The short answer: your biggest cost is the commission, followed by legal fees and preparation — and every one of them is knowable before you list. Sellers are often surprised less by the costs themselves than by finding out about them late. Here is the complete list, in plain terms.
1. Real estate commission
The commission is the largest selling cost for almost every seller. In Ontario, total commission typically ranges around 3.5 - 5% of the sale price, and it is shared between the listing brokerage and the buyer's brokerage. Two things to know: the seller pays it out of the sale proceeds at closing (not up front), and it is agreed in writing in your listing agreement before the sign goes up. It is also negotiable — no law or regulator fixes it. The real question to ask any agent is what you get for it: pricing strategy, preparation guidance, professional marketing, and negotiation.
2. Legal fees
You need a real estate lawyer to close the sale — discharging your mortgage, clearing the title, and handling the funds. Ask for an all-in quote including disbursements rather than the bare fee.
3. Mortgage discharge and penalties
If you are breaking a closed mortgage term early, your lender may charge a prepayment penalty — sometimes the single most underestimated selling cost. Ask your lender for a written payout statement early in the process, not at closing week.
4. Preparation: repairs, staging, cleaning
Optional, but often the best-returning dollars you spend. Small repairs, decluttering, professional cleaning and selective staging routinely pay for themselves in the final price. A good listing agent tells you which preparation is worth it for your specific home — and which is money down the drain.
What about the Mississauga market right now?
Context matters for what selling costs you as a percentage of what you walk away with. Per TRREB's June 2026 data for Mississauga, the average sale price is $1,014,120 and sellers are achieving 97% of their asking price on average. Pricing correctly from day one — rather than chasing the market down with reductions — is the single biggest protector of your net proceeds. See the full picture on the Mississauga market page.
Know your numbers before you list
Every figure above can be estimated for your specific home before you commit to anything. Start with a free, no-obligation home evaluation on the selling page — you will get a realistic value range and a complete cost breakdown, so the decision to sell is made with the whole picture in front of you.