Most London, Ontario homeowners already have a price in mind before they call anyone — and most of those prices are based on emotion, neighbour comparisons, or what a relative thinks the home is worth. None of those inputs have any bearing on what a buyer will pay. Pricing a home correctly in today's market means separating what the home means to you from what it's worth to the person who doesn't share your memories, your renovations, or your mortgage balance. According to current LSTAR data, London homes are selling at 97.4% of asking in a median of 26 days — which means the market is precise and buyers are informed. Ty Lacroix, Broker at The Envelope Real Estate Group, has spent 24 years helping London sellers arrive at the right number before the sign goes up — not after the listing goes stale.

Are you wondering what your home in London, Ontario would actually sell for? Most sellers have already run the number through four internal filters before they've spoken to anyone:

I'd love to get this much.
I'd be happy with this.
I'd have to really think about that.
There's no way I'd consider that.

The problem is that none of those four filters have anything to do with what a buyer will pay. Here's how to think about pricing in a way that actually protects you.

The First Thing to Set Aside

Set aside your perspective on your home's value — at least temporarily. You've invested time, money, and memory into making it your home. A buyer doesn't share any of that. They don't see the renovation you completed in 2019, the garden you built from scratch, or the neighbourhood relationships you've built over the years. They see a property, compare it to everything else available for the same money, and make a decision based on what the market tells them it's worth — not what it means to you.

What that means for you: the most expensive pricing mistakes sellers make almost always come from anchoring to personal value rather than market value. The two are often different numbers, and the gap between them is where equity gets left on the table.

What Doesn't Determine Your Home's Price

What your friend at work or a relative thinks. They mean well. They don't have access to current comparable sales, they don't know your specific neighbourhood's absorption rate, and they have no professional accountability for what happens if their number is wrong.

What your neighbour's house sold for two years ago. Two years is a long time in real estate. The market that existed in 2022 or 2023 is not the market that exists today. Pricing to a peak that has passed is one of the most common and costly mistakes in London's current market.

What Actually Helps

A Comparative Market Analysis. A CMA shows you what comparable homes have actually sold for in your area, recently, under current market conditions. Ask which homes were included and why — and which were excluded. A CMA is one of the best tools for establishing a realistic price range, but it's a starting point, not a final answer.

Visiting other active listings as a buyer would. Before you price your home, walk through a few comparable properties with the impartial eye of a buyer — not a homeowner. What do buyers see when they compare your home to what else is available at the same price? Is your home the obvious choice, or is it competing against something better positioned?

Understanding price per square foot — and its limits. Price per square foot is a useful comparison tool for apartment condos, where units in the same building have similar finishes and construction. For houses, it's far less reliable — different finishes, styles, lots, and conditions make direct square-foot comparisons misleading.

Knowing whether it's a buyer's or seller's market. London currently sits at approximately 5 months of inventory — balanced, edging toward buyer-friendly. Homes priced correctly are moving in about 26 days at 97.4% of asking. Homes priced optimistically are sitting and eventually selling for less than they would have if priced right from the start.

Knowing whether you need to sell. Motivation matters. A seller who must sell in 60 days prices differently than one who can wait for the right buyer. Knowing your own position clearly — and keeping it private from the other side — is part of the strategy.

The Right Starting Point

Pricing a home to sell in London isn't a formula. It's a combination of current comparable data, an honest assessment of your home's condition and position relative to the competition, an understanding of the market's direction, and a clear-eyed read of your own timeline and motivation.

I use a 60-point home audit and valuation process that addresses all of these factors — and that gives sellers a number grounded in what the market will actually bear, not what would be nice to hear. If you're thinking about selling in London and want an honest, data-backed starting point before you commit to anything, that's the conversation to have first.

Ready for a straight read on what your home is actually worth in today's London market? Reach out for a private conversation — no pressure, no pitch.

See how the full selling process actually works: How Selling Your Home Actually Works in London, Ontario →

Also find me at tylacroix.com and Totally Preachless

Selling a home in London, Ontario takes more than a sign on the lawn and an MLS listing. These 12 steps — built from 24 years and hundreds of London transactions — are the foundation of a sale that goes smoothly, nets you the most money, and keeps you in control throughout. The average London home is currently selling in 26 days at 97.4% of asking price, according to LSTAR. That's a precise market. Sellers who prepare properly come out ahead. Sellers who wing it don't. Ty Lacroix, Broker at The Envelope Real Estate Group, follows 187 steps in every transaction — these 12 are where it starts.

Follow these 12 steps when selling a home in London, Ontario. They won't guarantee a perfect outcome — nothing does — but they'll help your home sell faster, at the price you want, with less stress and more control than most sellers experience.

Step 1: Keep Your Motivation Private

Why you're selling is your business — and your broker's. Nobody else needs to know. If anyone asks, say your housing needs have changed. Disclosing urgency, a job transfer, a relationship change, or financial pressure gives a buyer negotiating leverage you can't get back.

Step 2: Know What Matters Most to You

Different goals require different strategies. Is the priority the money you walk away with? How quickly the home sells? Or both equally? Knowing your own answer before you list — and making sure your broker knows it too — ensures the strategy is built around your actual objective, not a generic one.

Step 3: Do Your Homework Before Setting a Price

The average buyer is comparing your home to multiple others in the same price range at once. If your home doesn't compare favourably — in condition, features, or value — buyers won't take it seriously. Homes that don't stand up to comparison sit. And homes that sit develop a quiet reputation: buyers assume something is wrong, even when nothing is.

Step 4: The Discovery — Know Your Market

Before settling on a price, pull four numbers from your local market:

What comparable homes in your neighbourhood have sold for in the last 6 to 12 months. What's currently listed for sale — your direct competition. How long those listings have been on the market. The percentage of the sale price to the asking price. In London right now, that figure is 97.4%, meaning homes are selling at about 2.6% below asking in a median of 26 days. That's your starting point — not hope, not what your neighbour got two years ago.

Step 5: Maximize Your Home's Sales Potential

You can't change your home's location or floor plan. You can change how it shows. The look and feel of a home generates a stronger emotional response in buyers than any other factor — and buyers make emotional decisions. Before every showing: pick up, straighten, declutter, scrub, and dust. The goal is a genuine "wow" from a buyer who can picture their life in the space, not yours.

Step 6: Choose Your Broker Carefully

You and your Realtor are partners in marketing, pricing, and negotiating your home. Negotiating strength is paramount. The support systems, local knowledge, and tools they bring to the table matter—especially when something unexpected happens, as it almost always does at some point in a transaction.

Step 7: Make It Easy for Buyers to Get Information

Buyers who call about your home value their time as much as you do. They don't want to be frustrated by an unreachable agent or inaccurate listing details. The overwhelming majority of buyers preview homes online before visiting in person — which means your listing's photography, floor plans, and virtual tour are doing the selling before any showing is booked. Make sure they're doing it well.

Step 8: Don't Move Out Before You Sell

Studies consistently show that vacant homes are harder to sell. An empty home looks forgotten and uninviting. It also signals to buyers that you're motivated to move quickly — and they'll price their offer accordingly. If you can keep the home furnished and presented until it sells, do it.

Step 9: Avoid Artificial Deadlines

Don't try to sell by a specific date unless you absolutely have to. Self-imposed deadlines create pressure that transfers to the negotiating table — and pressure is a disadvantage. Let the market and the right buyer set the timeline, not a calendar date.

Step 10: Don't Take Low Offers Personally

A low offer is not an insult — it's an opening position. An experienced broker can turn a weak opening offer into a strong final outcome. Sellers who react emotionally to a low number often lose the buyer entirely. Sellers who stay calm and strategic keep the negotiation alive and usually close better.

Step 11: Disclose Everything

Be proactive about disclosing known issues or defects. It gives buyers confidence that you're dealing honestly — which actually strengthens your negotiating position rather than weakening it. It also protects you from legal exposure after closing. Disclosure is not a weakness. It's the foundation of a clean, defensible transaction.

Step 12: Make Sure the Offer Is Complete

Before you sign anything, make sure every term, condition, and responsibility is clearly stated and fully understood. A thorough broker takes the time to explain what you're agreeing to, adds protective clauses where needed, and leaves nothing ambiguous. Vague offers come back to haunt sellers at the worst possible moment — usually on or near closing day.

These 12 steps are the foundation — not the full picture. I follow 187 steps in every transaction. These prevent the most common, most expensive mistakes. If you're thinking about selling in London and want to understand what the full process actually looks like before you commit to anything, that's exactly the right place to start.

Ready to sell with a plan instead of a hope? Reach out for a private conversation — no pressure, no pitch.

See how the full selling process actually works: How Selling Your Home Actually Works in London, Ontario →

Also find me at tylacroix.com and Totally Preachless

Buy or sell first? It's the most common real estate conundrum London, Ontario homeowners face — and whatever you choose carries real risk. Selling first gives you certainty on your proceeds but puts you under time pressure to find the right home before your closing date. Buying first removes that pressure but requires bridge financing and the confidence that your current home will sell at the right price. In today's London market, where sellers expect firm offers and sale-of-home conditions are rarely accepted, buying first is almost always the more controlled strategy — if you have the right plan in place. Ty Lacroix, Broker at The Envelope Real Estate Group, has guided hundreds of London homeowners through this decision over 24 years and knows exactly how to sequence a move so you stay in control.

The most pressing real estate conundrum for most London, Ontario homeowners is also the most honest one: should I buy first, or sell first? And the honest answer is that whatever you choose carries risk. Knowing what those risks are upfront — and having a plan to manage them — is what separates a smooth transition from a stressful one.

As La Rochefoucauld observed: "The truest way to be deceived is to think oneself more knowing than others."

If You Sell First

Selling first gives you one significant advantage: you know exactly what you're working with. The proceeds are confirmed, the financing picture is clear, and there's no uncertainty about whether your current home will sell before you need it to.

The disadvantage is equally significant. The moment you accept an offer, you have a closing date — and now you're under pressure to find the right home, in the right neighbourhood, at the right price and condition, before that date arrives. If the right home isn't available, you have two choices: settle for something that isn't quite right, or scramble for temporary housing while the search continues. Neither is comfortable, and both are expensive in different ways.

If You Buy First

Buying first is the more controlled approach — and the one I recommend for most clients who are in a position to do it.

When you buy first, there's no deadline forcing your hand on the purchase. You can find the right home, negotiate from a position of patience rather than urgency, and take possession when the timing works for you. Once you have a firm agreement on your new home and a confirmed closing date, you list your current home with a clear strategy and a known timeline. You're in the driver's seat.

The discomfort is the financing gap between the two closings. Most people immediately assume this is a bigger problem than it is. Bridge financing — a short-term loan that covers the gap between your purchase closing and your sale closing — is available through most lenders and is often less expensive than people expect. If you have significant equity in your current home, your broker and your lender can help you structure this cleanly before you ever make an offer on the new property.

The Condition That Used to Help — and Rarely Works Anymore

In an earlier market, you could make an offer on a new home conditional on the sale of your current one. That condition gave buyers a safety net — if the current home didn't sell, the purchase didn't proceed. Today, sellers in London expect firm offers. Sale-of-home conditions are rarely accepted in today's market, because sellers want certainty, not a conditional commitment that may never firm up. Bump clauses exist, but they create their own complications. In most cases, a conditional purchase simply isn't a viable strategy anymore.

The Decision That Keeps You in Control

The buyers and sellers I see struggling most are the ones who sold first without a plan for what comes next, then found themselves rushing — making compromises on the purchase they'll feel for years.

The ones who navigate this best are the ones who understood the sequence before they started. Buy first, with bridge financing in place; list the current home with a strategy and timeline; and close both transactions in order. No rushing. No settling. No sleeping on a friend's couch between closings.

As Carl Richards wrote: "Risk is left over after you've thought of everything." The goal isn't to eliminate risk — it's to minimize what's left after a clear plan has accounted for everything it can.

If you're facing this decision in London and want to map out the right sequence for your specific situation — financing, timing, market conditions, and all — that's exactly the conversation to have before anything is listed or offered.

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Buy or sell first? Let's map out the right sequence for your specific situation. Reach out for a private conversation — no pressure, no pitch.

See how the full selling process actually works: How Selling Your Home Actually Works in London Ontario

Also find me at tylacroix.com and Totally Preachless

Over 24 years of helping London, Ontario, homeowners downsize, the most surprising obstacle hasn't been the market, the price, or the timing. It's the dining room table. And the hutch. And the 300 boxes in the basement that haven't been opened in years. Furniture, possessions, and the memories attached to them are a real and legitimate part of every downsizing decision — but they occasionally become the reason a genuinely right move doesn't happen. Ty Lacroix, Broker at The Envelope Real Estate Group, has heard every version of this conversation and knows how to help people work through it honestly.

I sometimes wonder if people love real estate or their furniture more.

I say this with complete affection — because I understand the attachment, and I've heard every version of it.

"This room won't fit my dining set."

"There's no dining room — where will I put my dining table, hutches, trays, Uncle Bob's ashes, and my great-grandmother's serving set?"

"My extended-cab double-wheel-base pickup won't fit in the garage." — stated by a man who huffed and puffed climbing into it. (I said he was a 141-pound weakling. He was, in fact, 237 pounds. I may have underestimated him slightly.)

"The balcony is too small for my lawn furniture, umbrella, storage shed, and planter tables."

These are real things real people have said — all from buyers who wanted to downsize to a smaller place in London, Ontario. I understand completely. Memories attach to objects. A dining table isn't just furniture; it's thirty years of Sunday dinners. A garage isn't just storage; it's where something important has always lived.

But here's the gentle question worth sitting with: will the dining set actually suffer if you leave it behind, sell it, or donate it? Will it miss you?

And the 300 boxes in the basement or garage — the ones you haven't opened in years but are definitely saving — what exactly are you saving them for?

The Real Question

The furniture question is almost never really about furniture. It's about change, and how much of what you've built your life around you're willing to let go of. That's a legitimate, human, and sometimes difficult thing to work through — and it deserves to be treated that way, not dismissed.

But when the furniture becomes the reason you stay in a home that has too many stairs, too much maintenance, and more space than two people need — when possessions are making a decision that your circumstances have already answered — that's worth noticing.

The home you're considering moving into is the one that fits the life you're actually living now, not the one you were living when you bought the dining set.

Most of my clients who went through this say the same thing afterward: they wish they'd let go a little sooner, and kept a little less. Not because the things weren't meaningful — but because the next chapter turned out to be more so.

Thinking about downsizing in London but not quite sure where the furniture fits into the plan? Reach out for a private conversation — no pressure, no pitch, and no judgment about the dining set.

For the complete downsizing framework: Downsizing Your Home in London, Ontario →

Also find me at tylacroix.com and Totally Preachless