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My Next KW Home Group - Real Estate Services in Kitchener-Waterloo

The Complete Home Seller's Checklist

Everything a Kitchener-Waterloo seller needs to do, in order — from six-plus weeks before listing to the weeks after closing. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and work down the list.

Updated July 2026 · No email required

  1. Get the lay of the land

    6–8 weeks before listing

    • Get a professional opinion of value — request a free CMA rather than relying on online estimates
    • Read the current Waterloo Region market report so your price expectations match today's market, not last year's
    • Check your mortgage: discharge penalty, portability, and payout figure from your lender
    • Gather documents: survey, deed, property tax bills, utility costs, rental contracts (water heater, water softener), and any renovation permits
    • Consider a pre-listing inspection — optional, but it surfaces surprises before a buyer's inspector does
    • Selling a condo? Order a status certificate early — buyers will ask for it, and it takes up to 10 days
    • Decide on timing — school calendars and possession dates drive KW's spring and early-fall peaks

  2. Choose your representation

    5–6 weeks before

    • Interview at least two agents; ask each for a CMA and their marketing plan in writing
    • Understand the listing agreement before signing: term, commission, holdover clause
    • Ask what commission covers — photography, staging consult, floor plans, feature sheets
    • Confirm how showings, offers, and communication will actually work day to day

  3. Prepare the home

    3–5 weeks before

    • Declutter room by room — closets and the garage included; buyers open everything
    • Handle the small repairs that read as neglect: dripping taps, chipped trim, burnt-out bulbs
    • Deep clean or hire it out — it outperforms almost any renovation dollar-for-dollar
    • Paint where it counts: scuffed high-traffic walls, bold colours back to neutral
    • Stage the rooms that sell the home: living room, primary bedroom, kitchen
    • Boost curb appeal — mowed lawn, swept walkway, a clean front door; winter showings still judge the exterior

  4. List it

    Listing week

    • Professional photography only — it is the first showing, and most buyers screen online
    • Review the listing copy for accuracy: taxes, fees, rental items, inclusions and exclusions
    • Set the showing schedule and how much notice you need
    • Plan for pets and kids during showings — empty houses show best
    • Lock away valuables, medications, and personal documents

  5. Showings and offers

    While on market

    • Leave for every showing; buyers linger longer and speak honestly in an empty house
    • Keep the home show-ready daily — beds made, counters clear, lights on
    • Review feedback weekly with your agent and adjust (price, presentation, or patience)
    • When offers come: weigh price against conditions, deposit, and closing date — the highest number is not always the strongest offer
    • Understand each condition (financing, inspection, sale of buyer's home) and its waiver timeline

  6. Conditional period and closing

    Accepted offer → closing day

    • Accommodate the buyer's inspection and appraisal promptly — delays kill deals
    • Hire a real estate lawyer early; they handle title, adjustments, and funds on closing day
    • Sort out rental items (water heater, softener, security system): buyer assumes the contract or you buy it out — settle which in the offer
    • Keep your home insurance active until closing day; cancel only after the keys change hands
    • Book movers the moment the deal firms up — month-ends in KW fill fast
    • Work through the Ontario address-change checklist — licences, health card, CRA, banks, subscriptions
    • Arrange final utility readings for closing day: Enova Power (Kitchener/Waterloo electricity), GrandBridge Energy (Cambridge), Kitchener Utilities (gas & water in Kitchener), or Enbridge
    • Leave keys, garage remotes, manuals, and codes with your lawyer or agent as instructed
    • Do a final walkthrough: empty, broom-clean, inclusions in place

  7. After closing

    The weeks that follow

    • Report the sale on your next tax return — the principal residence exemption still requires reporting the sale to the CRA
    • Confirm your lawyer's statement of adjustments and keep it with your records
    • Redirect mail with Canada Post if you haven't already

Want the whole process explained?

The checklist tells you what to do; the complete step-by-step selling guide explains how and why — offers, conditions, costs, and timelines. Or see how we sell homes and start with a free home valuation.