How Do I Sell My Parent's House in Toronto? Start Here.
Updated: 20 hours ago
If you need to sell your parent’s house and you don’t know where to start, don’t start by emptying the house, renovating it or calling three contractors.
Start by figuring out the situation.
The short answer: Before you clean out, renovate or list your parent’s house, first determine who is making the decisions, your parent’s wishes and timing, the condition of the property, what needs to happen with the contents, and whether legal or financial advice is required.
Then create an ordered plan for preparing and selling the home.
Selling a parent’s home can look like a real estate transaction from the outside. In reality, it can be a combination of real estate, family, finances, memories, logistics and about 47 decisions nobody particularly wants to make.
There is a better way to approach it.
What should we do first when selling a parent’s home?
Before you decide what to repair, donate, throw out or renovate, get a clear picture of the property and the circumstances surrounding the sale.
I generally want to understand:
who owns the property and who has authority to make decisions
who else will be involved in those decisions
your parent’s wishes and timing
the condition of the property
what needs to happen with the contents
where your parent is moving, if applicable
whether there are legal or financial matters that require professional advice
what work, if any, would actually improve the sale
how much time, energy and money the family wants to put into preparing the home
Only then does it make sense to build the plan.
And yes, sometimes the plan is surprisingly short.
Do we need to renovate before selling?
Not necessarily.
This is one of the biggest things I see families worry about. A home that hasn’t been updated in 20 or 30 years does not automatically need a renovation before it can be sold.
Some improvements can make a property easier to sell or improve how buyers perceive its value. Others can consume time and money without producing an adequate return.
There is also a big difference between preparing a home and renovating one.
Cleaning, decluttering, repairing obvious defects, improving lighting, painting where appropriate and presenting the property properly may be worthwhile. Replacing a perfectly functional kitchen because it isn’t fashionable is a very different decision.
Before spending the money, I want to know what buyers in that particular market are likely to care about and what competing homes look like.
The question isn’t, “Would this make the house nicer?”
Almost anything will make a house nicer if you spend enough money.
The better question is, “Is this worth doing to help achieve the best sale?”
What do we do with everything in the house?
This can be harder than selling the house itself.
A longtime family home can contain decades of furniture, photographs, paperwork, dishes, clothing, collections and things nobody quite knows what to do with.
Trying to tackle everything at once can become overwhelming very quickly.
Instead, break it into an order:
Keep. Give to family. Donate. Sell. Store. Dispose.
You don’t necessarily have to empty the entire house before asking a REALTOR® to come in. In fact, I would rather see the home before everything starts disappearing.
There may be things worth keeping temporarily for presentation, work that should happen before contents are removed, or rooms that don’t require nearly as much attention as you think.
This is one reason I offer my Concierge Service. I can help determine what needs to be repaired, improved, cleaned, removed, donated, stored or simply left alone. Where needed, I can also help connect you with trusted professionals and coordinate the work you authorize.
You still make the decisions. You just don’t have to figure out every moving part by yourself.
How do we know what the house is worth?
Start with the actual property and the actual market, not an online estimate.
For a longtime home, condition can make an enormous difference. So can the lot, location, layout, renovations, parking, neighbourhood, recent comparable sales and what buyers currently have to choose from.
This is particularly important in Toronto and Etobicoke, where two houses that appear fairly similar on paper can have meaningful differences once you actually walk through them.
A proper pricing discussion should explain the evidence, the competition and the possible strategies.
You should understand why a price or strategy is being recommended rather than simply being handed a number.
What if my parent isn’t ready?
Then they’re not ready.
Unless circumstances require an immediate move, there is no reason the first conversation has to end with a listing agreement or a For Sale sign.
Sometimes the first job is simply figuring out what would have to happen if your parent decided to sell.
That alone can make the situation feel much more manageable.
A plan might reveal that the move is quite feasible. It may uncover an obstacle that needs to be solved first. Or your parent may decide that staying put is the better choice for now.
Those are all useful outcomes.
Should the family be involved?
Usually, the people who genuinely need to participate in the decision should be involved early.
That doesn’t mean everybody gets an equal vote.
It means understanding who the decision makers are, who needs information and where potential disagreements could complicate the process later.
Family dynamics have a funny habit of becoming more interesting when real estate and childhood belongings enter the same room.
Clear responsibilities and a sensible plan can prevent a lot of unnecessary friction.
When should I call a REALTOR® about selling my parent’s house?
Ideally, before you empty the house, renovate it or decide what needs to be fixed.
For this kind of move, I believe the REALTOR®’s job should start before the listing.
My role is to help you determine what needs to happen, what is worth doing, what can probably be skipped, who can help and in what order everything should happen.
Once the home is ready, then we move into the more familiar real estate work: pricing, presentation, marketing, showings, feedback, negotiation, conditions and closing.
When other expertise is required, whether that’s legal, financial, moving, cleaning, repairs or other transition services, I can help connect you with appropriate professionals.
The goal is not to take control away from the family.
It’s the opposite.
You should understand your choices well enough to remain in control of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I empty my parent’s house before calling a REALTOR®?
No. In fact, it can be helpful to have a REALTOR® assess the property before you start removing everything. You can then make informed decisions about what should stay temporarily, what should go, what work is worth doing and what can be left alone.
Do I need to renovate my parent’s house before selling it?
Not necessarily. A dated home does not automatically need to be renovated. Some repairs or improvements may help the sale, while others may cost more time and money than they’re worth. The decision should be based on the property, competing homes, current market conditions and the likely return.
Can we sell my parent’s house as-is?
Potentially. Selling as-is may reduce the work, expense and disruption involved in preparing the property. In other situations, selective preparation could improve the sale. The important thing is to compare the likely benefits and costs before deciding.
When should I call a REALTOR® about selling my parent’s house?
Ideally, before you start emptying, repairing or renovating it. An early consultation can help establish what needs to happen, what may not be necessary and the best order in which to tackle everything.
Not sure where to start?
You don’t need to empty the house, decide what to renovate or have the entire move figured out before you call me.
If you’re helping a parent move or facing the sale of a longtime family home in Toronto or Etobicoke, let’s start with a conversation.
We’ll figure out what needs to happen, what probably doesn’t, and the order that makes sense for your family.
Sandra Rinomato | Real Estate Broker, SRS®, SRES®
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