A move usually comes with a date attached. A new job starts on a Monday, a school year begins, a family member needs you nearby. The house in Kitchener doesn’t care about any of that. It sells when it sells, and that mismatch is what makes relocating so stressful.
This post covers how to line up a sale with a fixed move date, what to know about selling from a distance, the extra step if you’re leaving Canada, and when a cash sale makes the most sense.
The timing problem
When you relocate, you’re juggling two transactions and a calendar. If you buy in the new city before the Kitchener house sells, you may carry two homes at once. If you sell first, you may need somewhere to stay in between.
Some lenders offer bridge financing, a short-term loan that covers the down payment on your new home until the old one closes. It can work well when you already have a firm sale with a set closing date. It’s much riskier when the Kitchener house hasn’t sold yet, because you’re borrowing against money you don’t have a date for. Talk to your lender about what you’d qualify for before you commit to a purchase.
Ask what your employer’s relocation package covers
If the move is for work, read the relocation policy closely. Some packages cover real estate commissions, legal fees, moving costs, temporary housing or even a period of carrying costs on the old home. Others cover very little. Knowing what’s paid for changes the math between listing with an agent and selling directly.
Ask specifically whether the package has a deadline. A policy that only reimburses costs incurred within a set window after your start date is a strong reason to get the sale moving early.
Selling from a distance
If you’ve already left Kitchener, a traditional sale gets harder. Someone has to let in contractors, keep the place clean for showings, check on the house and handle any problems. Many people end up relying on friends or paying someone.
A few things make it easier:
- Ask your real estate lawyer whether they can handle signing remotely. Many can.
- Leave a spare key with someone local you trust, or use a lockbox.
- Keep the utilities on and the insurance current. Tell your insurer if the house will be empty.
- Forward your mail and set lights on timers so the house looks lived in.
Moving out of Canada? Plan around section 116
If you’ll be a non-resident of Canada for tax purposes when the sale closes, there’s an extra federal step. Under section 116 of the Income Tax Act, a non-resident seller must notify the Canada Revenue Agency and get a clearance certificate. The application is due within 10 days after closing. Until the certificate is issued, the buyer can be liable for tax, so buyers’ lawyers commonly hold back a large share of the price, often 25%, in trust.
That holdback can tie up a big chunk of your money for months. The timing of your move and your closing date matter a great deal here. Talk to an accountant or tax lawyer before you set either date. Closing while you’re still a Canadian resident can make the sale far simpler.
Kitchener’s market and your move
Kitchener is a city that people move to as well as away from. The ION light rail, which began service in 2019, links downtown Kitchener to uptown Waterloo, and the Lang Tannery redevelopment turned an old industrial building into a tech hub. Older streets in Westmount, one of the city’s main interwar suburbs, and around Victoria Park have a different buyer pool than the newer subdivisions on the edges of the city or the area around Conestoga College in Doon.
That variety matters when you’re relocating, because the right way to sell depends on your type of house. A move-in-ready home in a popular area may sell well on the open market if you have time. An older house that needs updating, or any house when your start date is close, is where a direct sale tends to make more sense.
When a cash sale fits a relocation
Selling to a cash buyer usually makes sense if one or more of these is true:
- Your move date is fixed and close.
- You’ve already moved and can’t easily manage showings.
- The house needs repairs you don’t have time to arrange.
- You need a firm closing date to plan your next purchase or arrange financing.
- Your relocation package doesn’t cover commissions anyway.
If none of those apply and you have months to spare, a traditional listing may get you a higher price. It’s worth comparing both.
How Sell House Cash works with your move
We buy Kitchener houses as-is, with our own funds, so there’s no buyer financing condition to wait on. You tell us about the house and your move date, we walk through it, and you get a written cash offer. Then you choose the closing date to fit your schedule. When title is clear, we can close in as little as a couple of weeks, or later if that suits your move.
Take the furniture you want and leave the rest. There’s no commission, no staging and no showings to coordinate from another city.
Next steps
If you have a move date and need a plan for the house, request a cash offer so you can compare it with listing. You can also read more on our Kitchener page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my Kitchener house after I’ve already moved away?
Yes. We can arrange access with you or someone you trust, and many real estate lawyers can handle the signing remotely. You don’t need to come back for showings.
I’m moving out of Canada. Does that change the sale?
It can. If you’re a non-resident when the sale closes, section 116 of the Income Tax Act requires a clearance certificate, and part of the price is usually held back until it’s issued. Speak to an accountant before setting your closing date.
Can you close on a specific date to match my job start?
You choose the closing date. When title is clear, we can close in as little as a couple of weeks, or on a later date that lines up with your move.
What should I do with furniture I’m not taking?
Leave it. Take what you want for your new home, and we’ll deal with anything left behind after closing.