What It Costs to Sell a House in Alberta
Every line, itemized — including the two that surprise people: the Real Property Report scramble and the fixed-rate mortgage penalty. Then your own numbers through the net sheet.
Budget for: commission plus GST on it (structures vary and are negotiable), lawyer fees typically $1,200–$2,500 including disbursements and GST (typical Calgary quotes, September 2026), a Real Property Report with compliance if yours is stale (several hundred dollars and real lead time), mortgage discharge fees and — the big variable — any fixed-rate breakage penalty, condo document packages for condo sales, and the property-tax adjustment at closing. A principal residence generally sells tax-free under the principal-residence exemption, with real exceptions worth an accountant’s confirmation. The number that matters is your net — run the full sheet with your figures.
Every cost, itemized
- Commission + GST — the structure is negotiable and I publish mine: see realtor fees in Calgary. GST applies on the commission, not the house.
- Lawyer’s fees — typically $1,200–$2,500 for a straightforward sale, disbursements and GST included. Those are typical Calgary quotes as of September 2026: the Law Society of Alberta publishes no fee schedule, so ask two firms (what a lawyer’s quote should include).
- Real Property Report (RPR) — the survey most Alberta sales require, with municipal compliance; budget several hundred dollars and real lead time if yours is stale or missing. The most common closing-delay item I see.
- Mortgage discharge — and the penalty question — discharge fees are small; a fixed-rate breakage penalty is not. Get the payout quote early; it changes the timing decision more than any other number.
- Condo document costs — if you’re selling a condo, the document package (estoppel, minutes, reserve study) is the seller’s to produce.
- Property-tax adjustment — settled at closing for the portion of the year each side owns.
The tax side, briefly
A principal residence generally sells tax-free under the principal-residence exemption — but "generally" carries weight: partial rental use, short ownership, and estate situations all complicate it.
General information, not tax or legal advice. Principal-residence, capital-gains and rental-tax rules are federal, personal, and they change — confirm yours with an accountant or lawyer. I work alongside them on every file.
Your personalized net sheet
Tell me the address and your rough mortgage balance and I’ll send the full worked sheet — every line above, with your numbers in it, and what actually lands in your account at closing. One reply, no drip campaign.
Last updated 2026-09-18 · Written by Mohammad Emon, REALTOR® (SRES®) & Licensed Property Manager, KO Realty · RECA licence CON-00133897