When it comes to selling condos, details matter more than in any other type of residential listing — and mistakes stick. This checklist is the ARIVL playbook for preparing a condo listing with precision, compliance, and confidence. Use it every time.
1. Confirm & Verify the Unit Specs (No Guessing)
A) Square Footage & Measurements
- Start by confirming the official square footage from the registered Survey Plan
- RMS measurements will still be required for MLS marketing to meet board measurement standards
- Note any discrepancies between survey and RMS for personal reference (not public marketing)
B) Title Confirmation & Registered Encumbrances
Pull the Unit’s TITLE from Land Titles and verify:
- Registered ownership
- Additional registered co-owners
- Any caveats
- Builder caveats
- Restrictive covenants
- Encumbrances
- Parking stall ownership (if titled separately)
- Storage ownership (if titled separately)
- Lease registrations
- mortgage registrations (FYI only — not disclosed publicly)
- any rights-of-way or easements
This confirms what the seller actually owns — not just what they believe they own.
C) Survey Plan Verification
Review the survey plan for:
- exact parking stall locations
- titled vs common property
- assigned vs exclusive-use spaces
- storage locations
- amenity locations and designations
- elevator and corridor positions
- unit orientation and stacking
- measurement methodology
D) Legal Description Accuracy
Cross-check:
- Condominium Plan number
- Legal unit number
- Civic address (of the unit and not the registered owner)
- Title document Registrations
- Survey plan
All identifiers must align before the listing goes live.
2. Parking & Storage Verification
Your primary source here is the Survey Plan & Land Titles.
- Cross-reference parking & storage on:
- the Survey Plan
- Title documents
- Bylaws
- Verify if stalls are:
- titled (ownership)
- assigned (board-controlled)
- exclusive-use (permission-based)
- leased (rent arrangement)
- Confirm exact physical location — don’t rely on seller memory
- Check the painted numbers on the physical parking stalls… are they painted the same as the registered unit or painted differently for security?
- Confirm if stalls can be rented, reassigned, or separated from the sale
- Confirm any restrictions regarding disposal or use of stalls
This avoids the brutal embarrassment of:
“Actually — you don’t own that second stall.”
3. Condo Document Collection & Review (Non-Negotiable)
Documents to request and actually read:
- Bylaws
- Survey Plan
- Registered Title documents
- Reserve Fund Study
- AGM minutes
- Last 12 months meeting minutes
- Year-to-date financials
- Reserve fund balance statement
- Any current or past law suits or legal actions
- Engineering reports
- Insurance certificate
- Deductibles?
- water damage deductible
- sewer backup deductible
- flood deductible
- SIUD (Standard Insurable Unit Description) policy?
- Additional insurance required for upgrades above the SIUD?
- Any known or upcoming capital projects
- Notices of levy or anticipated levy
4. Red Flag Awareness (Know What You’re Selling Into)
Know the visual and documented warning signs:
- Discolouration around windows
- Fogging between window panes
- Signs of water intrusion
- Balcony membrane deterioration
- Balcony slope/grade concerns
- Railing rust or corrosion
- Exposed rebar or cracked concrete
- Concrete movement on sidewalks or ramps
- Spalling or scaling on parkade surfaces
- Door seal failure
- Window seal failure
- Building envelope staining or streaking
- Elevator malfunction history
- Security compromises — tailgating complaints, theft
- Fire system deficiency mentions
- Chronic plumbing stack failures
- Repeated roofing patchwork
- Parking membrane restoration scheduling
- Litigation related to building repairs
This is where you can save the client from a future nightmare.
5. Fee Structure & Financial Clarity
You must confidently know:
- Monthly condo fee amount
- Fee coverage (heat, water, gas, electricity, etc)
- What is NOT included
- Expected fee increases
- Minimum reserve contribution level
- Any history of fee hikes
- If fees support proactive maintenance or just survival
- Fee burden per sq ft (if relevant in that building)
You need to understand the financial health of the corporation — not just the price of the unit.
6. Restrictions & Rules
Know before advertising:
- Pet policies (allowed? weight restrictions? approval required?)
- Smoking restrictions
- Short-term rental (Airbnb/VRBO) policies
- Move-in/move-out protocols
- Use of elevator padding
- Damage deposits for moving
- Age restrictions
- Renovation restrictions
- Unit modification approvals
Everything must come from the bylaws, not hearsay.
7. Marketing Accuracy & Representation
✔ State facts only
✔ Reference verified documents
✔ Avoid interpretation
✔ Avoid exaggeration
✔ Avoid making assurances you can’t verify
Don’t base the listing on vibes.
Base it on documentation.
8. Internal ARIVL Compliance Before Listing Goes Live
You must confirm:
- RMS measurement completed
- Survey Plan registered square footage documented
- Parking verified against survey
- Storage verified
- Available Condo docs reviewed
- Deductible structure understood
- Amenity access confirmed
- Red flags reviewed
- Litigation history checked
- Engineering reports analyzed
- Realtor Signage Allowed
- Realtor Keysafe Location
- Agent Showing Access
- Common door locking times (if front door locks by 8PM, how do agents access the building?)
- Property Management and Manager contact
No exceptions.
9. Communication & Professional Conduct
If you don’t know — don’t BS!
Say:
“I’ll verify this against the governing documents and get you a factual answer.”
And if you need help or backup — call us.
📩 hq@arivl.ca
📞 Jakie: 780-224-5566
Never go into a listing blind.
10. Final Note
At ARIVL, accuracy isn’t negotiable — it’s our brand.
This checklist ensures every condo listing meets the highest professional standard in the industry.