How to Sell an Income Property Without an Agent in Québec
It is legal, it is common for plexes, and it takes five steps. This guide covers what a broker does for you, what you have to do instead, and how to compare offers on the only number that matters: what you keep after the sale.
Duplex · Triplex · Quadruplex · 5 to 12-unit buildings · North Shore and Montréal
Can you sell an income property without an agent in Québec?
Yes. No law requires an owner to use a broker to sell their own building. The only mandatory professional is the notary, who executes the deed of sale and registers it in the land register. Without a broker you keep the commission, but you do the pricing, buyer screening and negotiating yourself — or you deal with a direct buyer.
Québec's Real Estate Brokerage Act governs people who act as intermediaries on behalf of others. An owner selling their own property acts for themselves and needs no licence.
Two practical limits. First, Centris is fed by brokers: without one, your building will not appear there. Second, selling without a broker does not remove any of your obligations as a seller. You must disclose the problems you know about, hand over accurate leases and figures, and close at the notary.
The three ways to sell your plex
For an income property, the choice comes down to three routes. They do not lead to the same price, the same timeline or the same amount of work.
| Criterion | With a broker | On your own (public listing) | Direct buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selling costs | Negotiated commission + GST/QST | Listing fees, if any | No commission |
| Exposure | Centris, sign, broker's network | Listing sites, word of mouth | No public listing |
| Showings | Several buyers | Several, organized by you | One visit by the buyer |
| Your workload | Low | High: pricing, calls, screening, negotiation | Low |
| Main risk | Timeline and buyer conditions | Unfinanced buyer, pricing error | Price may be lower: compare the net |
A broker who specializes in multi-unit buildings makes sense if you want maximum exposure and competing bids. Selling on your own suits owners who already have a buyer in mind. A direct buyer suits owners who want a fast answer, discretion and a sale with no repairs. The full comparison is here: broker vs direct buyer.
What is the avoided commission really worth?
In Québec, the brokerage commission is a percentage of the price, negotiated with the broker. GST (5%) and QST (9.975%) are added to that commission. Many sellers forget those taxes in their math.
Illustrative example — fictitious figures
Sale price of $700,000 and a 5% commission: $35,000 in commission, plus $1,750 GST and $3,491 QST, for about $40,240 withheld from the price at the notary.
Do not compare a direct offer with the asking price of a listing. Compare the net amount: accepted price, minus commission and taxes, minus price cuts requested after inspection, minus the months of taxes, insurance and interest while the building is for sale. A direct buyer may offer less than the best possible open-market price. The question is whether the gap is bigger than what a public sale costs you. Run the numbers with our offer calculator.
The 5 steps to selling without an agent
1. Gather your documents
Current leases and a rent roll, income and expenses for the past two or three years, municipal and school tax bills, insurance policy, purchase deed, certificate of location, invoices for major work, mortgage statement. A complete file from day one keeps the buyer from asking for a discount "for uncertainty."
2. Set the value from the income
A plex is valued first on its income: gross rents, actual expenses, net income, then comparison with similar buildings sold in the area. Municipal assessment and price per square foot tell you little. A price that is too high scares off serious buyers; a price that is too low costs you directly.
3. Choose the buyer, not just the price
Before accepting an offer, check the buyer's ability to pay: down payment, financing, conditions. A high offer with a shaky financing condition can tie up your building for weeks, then fall through.
4. Have the promise to purchase reviewed
Price, deposit, conditions (inspection, financing, lease review), deadlines to waive them, signing date, inclusions. Without a broker, have a notary or lawyer read the promise before you sign it. That is where most disputes start.
5. Sign at the notary
The notary checks title, prepares the deed, adjusts taxes and rents to the sale date, pays off your lender out of the price and gives you the balance. The leases transfer to the buyer; your tenants stay in place.
Your obligations as a seller, with or without a broker
Disclose what you know
The legal warranty of quality applies to the sale of a building. You can sell "without legal warranty, at the buyer's risk" if the buyer agrees, but that clause does not protect you for a defect you knew about and kept quiet. Put what you know in writing: leaks, foundation, work done without a permit. More in our article on latent defects.
Leases follow the building
The sale does not end the leases: the new owner takes them over on the same terms (art. 1937 C.C.Q.). You do not need the tenants' consent to sell. Your job is to hand over complete leases and an accurate rent roll.
Plan for tax
Selling a rental property usually triggers a capital gain and, if you claimed depreciation (CCA), a recapture taxed as income. Talk to your accountant before you set the signing date. Our tax guide covers the basics.
General information
This page does not replace advice from a notary, lawyer or accountant. Every building and every tax situation is different.
Selling to ImmoMulti
Your building interests us. ImmoMulti buys plexes and 2 to 12-unit buildings on the North Shore and in Montréal, to keep them. We read your leases, income and expenses, visit once, and give you a written offer within 48 hours. Our price reflects the building's real condition: you have nothing to renovate or empty out.
No sign, no listing, no repeated showings in your tenants' units. You choose the signing date with the notary. If the offer does not suit you, you owe us nothing.
Selling without an agent: your questions
Yes. The Real Estate Brokerage Act governs people who sell on behalf of others, not owners selling their own property. A notary is still mandatory for the deed of sale.
Yes. The leases continue with the new owner on the same terms (art. 1937 C.C.Q.). You do not need the tenants' consent to sell. The notary splits the month's rent between you and the buyer as of the signing date.
In Québec, the custom is that the buyer chooses the notary and pays for the deed of sale. The seller usually pays the costs related to discharging their mortgage. Check what your promise to purchase says.
That is not an obstacle. The notary pays off your lender out of the sale price. Depending on your contract, a prepayment penalty may apply: ask your lender for the amount before accepting an offer.
Sometimes, on price. But price is not your net: subtract the commission and its taxes, post-inspection price cuts and the cost of months of waiting. Ask for a written offer and compare the two net amounts.
Usually, yes: on the capital gain and, if you claimed depreciation, on the recapture of that depreciation. If you live in one of the units, part of the gain may be exempt. Your accountant can put numbers on it before the sale.
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