Having an outstanding mortgage does not prevent a sale. We explain how it is cancelled and what options you have to do it smoothly.
Buying & Selling · Updated January 2026 · 5 min read
Selling a home with an outstanding mortgage is very common. The key is that, on signing, the home ends up free of encumbrances for the buyer.
The most common: part of the price the buyer pays goes to settle your mortgage (usually via a banker's cheque to your bank) and you receive the rest. It is the seller's side of buying a home with the seller's mortgage.
The buyer subrogates into your mortgage (takes over the loan). It is less frequent and depends on the buyer being interested in those terms and the bank approving it.
Paying the debt is the economic cancellation; you must also process the registry cancellation to remove the mortgage from the Registry. A provision is usually set aside for it. We coordinate bank, notary and agency with your sale.
Yes. The usual approach is to cancel your mortgage with part of the price at the notary itself, so the buyer receives the home free of encumbrances.
The economic cancellation is settled with the sale price. The registry cancellation (removing it from the Registry) is usually borne by the seller; it is worth setting aside a provision for it.
We coordinate the cancellation of your mortgage with the sale so everything fits at the notary.
