If you're thinking about selling your home in Cochrane, one of the first questions is usually some version of "what am I actually going to walk away with?" Most sellers in Alberta pay a realtor fee, GST on that fee, legal fees, and the cost of a Real Property Report. There's no land transfer tax in Alberta, which helps.
Here's what each cost is, roughly what it adds up to on a typical Cochrane home, and the one cost that never shows up on a statement but can be the biggest of all.
The short answer
On a typical Cochrane home, most of your selling costs come from four things:
Realtor fees (commission), plus 5% GST on that fee
Legal fees to handle the paperwork and pay out your mortgage
A Real Property Report (RPR) and the town's compliance stamp
Mortgage costs, like a discharge fee or a prepayment penalty if you break your mortgage early
Then there are the smaller ones: moving, cleaning, a few touch ups, and adjustments for property taxes you've already paid.
Realtor fees in Cochrane: how commission works
Standard commission in the Cochrane real estate market is 7% on the first $100,000 of the sale price and 3% on the balance, plus GST.
Here's what that looks like on a home that sells for $575,000, which is close to Cochrane's benchmark price right now:
7% of the first $100,000: $7,000
3% of the remaining $475,000: $14,250
Total commission: $21,250
GST at 5%: $1,062.50
That's about $22,300 all in.
A few things worth knowing:
The seller usually pays both sides. The commission comes out of your sale proceeds at closing, and your listing brokerage shares part of it with the buyer's brokerage.
You pay it at closing, not up front. You don't write a cheque when you list.
Ask what's included. Two agents can charge the same commission and offer very different things: professional photos, video, marketing reach, pricing strategy, and how much time they actually put into getting you across the finish line.
GST on realtor fees
Alberta has no provincial sales tax, so the only tax on your realtor fee is the 5% GST. The same goes for your lawyer's fees.
Legal fees
You'll need a real estate lawyer to review the paperwork, receive the buyer's funds, pay out your mortgage, and send you what's left. Fees vary by lawyer. I can put you in touch with reputable local real estate lawyers for a quote.
Your Real Property Report (RPR)
This one surprises a lot of sellers. In Alberta, the standard purchase contract asks the seller to provide a Real Property Report. It's a survey that shows where your house, garage, deck, and fences sit on your lot, and whether they meet the town's rules. I can put you in touch with reputable local surveyors for a quote.
Compliance stamp: The town also reviews your RPR and stamps it to confirm everything on your lot meets its rules.
Timing: From ordering to stamped, the whole process often takes three to five weeks. I recommend ordering it as soon as you decide to list, so it's not holding up your closing.
Already have one? You may be able to use it if it's current and meets compliance.
Mortgage payout costs
If you still have a mortgage, your lender may charge a small fee to discharge it. If you're breaking a fixed rate mortgage before the end of its term, there may also be a prepayment penalty, and that can be the biggest surprise on the whole list.
I can always put you in touch with a local mortgage broker, or you can chat with your bank about options.
Property tax and other adjustments
Your lawyer will adjust for property taxes, so you're only paying for the days you owned the home. If you've prepaid the year, you'll get some back at closing. If you're on a monthly plan, it may go the other way. Condo owners will see the same thing with condo fees.
Moving, cleaning, and getting ready to list
These costs are the ones you control:
Movers or a truck rental
A deep clean before photos, and again before possession
Small repairs, touch up paint, and caulking
Staging help or a few new pieces to make rooms photograph well
You don't need to renovate before you sell. I'd always rather you spend a little on the things buyers notice in the first ten seconds than a lot on a project they may not value.
No land transfer tax in Alberta
If you're moving here from Ontario or BC, this is good news. Alberta doesn't have a land transfer tax. Buyers pay a modest fee to register the title and mortgage, but there's no big provincial tax on either side of the sale.
The cost most sellers never see: a starting price that's too high
This is the part I wish every seller in Cochrane knew before they listed.
When I went through every home that sold in Cochrane this summer, here's what I found (you can see the full breakdown in my October 2026 Cochrane market update):
Homes that never changed their price sold in about 3 weeks, for about 98% of their first asking price.
Homes with one price change took about 9 weeks and sold for about 96%.
Homes with two or more price changes took about 3 and 1/2 months and sold for about 92%.
On a $575,000 home, the gap between 98% and 92% is about $34,000. That's more than the entire commission in the example above, plus three extra months of keeping your home show ready.
So when you're adding up the cost of selling, the realtor fee isn't the biggest number to get right. The starting price is. Most buyers see your home in its first couple of weeks on the market, and that's when it has the most attention it will ever get.
Want to keep an eye on the market? You can watch the video and read the numbers each month in my Cochrane market updates, or grab my free Monthly Cochrane Market Report, which breaks things down by home type and neighbourhood.
How to estimate your own number
Here's a simple way to estimate what you'll walk away with:
Start with a realistic sale price (not the highest list price you've seen on your street).
Subtract your realtor fee plus GST.
Subtract legal fees and your RPR.
Subtract your mortgage payout, including any penalty.
Leave a little room for moving and adjustments.
The first line is the one that changes everything else, which is why I always start with a proper look at what's actually selling near you.
Thinking about selling?
If you'd like real numbers for your home, fill out my client questionnaire for a complimentary home evaluation. I'll walk you through what homes like yours are selling for right now and what you'd likely net after costs. If you'd rather talk it through first, you can book a call with me.
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I'm not a real estate lawyer, accountant, or mortgage broker, and this post is general information, not professional advice. Please speak with the right professional about your own situation. Market figures are based on CREB® statistics and MLS® data for Cochrane at the time of writing, shared for general information only. They are not an appraisal or valuation of any specific property. Prices, schools, and community plans change, so please confirm current details before making decisions. Lauren Crouse, REAL Broker.
