A printable Alberta seller's checklist covering title, mortgage payout, tax and condo documents, closing steps and a net proceeds worksheet.
⚖️ This is general information, not legal advice. It can't account for your specific situation. Use it to get oriented, then confirm the details with a lawyer who practises in Alberta.
This checklist is for people selling a house, townhouse or condominium in Alberta. It follows the order most sellers need: gather your documents, understand what will come off the sale price, deal with conditions and possession, then handle closing day and the tax follow-up. Print it and tick items off as you go. The net proceeds worksheet near the end helps you estimate what you may actually receive. Commission, legal fees, condo fee adjustments and the possession and closing dates are set by contract or negotiation, so use your own contracts for those numbers and confirm anything unclear with a lawyer or accountant.
Gather your core property documents
- Your current Alberta certificate of title, so you can see registered mortgages, caveats and liens.
- Your purchase documents and the mortgage contract, including term and prepayment terms.
- Recent property tax notices and any assessment notices.
- Condominium documents if you own a unit: bylaws, insurance information and recent fee statements.
- Receipts for any recent renovations or work done by contractors.
- Your listing agreement and any signed offers.
Get your mortgage payout statement and penalty
Ask your lender for a written payout statement showing the amount owing and any prepayment penalty. Both are paid out of your sale proceeds at closing, so they come off what you receive. Get the figures in writing from the lender, because penalties differ from one mortgage to another.
There is a federal rule that can cap the penalty. If a mortgage was not payable until more than five years after it was made, the borrower may, after the five years, prepay the whole by paying the amount owing plus three months' interest in lieu of notice. That rule does not help with mortgages of five years or less, where the penalty is whatever the contract sets, often the greater of three months' interest or an interest rate differential. It also excludes certain mortgages given by corporations and prescribed entities. A lawyer can tell you which rule applies to your mortgage.
Order condominium documents early
- Ask the condominium corporation for the certificate on your unit under the Condominium Property Act, s. 43.2.
- Expect a charge of up to $200, plus up to $100 more if you need delivery within three days, subject to the bylaws.
- Be aware that older checklists may show a $100 cap, which was a 2018 figure and is out of date.
- Include the current insurance notice from the corporation in the documents you give the buyer.
- Remember the insurance notice is separate from the certificate and sets no fee.
- Confirm current fees with the corporation before you budget.
Check title for liens, caveats and other claims
Review your title for registered builders' liens. The seller must clear these before closing. Under the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act, a lien must generally be registered within 60 days after the relevant last-supply or completion date, and a lien not registered in time ceases to exist. The period is 90 days for improvements to an oil or gas well or well site. Other special cases may have different periods, so how this applies depends on your situation and is worth confirming with a lawyer.
A registered lien expires after 180 days unless a lis pendens is registered or an action is started within that time. To deliver clear title, you need a registered discharge of the lien or payment into court. If you see a lien, a caveat or anything you do not recognize on title, speak to a lawyer early, since the fix may take time.
Sort out property taxes
- Obtain a tax certificate from the municipality.
- Check whether any taxes are overdue, because overdue taxes are a debit to the purchase price at closing.
- Expect current-year taxes to be normally prorated between you and the buyer as of the closing date.
- If delinquent taxes exist, they are a lien payable by the seller; if paid out of the sale proceeds, no further price adjustment is required.
- Keep a copy of the certificate for your lawyer.
Work through conditions, possession and closing day
- Track every condition in your contract and its removal date, and keep copies of signed removals.
- Confirm the possession and closing dates, which are set by your contract.
- Ask your lawyer which documents you need to sign ahead of closing, and when.
- Confirm that your mortgage discharge will be submitted to Land Titles with the original signed discharge and the registration fee.
- Arrange to cancel utilities and redirect your mail.
- Leave keys, garage openers and any documents the contract requires.
- Understand that the transfer is recorded at the Land Titles Office and a new certificate of title number is assigned to the buyer.
Know the costs that come off your proceeds
A registered real estate agent must charge and remit GST on commission and other services. In Alberta the rate is 5% GST and 0% PST, so GST is added to the commission on your statement. Selling services are generally taxable even when the home itself is exempt, and most home sellers cannot recover that GST.
On the Land Titles side, the buyer's lawyer registers the transfer and the buyer normally pays that fee. A mortgage discharge is listed at $35 on the Common Documents Fee Schedule. A caveat is listed at $40, but another source lists $35 or $50, so confirm the current amount. Land Titles fees can change, so check the current schedule before you budget.
Worksheet: estimate your net proceeds
Treat the result as an estimate. Your lawyer's statement of adjustments will give the final numbers. If you were a non-resident, the buyer may need to remit a specified amount if no certificate of compliance is provided, which reduces your net proceeds.
Worksheet: estimate your net proceeds: checklist
- A. Sale price: $________
- B. Less mortgage payout and prepayment penalty from the lender's written statement: $________
- C. Less real estate commission: $________ plus 5% GST: $________
- D. Less legal fees and disbursements: $________
- E. Less or plus property tax adjustment from the tax certificate: $________
- F. Less or plus condo fee adjustment and certificate fee: $________
- G. Less any amount needed to clear a registered builders' lien so you can deliver clear title (a registered discharge or payment into court): $________
- H. Less any amount withheld because of non-resident status, if it applies: $________
- Net proceeds: A minus B through H = $________
After closing: report the sale for tax
- Report the sale of your principal residence on Schedule 3 of your T1 return, with the acquisition date, proceeds and a description of the property.
- Complete Form T2091(IND) to designate the home; only page 1 is needed if it was your principal residence for all years owned, or all but one.
- Remember the exemption is allowed only if the sale and designation are reported, even with no taxable gain.
- Use the full T2091(IND) if the home was not your principal residence every year, and note that only one property per family unit can be designated for a given year.
- If you forget, ask the CRA to amend the return; the penalty is the lesser of $8,000 or $100 for each complete month since the original due date.
- Speak to the CRA or an accountant if you were a non-resident for part of the time, or used part of the home for business or rental.
- If you are a non-resident seller, notify the CRA within ten days of disposing of the property using Form T2062.
What it costs with us
A home sale with us in Alberta is from $1,137.95, GST included. Government and other third-party fees are extra. Start a File or call 1-844-900-1070. See our pricing.
This is not legal advice
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Alberta laws and government programs change, and how the law applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, speak with a lawyer who practises in Alberta. Reach us at 1-844-900-1070 or start a file online.