. Gina will prepare a detailed, no-obligation Comparative Market Analysis using real comparable sold prices — not an algorithm estimate. There's no pressure and no cost. Just accurate information you can use.

Get My Free Home Valuation
Seller FAQ

Your Ontario selling questions, answered

In an active market, most well-priced homes in Hamilton, Halton, Niagara and Brantford sell within 2–4 weeks of listing. Homes that are priced correctly and professionally presented often receive offers in the first 7–10 days. Overpriced listings can sit for months and typically sell for less than if they had been priced accurately from day one. A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) with Gina will show you exactly where the market sits today.

A CMA is a free, no-obligation analysis Gina prepares using recent comparable sold prices in your neighbourhood — matched by property type, size, condition and location. It is the most reliable way to establish a strategic list price that attracts buyers while maximizing your sale proceeds. Unlike automated online estimates, a CMA accounts for the nuances that algorithms miss: renovation quality, lot characteristics, local demand and seasonal timing.

Staging is not legally required, but it almost always increases your sale price and reduces days on market. Buyers form their first impression from listing photos online — before they ever walk through your door. Even basic steps like decluttering, depersonalizing and rearranging furniture can dramatically improve how your home photographs. Gina will advise you on which preparation steps will have the best return on investment for your specific home and budget.

As a seller in Ontario, your primary costs are: real estate commission (covering both brokerages) plus HST (13%) on that commission; legal fees for your real estate lawyer (typically $1,500–$2,500); mortgage discharge fees or prepayment penalties if you are breaking your mortgage before its term ends; and a property tax adjustment to account for any taxes you have prepaid. Important: land transfer tax is a buyer cost in Ontario — sellers do not pay it. Gina will prepare a detailed net proceeds estimate before you list so there are no surprises at closing.

Absolutely — the vast majority of homes are sold while the owner is still living there. Gina will work with you to set a showing schedule that balances broad buyer access with your daily routine. She will also share simple habits — keeping surfaces clear, maintaining a neutral scent, having a plan for pets — that help your home show its best on short notice and make buyers feel comfortable lingering.

When multiple buyers submit offers on your home, Gina presents all offers to you and explains the full terms of each — price, deposit amount, conditions (financing, home inspection, status certificate), and closing date. You can accept the best offer outright, sign back (counter) one offer, or in competitive markets set a pre-announced offer presentation date so all interested buyers bring their strongest offer simultaneously. Gina's Accredited Real Estate Negotiator (AREN) training ensures you navigate this process with confidence and extract the best possible terms.

Strategic repairs can increase your sale price and reduce buyer negotiating leverage — but not all improvements have a positive return. Gina will walk through your home and advise which fixes are worth doing: fresh neutral paint, correcting obvious deficiencies, updating dated hardware or lighting. She will also identify which expensive upgrades may not add enough value to justify the cost. The goal is always to maximize your net proceeds — what you take home after all costs — not just the sale price on the sign.

Hamilton, Halton, Niagara & Brantford

Ready to Get Started?
Let's Sell Your Home Right

Whether you're months away or ready to list next week, your first step is a free, no-obligation home evaluation. Gina will show you exactly what your home is worth in today's market and what you can expect to net at closing — with no pressure and no obligation.