For sellers
Selling your Muskoka home with the records buyers ask for
Muskoka buyers ask about septic systems, shorelines, access and seasonal use. Having those answers ready, and a price built from comparable sales, makes the conversation with a buyer simpler.
The process
How a sale runs, from evaluation to closing
- Step 01
Start with an evaluation
Kirby will go through the comparable sales with you, along with the listings your property would sit beside and what is particular to your land, building and shoreline. You see the evidence behind any number. If your figure and ours differ, we say so before you sign anything.
- Step 02
Gather the property records
Buyers of Muskoka properties ask for septic records, survey, details of the water supply, the way the property is reached and any dock or shoreline structures. Collecting these early saves questions later.
- Step 03
Prepare the land and the building
Kirby will walk the property with you and sort the work worth doing from the work that can wait. For a property with a septic system, a pumping record is something buyers ask to see. For a shoreline, tidy access and clear records of any structures help buyers understand what they are looking at.
- Step 04
Present it for how it is used
A seasonal cottage, a year-round home and a vacant lot are shown differently. We choose photographs and descriptions for the property you have, and we state the access and services plainly.
- Step 05
Agree how the sale is marketed
The listing agreement sets out what marketing is included. Kirby will explain each part and what it is for, so you know what your fee covers.
- Step 06
Weigh every offer, then close
Price is only one term. We explain the deposit, conditions and closing date on each offer, then stay with the file through to closing alongside your lawyer.
Before you list
What buyers of a Muskoka property ask
Buyers want to know how they reach the property, whether by public road, private road or water. They ask who owns the land between the lot and the shoreline, since a shore road allowance falls under municipal jurisdiction and a Crown shoreline reserve is a separate category. Your lawyer can tell you what applies to your lot.
They ask about the septic system, the water supply, the docks and whether the building was made for seasonal or year-round use. Property assessment records classify seasonal dwellings under their own codes, so know how yours is recorded.
Timing is the owner's choice. Kirby will lay out the steps and the dates that follow from them. You decide when to begin. The waterfront property tax article shows what a buyer will look at.
Selling in a particular situation?
Some sales need more than a listing
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Waterfront and cottages
Help with the questions a waterfront or cottage purchase raises: shoreline, dock, septic, access and property class.
Learn more -
Downsizing
Planning the sale of one Muskoka property and the purchase of a smaller one, with the closing dates lined up.
Learn more -
Estate sales
Support for the real estate side of an estate sale, working alongside the estate lawyer.
Learn more
See also the estate home guide, the downsizing guide and the estate administration tax article.
Seller questions
How is the list price set?
From recent comparable sales, the properties currently competing with yours and the features of your land and building. Kirby will go through the comparable sales with you so you can judge the number yourself.
Do I need to service my septic system before listing?
The district states that the owner of a rural property maintains its septic system. Buyers often ask for pumping and repair records, so gather what you have. Ask the municipality or a lawyer what rules apply to a sale of your property.
What do buyers ask about a waterfront property?
Common questions cover access by road or water, who owns the shoreline in front of the lot, the dock and any other structures, the septic system and whether the building is meant for seasonal or year-round use. Having the records ready helps.
When should I list?
The timing is your choice. Some owners list when a property is easiest to show, others when their own plans are settled. Kirby will talk through the options with you and leave the decision with you.
What does it cost to sell?
The commission set out in the listing agreement, legal fees, any preparation you choose, moving costs and a mortgage discharge fee if you have a mortgage. Kirby will give you a written estimate before you list.
I am selling an estate property. Is that different?
Yes. Ontario charges estate administration tax of $15 for every $1,000 of estate value over $50,000, paid as a deposit when applying for the estate certificate. Our estate sale guide covers the steps, and the estate lawyer leads the legal side.
Not advice. This page is general information about how Kirby works with sellers. It is not legal, tax, septic or financial advice. Speak to a lawyer and an accountant about your own circumstances. Ask the municipality about septic and permit rules.
Agreements. Commission, the term and the services included are set out in the written listing agreement. Ask Kirby to go through it line by line before you sign.
Book an evaluation conversation
Kirby will go through the comparable sales for your property with you and give an opinion of value, whether or not you list.