“What will I actually walk away with?” is the question every seller should ask before choosing how to sell. The list price isn’t the number that matters — the net is. Here’s an honest breakdown of the costs of selling a house in Alberta, whichever route you take.
Real Estate Commissions
Commissions in Alberta are negotiable and vary by brokerage, but a commonly quoted structure is around 7% on the first $100,000 of the sale price and 3% on the balance, split between the listing and buyer’s brokerages, plus GST. On a $450,000 home, that structure works out to roughly $17,500 plus GST. Discount and flat-fee brokerages exist at lower rates, usually with fewer included services. Always confirm the rate in writing — it’s your largest single selling cost.
Legal Fees
Every Alberta sale closes through a real estate lawyer. Fees vary, but sellers commonly pay in the range of $1,000–$2,000 including disbursements. This cost applies no matter how you sell — though in a direct sale to us, we cover typical closing costs.
Mortgage Payout Costs
If you’re breaking a closed mortgage before the term ends, your lender may charge a prepayment penalty — typically three months’ interest or an interest rate differential, whichever is greater. On some mortgages this runs to thousands of dollars. Call your lender for an exact payout figure before you plan your net; there’s also usually a discharge fee to remove the mortgage from title.
Getting the House Ready
This is the cost sellers underestimate most. Painting, flooring, small repairs flagged by an inspection, cleaning, staging, and sometimes bigger-ticket items a buyer’s lender or insurer demands — older wiring, a worn roof, Poly-B plumbing. Spending $10,000–$30,000 to bring an older home to retail standard is not unusual, and doing nothing instead usually shows up as lower offers and conditional deals.
Carrying Costs While You Wait
Every month on the market costs a mortgage payment, property taxes, insurance, and utilities. A home that takes four months to sell and close can quietly consume thousands — more if it’s vacant and needs vacancy insurance.
The Direct-Sale Comparison
Selling directly to a home buyer like us removes the commission, the prep costs, and most of the carrying period: no repairs, no staging, no showings, typical closing costs covered, and a written offer within 48 hours. The trade-off is a price below full retail. For a market-ready home with time behind it, listing often still nets more — we say that plainly. For a home that needs work, the honest math is closer than most people expect. The only way to know is to compare real numbers: get a listing estimate from a REALTOR®, get our written offer, and put them side by side.
Want the direct-sale number for your house? Call 431-449-5009 or read how our process works.