# Downsizing in Kingston: The Costs | ReverseMortgageKingston.ca

> Downsizing in Kingston: commission, legal fees, Ontario land transfer tax on a smaller home, and a fall 2026 market with more sellers. No sales pressure.

URL: https://reversemortgagekingston.ca/guide/downsizing-in-kingston-cost/

Moving · Decision Guide

# Downsizing in Kingston: What Selling and Moving Really Cost

What it costs to sell a Kingston-area house and buy a smaller one, worked out with September 2026 prices, and when staying fits better or worse.

Dominion Lending Centres Homestead Financial · Updated October 16, 2026 · 5 min read

## Key points

-   **Kingston has no land transfer tax of its own**, so buying a $403,300 townhouse brings Ontario's tax only: $4,541. ([Ontario: Calculating land transfer tax](https://www.ontario.ca/document/land-transfer-tax/calculating-land-transfer-tax))
-   **Ontario's first-time buyer refund doesn't apply to anyone who has owned a home before**, which rules out most downsizers. ([Ontario: First-time homebuyer refunds](https://www.ontario.ca/document/land-transfer-tax/land-transfer-tax-refunds-first-time-homebuyers))
-   **The Kingston-area market had 6.5 months of inventory in September 2026**, and the most new September listings in more than a decade, so a sale may take longer. ([KAREA via CREA, September 2026](https://creastats.crea.ca/board/king))
-   **In an illustration, selling a $566,800 house and buying a $403,300 townhouse costs about $40,200 before movers**, using September 2026 benchmark prices. ([KAREA via CREA, September 2026](https://creastats.crea.ca/board/king))

Downsizing in Kingston has large one-time costs. In an illustration, selling a $566,800 house and buying a $403,300 townhouse costs about $40,200 before movers, if commission totals 5% plus HST. That includes Ontario land transfer tax of $4,541; Kingston charges no land transfer tax of its own.

[Find out what your own Kingston home could provide](/estimate/), free and without sales pressure, before reading on.

**About this guide and its Kingston numbers**

Dominion Lending Centres Homestead Financial, an Ontario mortgage brokerage (licence #11711), publishes this page. Richard Hopkins, Mortgage Broker (licence M16000896), compares every reverse mortgage lender in Canada for Kingston homeowners.

Every figure is linked to its source, and the complete list is at the end. Numbers were last checked on October 16, 2026. No lender reviewed or paid for this page.

In this guide

1.  [What does it cost to sell a house in Kingston?](#what-does-it-cost-to-sell-a-house-in-kingston)
2.  [What land transfer tax do you pay when downsizing in Kingston?](#what-land-transfer-tax-do-you-pay-when-downsizing-in-kingston)
3.  [How long could a Kingston-area home take to sell right now?](#how-long-could-a-kingston-area-home-take-to-sell-right-now)
4.  [What would downsizing leave you with?](#what-would-downsizing-leave-you-with)
5.  [When does staying with a reverse mortgage make sense?](#when-does-staying-with-a-reverse-mortgage-make-sense)
6.  [When does downsizing fit better?](#when-does-downsizing-fit-better)

[ReverseMortgageKingston.ca](/) adds up the real costs of downsizing in Kingston for owners aged 55 and older who are thinking about a smaller home. Most want to know how much money a move would actually free up once every bill is paid.

Finding a smaller place is rarely what stops people. What catches them out is the cost of getting there: commission, two sets of legal fees, land transfer tax and movers.

The things to weigh are those selling and buying costs, how long a sale may take in today’s market, and what staying would cost instead. This page works through each one with September 2026 prices for Kingston and area.

## What does it cost to sell a house in Kingston?

The largest cost of selling is the real estate commission, which is negotiable. In an illustration where commission totals 5%, selling a $566,800 house costs $28,340, plus 13% HST of $3,684.20, for $32,024.20. A lawyer for the sale usually costs about $1,800, and movers are extra.

The $566,800 figure is the September 2026 single-family benchmark for Kingston and area ([KAREA via CREA](https://creastats.crea.ca/board/king)). Your own home’s price and your commission rate will differ, so treat these as an example.

Ask more than one moving company for a quote, and ask what packing, storage and any piano or large items add. Some sellers also pay for repairs, cleaning or staging before listing. If the house needs repairs first, [home repairs in Kingston](/home-repairs-kingston/) covers ways to pay for it.

## What land transfer tax do you pay when downsizing in Kingston?

You pay Ontario’s land transfer tax only, because Kingston has no land transfer tax of its own. In Ontario, Toronto is the only city that adds one. On a $403,300 townhouse, the Ontario tax is $4,541. On a $342,700 apartment, it is $3,615.50 ([Ontario](https://www.ontario.ca/document/land-transfer-tax/calculating-land-transfer-tax)).

Ontario charges the tax in steps: 0.5% up to $55,000, then 1% up to $250,000, 1.5% up to $400,000, 2% from $400,000 to $2,000,000, and 2.5% above that.

| Step | $403,300 townhouse | $342,700 apartment |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First $55,000 at 0.5% | $275.00 | $275.00 |
| $55,000 to $250,000 at 1% | $1,950.00 | $1,950.00 |
| $250,000 to $400,000 at 1.5% | $2,250.00 | $1,390.50 |
| Above $400,000 at 2% | $66.00 | $0 |
| Ontario land transfer tax | $4,541.00 | $3,615.50 |

Ontario’s first-time buyer refund doesn’t help most downsizers. It excludes anyone who has owned a home, anywhere in the world ([Ontario](https://www.ontario.ca/document/land-transfer-tax/land-transfer-tax-refunds-first-time-homebuyers)). A lawyer for the purchase usually costs about $1,800 more.

Apartment buyers also take on monthly condo fees. [Reverse mortgages on Kingston condos](/reverse-mortgage-condo-kingston/) explains how the building is reviewed if you borrow later.

## How long could a Kingston-area home take to sell right now?

A sale may take longer than it would have a few years ago. In September 2026, the Kingston-area market had 6.5 months of inventory, up from 5.5 a year earlier, and 694 new listings, the most for a September in more than a decade ([KAREA via CREA](https://creastats.crea.ca/board/king)). More homes for sale means more choice for buyers.

Single-detached homes took a median of 31 days to sell in the third quarter of 2026, up from 28 a year earlier ([CREA](https://creastats.crea.ca/mls/king-market-conditions)). Nobody can say what prices will do next. Recent prices by home type are in [Kingston home prices in 2026](/guide/kingston-home-prices/).

## What would downsizing leave you with?

In an illustration, selling a $566,800 house and buying a $403,300 townhouse leaves about $123,300 after costs and before movers. The costs come to about $40,200: commission and HST of $32,024.20, legal fees of about $3,600 for both sides, and land transfer tax of $4,541.

| Illustration | Buy a $403,300 townhouse | Buy a $342,700 apartment |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sale price | $566,800 | $566,800 |
| Commission at 5% plus HST | $32,024.20 | $32,024.20 |
| Legal fees, sale and purchase | about $3,600 | about $3,600 |
| Ontario land transfer tax | $4,541.00 | $3,615.50 |
| Money left after the purchase, before movers | about $123,300 | about $184,900 |

The prices are September 2026 benchmarks for Kingston and area, and the 5% commission is an assumption only. Your own numbers will differ.

## When does staying with a reverse mortgage make sense?

Staying can make sense when you like your home, can keep it up, and need money more than a smaller house. A reverse mortgage lets you borrow against the home with no required monthly mortgage payments. At 70, the most you could qualify for on a $566,800 house is about $299,600, using 52.85% of the value.

The costs are different in kind. A move costs about $40,000 up front in the illustration above. A reverse mortgage costs about $2,000 to $3,500 up front, and then interest is added to the balance over the years. [What a reverse mortgage costs in Kingston](/guide/reverse-mortgage-cost-kingston/) shows that interest over 15 years.

Property tax, home insurance and upkeep stay yours to pay. The 2026 figures are in [Kingston property tax for seniors](/guide/kingston-property-tax-seniors/). Some families also add a unit for a relative instead of moving; see [additional residential units in Kingston](/additional-residential-unit-kingston/).

## When does downsizing fit better?

Downsizing can fit better when the house itself has become the problem. A home that’s too big to keep up, stairs that are getting hard, or wanting to live near family are reasons some owners move. A smaller home can also lower property tax, heating and upkeep each year.

A reverse mortgage is usually not the best fit when a sale is already close and you don’t need money before it. If you owe more than a reverse mortgage could pay off at your age, Richard can show you the other options he arranges. Planning ahead for care is covered in [long-term care in Kingston](/guide/long-term-care-kingston/).

Richard Hopkins, Mortgage Broker, compares every reverse mortgage lender in Canada so the staying side of the decision has real numbers. The best deal for your home and goals comes by email, and the recommendation is based on your situation, even when a move is the better answer.

## What it comes down to

A move to a smaller Kingston-area home can cost about $40,000 before the movers arrive, and the sale may take longer in a market with more sellers. Staying with a reverse mortgage has smaller one-time costs and interest that grows over the years. The [Kingston reverse mortgage calculator](/tools/reverse-mortgage-calculator-kingston/) shows the staying side with your own numbers.

To see the figures for your own house, [get a free Kingston estimate](/estimate/). It costs nothing, and there's no sales pressure.

## Other questions Kingston readers ask

**Does Kingston have a municipal land transfer tax?**

No. Kingston charges no land transfer tax of its own, so a purchase in Kingston pays only Ontario's tax. In Ontario, Toronto is the only city that charges its own land transfer tax on top of the provincial one.

**Can you get the first-time buyer land transfer tax refund when downsizing?**

No, not if you've owned a home before. Ontario limits the refund to buyers who have never owned a home anywhere in the world, and whose spouse didn't own one while they were together. Since most downsizers are selling a home they own, they pay the full provincial tax.

**Can a reverse mortgage help buy the smaller home?**

Yes. Part of the purchase price can come from a reverse mortgage on the new home, and the rest from the sale of the old one or from savings. Everyone on title needs to be 55 or older, and you must live in the new home. No monthly mortgage payments are required afterward.

[

Where this leads

Kingston reverse mortgages

What a Kingston home could provide at your age, what it costs, and how every lender in Canada gets compared for you, free.

](/)

## Keep reading: more Kingston guides

-   [Kingston Home Prices in 2026 and What They Mean for a Reverse Mortgage](/guide/kingston-home-prices/)
-   [What Does a Reverse Mortgage Cost in Kingston?](/guide/reverse-mortgage-cost-kingston/)
-   [Kingston Property Tax for Seniors: Rates, Due Dates and Help in 2026](/guide/kingston-property-tax-seniors/)
-   [Long-Term Care in Kingston: Costs, Waiting Lists and Paying for It](/guide/long-term-care-kingston/)

[Send this Kingston guide to someone in your family](mailto:?subject=Downsizing%20in%20Kingston%3A%20What%20Selling%20and%20Moving%20Really%20Cost&body=This%20Kingston%20page%20might%20be%20useful%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Freversemortgagekingston.ca%2Fguide%2Fdownsizing-in-kingston-cost%2F) . Your browser's Print command makes a paper copy for the kitchen table.

## Sources

Figures checked October 16, 2026.

1.  [Ontario: Calculating land transfer tax](https://www.ontario.ca/document/land-transfer-tax/calculating-land-transfer-tax)
2.  [Ontario: Land transfer tax refunds for first-time homebuyers](https://www.ontario.ca/document/land-transfer-tax/land-transfer-tax-refunds-first-time-homebuyers)
3.  [CREA: Kingston and Area Real Estate Association, September 2026 statistics](https://creastats.crea.ca/board/king)
4.  [CREA: Kingston and area market conditions, Q3 2026](https://creastats.crea.ca/mls/king-market-conditions)

---
Free reverse mortgage estimate (no sales pressure): https://reversemortgagekingston.ca/estimate/

Operated by Dominion Lending Centres Homestead Financial, a mortgage brokerage licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, brokerage licence #11711. Independently Owned and Operated. ReverseMortgageKingston.ca is a website of Dominion Lending Centres Homestead Financial, not a separate brokerage. Richard Hopkins, Mortgage Broker, licence M16000896.