Estate & Probate Appraisals in Toronto
When a loved one passes away, their home is valued as of the date of death. That one number sets the Ontario probate tax, goes on the final tax return, and becomes the starting value for tax if the home is sold. We appraise Toronto homes as of that date, in a signed report your estate lawyer and accountant can file.
Date-of-death appraisals from $470. No cost or obligation for a quote, and your exact fee in writing within one business day.
- Date of Death or TodayFor probate and the final return
- 2–3 DaysFrom inspection to signed report
- IndependentFair to every beneficiary
- CUSPAP 2026Canadian Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, E&O Insured
Every report is signed byJacklin Park, P.App., CRACanadian Residential Appraiser, designated by the Appraisal Institute of Canada12,000+ appraisals over 10+ yearsVerify on the Appraisal Institute of Canada directory ↗
When Do Executors Need an Estate Appraisal?
On death, the Income Tax Act treats the home as sold at its fair market value, the price it would likely fetch on the open market, even though nothing changes hands. Ontario’s probate tax is also based on that value. Most executors need the home’s value as of the date of death, and some need today’s value as well.
Applying for Probate
Ontario’s Estate Administration Tax is $15 for every $1,000 of estate value over $50,000. The home is usually the largest asset, so its value drives the tax and the Estate Information Return.
Date needed: date of deathFiling the Final Tax Return
The executor reports this “sale on paper” on the deceased’s final tax return. If the home was the principal residence, meaning the owner’s own home, for every year, the gain is usually sheltered, but the value still has to be documented.
Date needed: date of deathA Cottage, Rental or Second Home
Only one property per family can be the principal residence for a given year. A cottage, rental or investment condo can carry capital gains tax on the final return, measured by its value at death.
Date needed: date of death · capital gains appraisalsThe Estate Is Selling the Home
The value at death becomes the estate’s starting value for tax. Any rise between the date of death and the sale is generally taxable, so a well-supported starting value protects the beneficiaries.
Date needed: date of death · capital gains appraisalsOne Beneficiary Is Buying Out the Others
When a sibling keeps the family home, everyone needs to agree on a fair price. An independent value, with no commission at stake, keeps the conversation about facts.
Date needed: usually today, set with your lawyerA Beneficiary Questions the Value
Executors must act even-handedly. A signed appraisal on file shows how the value was reached if a beneficiary, the court or the Ministry of Finance asks later.
Date needed: date of death or distributionA Worked Example:
One Number, Two Jobs
David’s mother bought a detached house in Leaside in 1989 and lived there until she passed away in March 2025. David is the executor. He needs the home’s value for probate and her final return, and the estate sold the house this year for $1,680,000.
- Property
- Detached, Leaside
- Bought, 1989
- $310,000
- Date of death
- March 2025
- Sold by the estate, 2026
- $1,680,000
- Value on the date of death
- Needed
| Job 1: Ontario probate tax | |
| Value of the home at death From the appraisal | $1,600,000 |
| Less: first $50,000, which is exempt | −$50,000 |
| Estate Administration Tax at $15 per $1,000 | $23,250 |
| Job 2: Capital gain when the estate sells | |
| Sale price (2026) | $1,680,000 |
| Less: value at death From the appraisal | −$1,600,000 |
| Rise in value after death (capital gain) | $80,000 |
| Taxable capital gain (half the gain is added to income) | $40,000 |
Why the Date-of-Death Value Has to Be Right
Probate looks cheaper, but the Ministry of Finance can reassess it. And the estate pays tax on a bigger gain when it sells: $50,000 too low means $25,000 more taxable.
The estate pays exactly the probate tax and capital gains tax it owes, and David has a signed report on file if anyone asks.
The estate overpays probate tax at $15 for every extra $1,000, money that would otherwise go to the beneficiaries.
Simplified: assumes the home was her principal residence for every year she owned it, the home was owned in her name alone with no mortgage, and the estate claims no selling costs. Your lawyer and accountant will apply the rules to the estate’s situation.
How a Date-of-Death Appraisal Works
Valuing a home as of the date of death isn’t guesswork. It follows the same standards as any appraisal, with one difference. The evidence has to come from that period, using Toronto sales from the months around the date of death.
Confirm the Date of Death
The effective date, the date the value applies to, is the date on the death certificate. If your lawyer also needs today’s value, for a buyout or a sale, we can report both in one quote.
Reconstruct the Home as It Was
We inspect the home where possible and note anything that has changed since. If it has been cleared out, renovated or sold, older photos, the listing and your description show how it was.
Use Sales From That Period
We compare the home to similar Toronto homes that sold in the months around the date of death, so the value reflects the market the home was in, not today’s prices.
Receive a Signed Report
You get a full signed report that follows CUSPAP, Canada’s appraisal standards, showing the sales we compared the home to and how we adjusted for differences, ready for the lawyer’s and accountant’s files.
What We’ll Need From You
- The property address and the date of death
- The executor’s contact details, and the lawyer’s or accountant’s if they should receive a copy
- Access to the home, or photos if it has changed or sold since then
- Any renovations or problems with the home you know about
Sample Report
This is a real Best Home Value report: 34 pages, prepared to CUSPAP, the Canadian Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, and signed by Jacklin Park. It’s what you, your lawyer and your accountant receive.
More From the Report
Addresses, names, client details and the signature are hidden to protect our client’s privacy. Photos and maps are blurred.
Fees for Estate Appraisals
| Property | Today’s value | Date of death |
|---|---|---|
| Condo or townhouse | from $370 | from $470 |
| Detached or semi-detached | from $475 | from $575 |
A date-of-death appraisal costs more because the sales from that time, and the home’s condition back then, have to be pieced together for that period. Need the value at death and today’s value for a buyout? Ask for both in one quote.
If Questions Come Later
The Ministry of Finance can review an Estate Information Return, and the Canada Revenue Agency can ask how a value was reached, sometimes years later. Jacklin, who signed your report, answers the lawyer’s and accountant’s questions directly, so you’re never left defending a number on your own.
Working to a probate or filing deadline? Mention it when you request a quote, and we’ll plan the inspection around it.
How It Works
Six steps from your first message to a signed report, and you can check where things stand at any point.
Request a Quote
Tell us the address, the property type and why you need the appraisal.
Get Your Fee
You’ll have the exact fee in writing within one business day.
Book the Visit
Choose an inspection time that suits you, Monday to Saturday.
Inspection
The appraiser measures, photographs and notes the home’s condition.
Analysis
We choose recent sales of similar nearby homes, adjust for the differences, and weigh them to reach a value.
Signed Report
Delivered 2 to 3 days after the inspection, with the appraiser available for questions.
Track Your Appraisal
Already booked? See which stage your report is at, any time, without having to call.
Track My AppraisalExample order. Report expected Thursday.
Estate Appraisal Questions
Can you appraise a home as of a date in the past?
Yes. Date-of-death appraisals are routine. We value the home as of the date of death using sales and market conditions from that period, not today’s prices.
The home has already been sold. Can you still help?
Often, yes. We can work from the sale records, listing photos and your description of the home as it was on the date of death.
Do I need an appraisal if the home was the principal residence?
Usually, yes. The exemption may shelter the gain on the final return, but the value at death still sets the probate tax and becomes the estate’s starting value for tax if the home is sold later.
The home was jointly owned. Do we still need an appraisal?
Not always. A home held in joint tenancy usually passes straight to the surviving owner, outside the estate and probate. Whether a value is still needed, for example when the co-owner isn’t a spouse, depends on the tax rules for your situation, so ask the estate’s lawyer or accountant. If they need one, we can help.
How soon after the death should we order the appraisal?
The value is needed to apply for probate and for the final return, so most executors order it early. Because we value the home as of the date of death, it’s fine if months have passed or the home has changed since.
Can I use the property tax assessment or a realtor’s opinion instead?
Your property tax assessment from MPAC, Ontario’s property assessment agency, is based on a fixed date that is often years in the past, and a realtor’s opinion is a pricing tool from someone who may earn a commission. For probate and tax, an independent appraisal as of the date of death is far easier to defend.
Will the Canada Revenue Agency and the Ministry of Finance accept your report?
The report is signed by a designated member of the Appraisal Institute of Canada and prepared to CUSPAP (the Canadian Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice), which lawyers and accountants expect for fair market value. Jacklin is also E&O insured: she carries errors and omissions insurance, professional liability coverage for her work.
Does the executor have to be present for the inspection?
No. Anyone who can give us access is fine, or we can arrange a lockbox. The home doesn’t need to be cleared out or tidied first.
Can the lawyer or accountant get a copy?
Yes. Tell us who should receive the report when you request your quote.
Who pays for the appraisal?
Usually the estate pays, as part of the cost of administering it. The estate’s lawyer can confirm how to handle it.
How long does an estate appraisal take?
Most reports are delivered within 2 to 3 days of the inspection. You’ll have the fee in writing within one business day of your request.
Settling an Estate? We’ll Make This Part Simple.
Send the address and the date of death. You’ll have your fee in writing within one business day.
We appraise homes across Toronto, from Etobicoke and the Annex to Leaside and Scarborough. See every neighbourhood we serve.
No cost or obligation. Your exact fee within one business day. Your details are used only to prepare your quote.
Prefer to talk? Call 647-886-8384, Monday to Saturday.
Official Sources
- Government of Ontario: Estate Administration Tax
- Estate Administration Tax Act, 1998
- Canada Revenue Agency: Guide T4011, Preparing Returns for Deceased Persons
- Canada Revenue Agency: principal residence and other real estate
This page is general information, not tax or legal advice. Best Home Value provides appraisals; please consult the estate’s lawyer or accountant about your situation.