The Pitfalls of Condo Assignment Sales: Taxes, Buyers, and the Builder
Thinking of selling your pre-construction unit before closing? The rules changed after 2022 — read this first
My condo hasn’t closed yet and I want to assign it — what should I watch for, and will I be taxed?
Yes, and the rules changed completely after 2022. An assignment sells the rights and obligations under your purchase agreement (APS) to a new buyer, who then closes directly with the builder. It usually requires the builder’s written consent, may carry a fee, and often restricts public advertising. On tax: per the CRA, since May 7, 2022 all assignment sales of new housing are taxable for GST/HST; and since January 1, 2023 the Residential Property Flipping rule fully taxes profit on property (including the right to acquire) held under 365 days as business income — no capital-gains treatment.
Source: Canada Revenue Agency (GST/HST Notice 323; Residential Property Flipping rule, ITA s.12(13)-(14)).
‘Arthur, my pre-con unit is up a bit — can I flip it before closing and pocket the difference?’ I hear it every month. You can assign it, but two tax changes — one in 2022, one in 2023 — have wrecked a lot of back-of-the-napkin math. People expect a capital gain and get taxed fully as business income; they expect a clean spread and then owe HST on top. This article lays out the four pitfalls so you run the numbers before you decide.
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What an assignment is, and how it differs from a resale
An assignment happens before the building is registered and before any title exists to transfer: you sell the rights and obligations under your purchase agreement to a new buyer (the assignee), who then ‘takes the baton’ and closes with the builder. Because there’s no title to transfer, this is not a normal resale — the process, the buyer pool, and the taxes all work differently.
Pitfall 1: builder consent and the assignment fee
Pitfall 2: GST/HST — expecting a clean profit, owing tax instead
Pitfall 3: the flipping rule — under a year is fully taxed
🚨Never assume your assignment profit is a capital gain. Since 2023, residential property (including the right to acquire via assignment) held under 365 days is taxed fully as business income — potentially double the rate you expected. Consult an accountant before you act.
💡 Separating law from contract is where people go wrong here: ‘HST applies’ and ‘the flipping rule’ are law; the builder’s consent, the assignment fee, and the advertising restrictions are your contract terms. The law treats everyone the same; the contract terms vary by builder and project. Conflating the two is the most common factual error in this whole topic.
Pitfall 4: a small buyer pool usually means a discount
Few buyers understand or want assignments; an assignee also needs strong cash (they assume your original deposit schedule) and often faces tougher financing than on a resale. Add the builder’s restrictions, and the result is frequently that you have to discount below a comparable resale to sell at all. After tax and after the discount, ‘making a quick profit before closing’ often isn’t worth it.
Do this before you assign
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need the builder’s consent? Can’t I just assign privately?
Almost every pre-construction contract requires the builder’s written consent, and assigning privately is usually a breach. Builders may also charge a fee and restrict advertising. Read the APS and follow the proper process, or you risk losing the contract and your deposit.
I bought intending to live in it — do I still owe HST on an assignment?
Per the CRA, since May 7, 2022 all new-housing assignments are taxable for GST/HST regardless of your original intent. That’s the key change, and many sellers don’t realize it.
If I hold more than 365 days before assigning, is it a capital gain?
Past 365 days you escape the automatic full-tax ‘flipping rule,’ but the CRA can still assess the profit as business income based on your actual intent (under older case law). 365 days is not a magic shield — get accounting advice for your situation.
With all these pitfalls, am I better off just holding to closing?
Often, yes. After HST, business-income tax, and the typical discount, the real take-home from a pre-closing assignment frequently falls short. Run the assignment scenario side by side with holding to closing to live in or rent, then decide.
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