ReverseMortgageBurlington.ca helps Burlington homeowners aged 55 and older compare staying in their home with moving. Homeowners thinking about a smaller place want to know the downsizing cost in Burlington: what they pay out between selling one home and buying the next.
The challenge is not usually the price gap between a house and a smaller home. It is the costs that come out of that gap.
Commission, the HST on it, land transfer tax, two sets of legal fees and movers all come out of it. This page prices each one for a Burlington move, using September 2026 sale prices and Ontario’s tax brackets.
What does it cost to sell a Burlington home?
Selling a Burlington home costs mostly the real estate commission, plus 13% HST on that commission and your lawyer’s fee. Commission is negotiable and typically 2% to 6% of the price, according to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. On a $1,190,000 sale, every percentage point is $11,900.
Commission is set by your agreement with the brokerage. You agree on it in writing, as a percentage, a flat fee or a mix, and the FCAC says it may be negotiable (FCAC).
The sale of your own home is exempt from HST. The agent’s commission is not, so 13% HST is added to it (CRA). Each point of commission on $1,190,000 adds $1,547 of HST.
How much land transfer tax do you pay when buying in Burlington?
On a $670,000 Burlington purchase, Ontario land transfer tax is $9,875. Burlington buyers pay only the provincial tax. In Ontario, only Toronto has been given the power to charge its own land transfer tax on top, so a Burlington purchase pays the provincial amount alone.
The tax is charged in brackets (Ontario). Here is the math on $670,000:
| Part of the price | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| First $55,000 | 0.5% | $275 |
| $55,000 to $250,000 | 1.0% | $1,950 |
| $250,000 to $400,000 | 1.5% | $2,250 |
| $400,000 to $670,000 | 2.0% | $5,400 |
| Total | $9,875 |
Toronto’s own tax is a separate power that other Ontario cities were not given (CTV News). Your real estate lawyer confirms the exact figure before closing.
What does a typical Burlington downsizing move cost in total?
In this worked example, a Burlington downsizing move costs about $70,300. That covers selling a detached home at the September 2026 median of $1,190,000 and buying at the $670,000 townhouse, condo and semi median. It is about 5.9% of the sale price.
The two prices are Cornerstone’s September 2026 medians for Burlington (PDF). Three costs are assumptions for illustration, not quoted prices: a 4% commission, legal fees of about $1,800 on each side, and $3,000 for movers.
| Cost | How it is worked out | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Commission (assumed 4%) | $1,190,000 × 4% | $47,600 |
| HST on commission | $47,600 × 13% | $6,188 |
| Legal fees on the sale (assumed) | about $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Land transfer tax | Ontario brackets on $670,000 | $9,875 |
| Legal fees on the purchase (assumed) | about $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Movers (assumed) | about $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Total | $70,263 |
The price gap is $1,190,000 minus $670,000, or $520,000. After $70,263 of costs, about $449,700 is left. At a 2% commission the total would drop by $26,894; at 6% it would rise by the same amount.
The FCAC puts a buyer’s closing costs at 1.5% to 4% of the price (FCAC). On $670,000, that is $10,050 to $26,800, so the example’s $11,675 for tax and legal fees is at the low end.
How does that compare with borrowing against the home instead?
The $70,263 in moving costs equals a little over six years of interest on $150,000 at 6.23%, the low end of advertised reverse mortgage rates checked September 17, 2026. At 6.94%, it equals just under six years. Neither route is free, and each suits a different goal.
At 6.23%, with interest added twice a year, $150,000 builds up about $66,700 of interest in six years. Moving costs are paid once, on closing day. Reverse mortgage interest builds up year by year, and you pay interest only on the money you take.
Downsizing fits when the house is more than you want to keep up, or stairs have become hard. A reverse mortgage fits when you want to stay in your home and need money now.
Staying also has a built-in limit on the debt. So long as you pay the property taxes and home insurance and look after the house, what you owe can’t climb past the home’s fair market value at the time the mortgage becomes due. It’s typically called the no negative equity guarantee, and all four lenders offer it.
The guide to reverse mortgage costs in Burlington shows how a balance grows. The Burlington reverse mortgage calculator shows the most you could borrow at your age, what is left after debts, the amount five years older, and the cost of moving instead. Richard Hopkins, Mortgage Broker, can look at both routes for your situation. Everything arrives by email, easy to forward to your family.
What else should you weigh before moving in Burlington?
Timing and supply matter as much as cost. In September 2026, detached Burlington homes sold in 26 days on the market, and townhouses, condos and semis took 42 days. Smaller homes had 4.1 months of supply, against 3.1 for detached homes, so buyers of smaller homes had more to choose from.
Sellers received 96.6% of their list price on detached homes and 97.3% on townhouses, condos and semis (Cornerstone). The guide to Burlington home prices has the full September figures.
A condo also brings monthly condo fees, which a house does not have. If the next move might be to care, the cost of a Burlington retirement home is worth checking first. Some families instead add a garden suite in Burlington so a parent can stay on the same lot.
Property tax help can also change the picture for those who stay. The Burlington property tax relief for seniors lists what the City and Halton offer.
The bottom line
Moving from a detached Burlington home to a smaller one costs tens of thousands of dollars, and commission is the largest part. That cost is worth setting beside the alternatives, including staying. Get your own numbers before you list.
For figures based on your own house, ask for a free Burlington estimate. There's no charge and no sales pressure.