Ty Lacroix · Real Estate Strategist & Fiduciary Advisor · London, Ontario
Most realtors walk you through the highlights. I'll show you every step — including the ones where deals fall apart, money gets left on the table, and homeowners wish they'd known more before signing anything.
24 Years · 1,383 Closed Transactions · London, OntarioTL;DR — Read This First
A real estate transaction has over 30 decision points and most people only prepare for the obvious ones. Whether you're selling a home you've owned for 20 years or buying your next chapter, the process is longer, more layered, and more emotionally draining than any agent will tell you upfront. This page breaks down every stage — honestly, in plain language — for both buyers and sellers. I've been through this 1,383 times. The gaps where things go wrong are predictable. The question is whether you have someone watching for them.
*Industry estimates based on CREA/OREA market data and professional field experience.
The Reality
A real estate transaction doesn't start when you sign a listing agreement or make an offer. It starts the moment you begin seriously thinking about your next move — and the decisions you make in those early weeks set the trajectory for everything that follows.
Most people go into a transaction one of two ways: trusting blindly, or so anxious they struggle to make clear decisions. Neither works well. What actually protects you is understanding the process before it begins. That's what this page is for.
The thing most agents don't say out loud:
95% of realtors move fast, keep things positive, and avoid difficult conversations. That's not protection — that's just salesmanship. When something unexpected surfaces mid-transaction, the homeowner who understood the process is calm and prepared. The one who didn't is signing under stress, making reactive decisions. One of those homeowners keeps more of their money.
If You're Selling
Selling a home worth $700,000 or more is not like selling anything else you've ever owned. The stakes are high, the timelines are tight, and the emotional weight of leaving a home you've lived in for years adds a layer that no transaction guide prepares you for.
Phase 1 — Before You ListStep 1
Assess and Evaluate Your Real Needs
This goes beyond "we want to downsize." Where are you going? What do you need to net from this sale to make your next move work? What's your timeline? Most people underestimate how much clarity this first conversation requires — and how much confusion costs later.
Step 2
Determine a Realistic List Price
Not the number that makes you feel good. Not what your neighbour got in 2022. The number that puts your home in front of the right buyers at the right moment in this actual market. Overpricing a home costs far more than the difference between the ask and reality — it burns market time, attracts lowball offers, and gives buyers leverage.
Step 3
Decide to Sell and Sign a Listing Agreement
This is a legal contract. Before you sign, you should understand what you're agreeing to — the commission structure, the duration, what happens if you decide not to sell, and what your obligations are while the home is listed. I walk every client through this line by line.
Step 4
Determine Your Time Frame
Do you need to close before your next purchase? Are you flexible? Is there a family event, a tax deadline, or a lease ending that's anchoring your timeline? Time frame shapes everything — pricing strategy, marketing intensity, and your negotiating position.
Step 5
Prepare the Property and Set a Marketing Plan
Preparation is not just cleaning and painting. It's strategic. What do buyers in your price range expect to see? What deferred maintenance will surface in an inspection and come back as a negotiating point? We build a proactive plan — not a reactive one.
Ty's Perspective
"The number one mistake sellers make at this stage is rushing to list before they're genuinely ready. A home that sits on the market for 30+ days loses approximately 2–5% of its value in buyer perception — they start wondering what's wrong with it. The preparation phase isn't overhead. It's where your net proceeds are protected."
Step 6
Show the Property to Potential Buyers
Every showing is information. Who's coming through? What's the feedback? What does it tell us about the positioning, the price, or the presentation? A good advisor tracks this in real time and adjusts — not after 30 days.
Step 7
Receive and Negotiate Offers
This is where the gap between most realtors and a fiduciary advisor becomes most visible. Offers are not all equal — and the highest number is not always the best offer. Financing conditions, closing dates, inclusions, and the strength of the buyer's pre-approval all affect the likelihood that the deal actually closes. I protect you from the excitement of a big number that never makes it to closing.
Step 8
Accept an Offer and Sign the Paperwork
Once you accept, the transaction clock starts. Conditions have deadlines. The buyer is now under obligation — and so are you. This is not the finish line. It's the start of the closing process.
Where Seller Deals Most Often Fall Apart
Accepted offers collapse most frequently at the financing condition stage — approximately 1 in 4 conditional offers do not become firm sales. A buyer who looked qualified during the offer may face challenges when their mortgage application is formally submitted. This is one reason I pay close attention to the strength of every buyer's pre-approval before recommending you accept.
The second most common failure point is the home inspection — where undisclosed issues, visible deficiencies, or unexpected findings give buyers leverage or grounds to walk away. The solution is almost always to identify these before the home goes to market.
If You're Buying
Buying a $700,000+ property is a financial and legal undertaking that most people approach with far less preparation than they'd bring to any other major decision. That's not criticism — the process isn't designed to be transparent. Here's what it actually looks like.
Phase 1 — Before You Look at a Single HomeStep 1
Assess and Evaluate Your Real Needs
What do you actually need in a home — not what the listing photos made you want? Location, layout, maintenance load, proximity to family, accessibility — all of this shapes which properties are genuinely right for your life, not just your wish list.
Step 2
Determine What You Can Afford — Honestly
Pre-approval tells you the ceiling. It doesn't tell you what's comfortable. Property tax, insurance, utilities, and maintenance add 1.5–3% annually on top of your mortgage payment. I'd rather help you find a $780,000 home that feels right than a $900,000 home that puts you under financial pressure you didn't anticipate.
Step 3
Meet with a Mortgage Lender
Not your bank's mortgage department as a formality — a real conversation about what's possible, what's smart, and what rate environment you're buying into. A formal pre-approval, not just a ballpark number, is essential before you make any offer.
Step 4
Commit to Working with Your Advisor
Buying without representation — or with an agent who also represents the seller — is one of the most financially exposed positions a buyer can be in. I represent you, and only you. My obligation is to your outcome, not to making the deal happen fast.
Step 5
Get a Real Market Education
Before you fall in love with a home, understand the market you're buying into. What have comparable homes actually sold for — not listed at? What's the typical condition? What does value look like in the neighbourhoods on your list? An educated buyer makes better offers and pays fairer prices.
Step 6
Proactive Property Matching
You shouldn't just be browsing listings as they appear. A proactive action plan means you're informed the moment a matching property enters the market — often before it's widely visible. In a competitive segment, this timing matters more than most buyers realize.
Step 7
View Properties Strategically
Every showing is not just about "do I like this home?" It's about understanding what you're actually buying — the age of mechanical systems, the quality of construction, the maintenance history, and the neighbourhood dynamics. I ask the questions buyers forget to ask because they're focused on finishes and square footage.
Step 8
Make an Offer and Negotiate
An offer is not just a price. It's a full package: deposit amount, conditions, closing date, inclusions, and how you respond to a counteroffer or competing bid. Buyers who understand this structure protect themselves. Buyers who don't often overpay, waive protections they shouldn't, or lose deals they should have won.
Step 9
Accept a Conditional Offer and Begin Closing
A conditional offer means the deal is not yet firm. You now have a defined window — typically 3–10 business days — to satisfy conditions. This phase requires focused attention, fast coordination, and clear communication. Missed deadlines can void your protections or your deal entirely.
Ty's Perspective
"Many buyers in the $700K+ range have done this before. They think the process is familiar. In my experience, the buyers who've bought before are sometimes harder to protect — because they're confident they already know what to expect. Markets shift. Legal requirements change. What a condition covers in 2024 is not what it covered in 2018. I bring current knowledge to every transaction, even for clients who've bought several homes."
The Most Overlooked Phase
Both buyers and sellers share this phase. It's the most technically demanding part of any transaction — and the part where deals most often collapse or get significantly complicated. It involves legal, financial, and structural components running in parallel, all under deadline.
Mortgage Submission & Approval
Formal application to the lender, full document verification, credit check, employment confirmation, and appraisal. The lender is not just confirming you can borrow — they're confirming the property is worth what you're paying.
Home Inspection
A licensed inspector examines the structural, mechanical, and electrical systems. What they find shapes the final terms of your purchase. A strong advisor knows how to interpret findings — and when to negotiate, when to walk, and when to waive.
Title Search & Survey
Your lawyer confirms there are no liens, encumbrances, or legal complications attached to the property. Issues here are rare — but when they appear, they require immediate legal attention.
Status Certificate (Condos)
If you're buying or selling a condo, the Status Certificate discloses the financial health of the corporation, any pending special assessments, and the reserve fund balance. This document can — and sometimes should — change your decision entirely.
Lawyer Approval & Written Commitment
Conditions are formally waived once confirmed. A written mortgage commitment is issued. Your lawyer reviews all documentation before any funds change hands.
Final Walk-Through
Conducted shortly before closing. Verifies the property is in the agreed condition — that agreed repairs have been completed and nothing unexpected has changed. Most buyers treat this as a formality. It shouldn't be.
The Closing Phase: What Goes Wrong, and How Often
According to industry field data, roughly 1 in 4 conditional offers experience at least one serious complication during the closing phase — typically financing failure, inspection disputes, or title issues. For condos, status certificate surprises are a specific and often underestimated risk.
The majority of these issues are not catastrophic — but they require skilled, calm handling to resolve. The difference between a deal that closes smoothly and one that costs you $15,000–$40,000 in last-minute concessions is almost always the quality of who's managing it.
The Complete Picture
These are the stages where, across 1,383 transactions, I've seen the most complications. This is not meant to alarm you. It's meant to ensure you know where to pay close attention.
| Stage | Common Risk | Risk Level | How It's Handled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Overpricing based on emotion or outdated comparables | High | Thorough comparable analysis, honest conversation, market-based pricing strategy |
| Offer Acceptance | Accepting the highest offer with weak financing | High | Scrutinizing buyer pre-approvals, evaluating full offer package — not just price |
| Financing Condition | Buyer's mortgage application fails or changes | High | Monitoring milestone deadlines, maintaining backup options where possible |
| Home Inspection | Unexpected findings become negotiating leverage | Medium | Pre-listing inspections for sellers; experienced interpretation for buyers |
| Status Certificate | Hidden condo fees, special assessments, reserve fund shortfalls | Medium | Full review before offer submission; lawyer's detailed analysis |
| Title Search | Liens, easements, or undisclosed encumbrances | Medium | Qualified real estate lawyer engaged early; title insurance recommended |
| Final Walk-Through | Property condition has changed; agreed repairs not completed | Medium | Formal final walk-through documented with photos; issues addressed before closing |
| Closing Day | Delays, missing documents, funding gaps | Medium | Proactive coordination with lawyers, lenders, and all parties in the days prior |
"The transaction isn't complicated because real estate is complicated. It's complicated because most people only go through it a handful of times in their life — and the process is designed for professionals, not homeowners."
— Ty Lacroix, Broker & Fiduciary AdvisorWhy I Show You All of This
Most advisors avoid pages like this one. They're worried it'll overwhelm you, or that you'll decide this is all too complicated and back away. My experience is the opposite. The clients who understand the process going in — who know where it gets hard, who've seen the map — those clients make better decisions. They're calmer at the negotiating table. They don't panic at inspection findings. They don't sell for less than their home is worth because they're anxious to get it done.
That's what 24 years and 1,383 closed transactions teaches you: prepared clients get better outcomes. Not because they know more than the other side — but because they're not making decisions under stress that could have been anticipated weeks earlier.
What I Can't Put on This Page
"The process above is the framework. What this page can't give you is the specific assessment of your property, your timeline, your financial position, and the current state of the London market as it applies to you right now. That's the conversation I have with every client before we commit to anything. No obligation, no script, no pressure to list or buy before you're ready. Just an honest conversation — with someone who's been through this over a thousand times and whose job is to protect your outcome."
The Next Step
One conversation, no pressure, no commitment. I'll tell you what I see in your situation and what I'd recommend — honestly, even if the recommendation is to wait.
Serving London, Ontario and surrounding areas · Minimum $700K transactions · Sellers, Downsizers, and Buyers