Estate and senior transition real estate in York Region, Uxbridge and Simcoe County
When a parent dies, needs more care, or decides to move, the family home is usually the biggest decision. I’m Matthew Gizzie, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty Centres in Newmarket. I help families work out what to do with the house, then do it well.
Our first conversation is free and private. We’ll sort out your priorities, any known deadlines and the questions for your lawyer, and agree on a practical next step, which might be selling, waiting, or nothing yet.
Or call (289) 338-1433
5.0 on Google from 24 reviews · Last reviewed October 16, 2026
I’m a real estate agent, not a lawyer, accountant or care coordinator. This page shows where each of them fits, so you know who to ask.
How I help: what I do, what I arrange, and what needs another professional
Families often expect one person to handle everything. In Ontario, the legal, tax and care pieces belong to other professionals. Here’s who does what. I’ve handled estate sales and parent moves like these, and I’ll tell you plainly which parts are mine.
MeI handle personally
- The first conversation and a walk-through of the house
- A written opinion of what the house would sell for today
- A written plan for the house, if you’d like one
- Honest advice on what’s worth fixing and what isn’t
- Pricing, listing and marketing: professional photography, 3D tour, drone and 4K video
- Showings, offers and negotiation
- Working with your lawyer through conditions and closing
- Helping family members buy or rent their next home
Through meI arrange through people I trust
- Estate sale and contents companies
- Donation pick-up and junk removal
- Cleaners, painters and trades
- Staging help
The person with authority decides which quotes to accept.
Your professionalsYou engage separately
- Estate lawyer
- Authority, probate, the agreement of sale, title and closing
- Accountant
- Final tax returns and the CRA clearance certificate
- Certified appraiser
- When a lawyer, the CRA or a court needs one
- Ontario Health atHome
- Long-term care applications
- Home insurer
- Cover for a vacant or partly empty house
- Financial planner
- If the proceeds will fund care or retirement
What’s included when I list a home is on the Sellers page.
Settling an estate: where the house fits
If you’re the executor (in Ontario, the estate trustee), the house is often the largest asset you manage and the one with the most moving parts. Your lawyer leads on the legal steps. Here’s how the house fits in.
The first days: securing the house
- Call the home insurer. Tell them the owner has died and whether anyone is living in the house. Many policies change once a home has been empty for about 30 days, and some freeze-damage rules apply sooner. Wording differs by policy, so ask what yours requires. Western Financial Group
- Keep the house safe. Keep the heat on, arrange regular checks, change the locks if keys are unaccounted for, and redirect the mail.
- Leave the contents for now. Hold off on giving things away until you know what the will says and who is entitled to what.
Who has authority to sell
It usually passes to the surviving owner outside the estate. Your lawyer checks the title to confirm how it’s held.
The executor it names deals with the house, through the estate lawyer.
If the property forms part of an estate and there is no will, ask the estate lawyer who must obtain appointment before acting for the estate.
Beneficiaries are entitled to their share, but they don’t sign for the estate unless they’re also the trustee.
Probate and the sale: the right order
Ontario’s guidance says the Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee (probate) should be obtained before anyone signs an Agreement of Purchase and Sale for real estate the estate must sell. Some houses can be transferred without probate, for example under joint ownership or certain title situations, so have your estate lawyer confirm your authority and the order of steps before you sign a listing or an offer. Ontario: apply for probate · Pallett Valo on the first-dealings exemption
The first-dealings exemption does not itself exempt a property from Estate Administration Tax. Your estate lawyer can confirm which assets must be included in the estate’s taxable value.
You don’t have to wait to get ready. With the estate trustee’s approval, the house can be secured, valued and planned for while the application is with the court; contents and trades wait for that same approval. Ontario says complete applications are typically processed by the court within 15 business days. That counts court processing only, not the time to gather records and prepare the application, and missing information or an issue a judge must decide makes it longer.
From the date of death to paying out the estate
- Date of deathThe CRA treats the house as sold at its fair market value immediately before death. The principal residence exemption can cover some or all of the gain, and a house left to a surviving spouse or common-law partner can usually pass without tax at that point. CRA
- Application filedProbate tax is paid as a deposit when the application is filed with the court.
- Within 180 daysEstate Information Return. Within 180 calendar days after the certificate is issued, the estate trustee files it with Ontario, even if no tax is owed. Ontario
- Sale closesSale proceeds belong to the estate. They’re usually received through the estate lawyer.
- Before payoutAsk your accountant about a CRA clearance certificate. An estate representative who distributes without one can be personally liable for unpaid tax, up to the value of what was distributed. CRA
- PayoutBeneficiaries are paid only after the estate’s debts, taxes and administration are dealt with. Your lawyer and accountant set the timing.
A typical order. The return and the sale can happen in either order, and your lawyer sets the actual steps.
Probate tax (Estate Administration Tax)
Which value
The value at the date of death, even if the house later sells for more or less.
Comes off
Mortgages and liens on Ontario real estate, from that property’s value.
Doesn’t come off
Funeral costs, legal fees, real estate commission and unsecured debts.
Not counted
Jointly owned property that passes to the surviving owner, and insurance or registered plans with a named beneficiary.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Finance, Estate Administration Tax · Estimate it below
Estimate Ontario probate tax (Estate Administration Tax)
For the common case: a house and other assets in the deceased’s name that are included in the estate. Enter values at the date of death. It follows Ontario’s published rate and shows its working, but it doesn’t resolve every ownership arrangement or exemption. Your lawyer calculates the amount filed with the court. The boxes start with example values; replace them with your own.
Leave out assets that pass outside the estate: property owned jointly with right of survivorship, and insurance, RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs and pensions with a named beneficiary.
An estimate for planning only, not legal or tax advice.
To see what a sale would leave after commission and closing costs, use the Seller Net Proceeds Calculator.
Helping a parent move, without taking over
This usually starts with worry: the stairs, the upkeep, a fall, a diagnosis. Moving is one option. Staying with more support is another. The decision belongs to your parent for as long as they’re able to make it.
Your parent decides, while they’re able to
- Helping isn’t the same as deciding. A capable adult makes their own decisions about their home, even when family disagrees.
- Who signs. A capable homeowner stays in control of their decisions. Documents are signed by the owner or by someone with valid authority to act for them, such as an attorney under a power of attorney for property. Have a lawyer confirm any power of attorney before it’s used.
- I take instructions from the owner. I talk with your parent directly, and I act on decisions about their home only with their consent or the consent of someone with legal authority.
- Every option is on the table. Staying with supports, a retirement residence, selling, or renting are all legitimate outcomes.
When a parent can’t decide
- Continuing power of attorney for property. The attorney can manage the parent’s property, which can include selling the house, within what the document allows. Depending on its wording, it starts when signed or only once the parent is found incapable. CLEO
- An attorney acts for the parent. Decisions must be made in the parent’s interest, not the family’s.
- No power of attorney. If the parent can no longer manage their property, a family member can apply to court to become guardian of property, or the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee may become guardian. Substitute Decisions Act
- Talk to a lawyer first. Before anyone signs for a parent, have a lawyer confirm the authority.
If long-term care is part of the plan
- Who arranges it: Ontario Health atHome assesses, applies and coordinates admission. Call 310-2222.
- The deadlines are short. When a bed is offered, there are 24 hours to accept or refuse, and up to five days to move in. Refusing removes the person from every waiting list. Ontario
- That’s a care deadline, not a sale deadline. The house doesn’t have to be sold before the move. It can be prepared and sold afterwards, once the family is ready.
- Retirement residences are private and arrange move-in dates with you directly.
- Paying for care: if the sale will fund care, talk to a financial planner or accountant about timing and tax before listing.
Planning your own move, on your terms
You don’t need to have decided anything to talk it through. Some people sell and buy smaller, some rent, some move to a retirement residence, and some stay. Staying is a fine outcome.
If you buy your next home with me, my buyer benefits apply, with the terms written into the buyer representation agreement before you sign.
Know your numbers first
- What your home would sell for today: a free written estimate, with the recent sales behind it.
- What the next place costs: a purchase, rent or residence fees. Compare them with the rent vs. own calculator.
- Whether to sell first or buy first, and how to bridge the gap if the dates don’t line up.
- What’s happening in your town: prices, days on market and sale-to-list ratios in my monthly market reports.
Managing it from out of town
Many executors and adult children live hours, provinces or countries away. Here’s what has to happen locally, and who usually handles it.
| Local task | Who usually handles it |
|---|---|
| Checking on an empty house | Family nearby or a property-check service |
| Cleaners, trades and estate sale companies | I can connect you with providers; how they get access is agreed with whoever has authority |
| Valuing and selling the house | Me |
| Signing legal documents | You, through your lawyer; ask which can be signed remotely |
| Insurance for a vacant house | You, with the insurer |
Tell me what needs doing locally and I’ll tell you plainly what I’ll handle, what I’ll arrange, and what needs someone else. If it helps, I’ll put it in writing.
What is the home worth? Two different questions
A realtor’s opinion of value is not an appraisal. When a court, the CRA or a lender requires an appraisal, use a certified appraiser.
Sell as is, or prepare first?
Compare what the estate or family keeps, not the sale price. Preparation pays only when the extra price beats everything it costs.
The answer depends on the house, its condition and what similar homes are selling for. I’ll compare the estimated outcomes using comparable sales and actual preparation quotes, so the decision rests on evidence.
Compare the two amounts you keep. Use a low and a high price for each option, not a single number.
- Preparation cost
- Cleaning, contents removal, paint and repairs, from real quotes.
- Extra carrying costs
- Property tax, utilities, insurance (often higher when vacant), mortgage interest and upkeep for each extra month the work adds.
- Selling costs
- Commission, which usually rises with the sale price, plus legal fees.
A house full of belongings
You don’t need to empty the house before calling me. A respectful order that avoids disputes later:
- 1Secure what matters
Documents, valuables, photos and anything named in the will.
- 2Family keepsakes
Chosen the way the executor or owner decides, and recorded in a simple list with photos.
- 3Sell, donate, recycle, remove
Estate sale companies, donation pick-ups and junk removal, arranged with approval from whoever has authority.
- 4Deep clean
Then decide on repairs and staging.
I can connect you with estate sale companies, clean-out crews and cleaners who are used to estate situations.
When family members disagree about the property
- Who I take instructions from: the executor for an estate, or the owner or their attorney while a parent is alive. Beneficiaries receive updates in the way the executor decides.
- The same facts for everyone. A written value with the comparable sales behind it gives everyone a shared factual starting point.
- Legal disputes go to lawyers. If owners who hold title together can’t agree, Ontario’s Partition Act lets a co-owner ask a court to order a sale.
The options below aren’t interchangeable. Which ones are open depends on the will, who has legal authority, and the estate’s circumstances.
Sell on the open market
Takes: listing, marketing, offers, closing.
Watch for: timing and preparation costs.
One beneficiary buys the house
Takes: an independent value, the buyer’s own lawyer and financing.
Watch for: fairness to the others, and the executor’s duty to get fair value.
Keep it and rent it out
Takes: landlord duties, insurance, Ontario tenancy rules.
Watch for: who manages it, and how anyone exits later.
Hold it for now
Takes: carrying costs, vacancy insurance, regular checks.
Watch for: costs adding up while the decision waits.
Four separate timelines
These run on their own clocks. Which ones apply depends on your situation, and one doesn’t have to finish before another starts unless your lawyer says so. Gold marks a fixed deadline.
Care admission
Who: Ontario Health atHome, for long-term care.
- Assessment and waiting listvaries
- Bed offered24 hours to accept
- Move inup to five days
Retirement residence: a move-in date arranged with the residence.
Preparing the house
Who: you, with me and the trades.
- Secure the house
- Sort belongings
- Clean, repair, stage
Pace: how full the house is and what it needs.
Selling and closing
Who: me, with your lawyer.
- List and show
- Offer and conditions
- Closingon the date you negotiate
Pace: the local market. See current days on market in my market reports.
Settling the estate
Who: your lawyer and accountant.
- Probate application
- Certificate issued
- Estate Information Returnwithin 180 days
- Final returns and clearance
- Distribution
A written plan for the house
After a walk-through, I can put a plan for the house in writing: what it needs, who does each part, what it’s estimated to cost, who approves it, and what happens next. It’s yours to share with family, your lawyer or your accountant, whether or not you list with me.
- 1The situationWho owns the house, who’s living there, and who has authority, with anything the lawyer still needs to confirm.
- 2What to do, and what not toEach recommendation, who does it, and an estimate from real quotes.
- 3Who approves each costEach cost names the person with authority to approve it.
- 4Both outcomesEstimated price ranges selling as is and after preparation, from comparable sales.
- 5Next steps and timingWhat happens first, and which steps wait on the lawyer or the care plan.
Illustrative sample only. Not a real property, client or past result; all names, addresses and figures are fictional.
What happens when you reach out
You call or send the form
Your contact details, the town, and your situation.
I reply personally
By the method you choose.
A private conversation
What’s happening, who decides, which deadlines are real, and what the house needs.
A walk-through, if it helps
Free, with the house in any state. A written plan afterwards if you’d like one.
You decide
What’s next is your call. There’s no obligation.
A house in a client’s file? I can take the property side.
For files that include a house in York Region, Uxbridge or Simcoe County.
What you receive
A written opinion of current market value with the comparable sales and adjustments behind it, signed with my brokerage name.
What I need
The address, authorization from the person with authority, access to view the house where possible, the purpose of the value, and any deadline.
Timing and updates
I’ll confirm a delivery date when you send the request. During a sale, with your client’s authorization, I keep you informed through listing, offers and closing.
Common questions
Do we need probate before selling the house?
Usually, yes. Ontario’s guidance says the certificate should be obtained before signing an agreement to sell real estate the estate must sell. There are exceptions, such as joint ownership, so your estate lawyer confirms the order of steps. You can prepare the house in the meantime, with the estate trustee’s approval.
Do we have to empty the house before calling you?
No. I’ll walk through it in whatever state it’s in.
Should we renovate before selling?
It depends on the house. Compare the estimated proceeds after all costs, using comparable sales and real quotes, not the sale price alone.
Can one of us buy the house from the estate?
Often, if the will allows it and the executor agrees. Use an independent value, and the buyer should have their own lawyer.
How much is probate tax in Ontario?
$0 on the first $50,000 of estate value, then $15 per $1,000 above that. A $1,000,000 estate pays $14,250.
Is the value for probate the same as the sale price?
No. Probate uses the value at the date of death, even if the house later sells for more or less.
My parent is moving into long-term care. Do we have to sell first?
No. Long-term care placement has its own short deadlines, and a retirement residence sets its own move-in date. The house can be prepared and sold afterwards.
Can I sell my parent’s house with a power of attorney?
If your continuing power of attorney for property covers it and is in effect, usually yes, and you must act in your parent’s interest. A lawyer should confirm before you sign. How a power of attorney sale works.
Is your opinion of value an appraisal?
No. It’s a realtor’s opinion of market value based on comparable sales. When an appraisal is required, I can refer you to a certified appraiser.
Can you put a plan for the house in writing?
Yes, if it helps. A written plan can cover what the house needs, who does each part, estimated costs from real quotes, who approves each cost, and the next steps. It’s yours to share whether or not you list with me.
I live in another province. Can this be handled from a distance?
Much of it, yes. Ask your lawyer which documents can be signed remotely, and arrange someone local to check the house.
What if someone is living in the house?
Listing or selling the house doesn’t by itself end a tenancy. A buyer who wants to move in must follow Ontario’s notice and compensation rules for a purchaser’s own use. A family member living there without a tenancy is a different situation for the executor and lawyer to decide. Either way, plan possession with your lawyer before listing.
What areas do you serve?
York Region, including Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, Georgina, East Gwillimbury, King and Whitchurch-Stouffville, plus Uxbridge, Bradford West Gwillimbury and Simcoe County, including Barrie and Innisfil.
Can you help family members find their next home?
Yes, whether buying or renting. Buyers get my buyer benefits, with the terms in the buyer representation agreement.
Talk through your situation with Matthew
Tell me a little about what’s happening and how to reach you. I’ll reply personally.
- Please don’t send wills, medical information or financial documents here. If we need anything like that later, I’ll tell you how to share it safely.
- Only the contact detail for the method you choose is required.
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Related: Selling with Matthew · Free home evaluation · Separation and divorce sales · Buying with Matthew · Client reviews
Sources (checked October 16, 2026):
- Ontario: Apply for probate
- Ontario Ministry of Finance: Estate Administration Tax
- CRA: Deemed disposition of property
- CRA: Clearance certificate
- Ontario: Apply for long-term care
- CLEO: Making a power of attorney
- Ontario: Substitute Decisions Act, 1992
- Ontario: Partition Act
- Ontario: Renting in Ontario, your rights
- Pallett Valo LLP: First-dealings exemption
- Western Financial Group: The 30-day vacancy rule
Last reviewed October 16, 2026. Services on this page are provided by Matthew Gizzie, REALTOR®, Keller Williams Realty Centres, Brokerage, independently owned and operated. An opinion of market value is not an appraisal. Nothing on this page is legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Matthew Gizzie is a licensed real estate agent, not a lawyer, accountant, financial advisor or care coordinator. Get advice from your own professionals for your situation. Buyer benefits and their conditions are set out in each buyer representation agreement.
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