Print this, stick it on the fridge, and check off each box as you go from accepted offer to keys in hand.
Who this is for: First-time home buyers in Ontario who have an accepted offer (or are about to make one) and want a simple, ordered list of everything that needs to happen. What you'll get: A grouped checklist covering the whole run-up to closing — before you offer, after you have a firm deal, the weeks and days before closing, closing week itself, and the first tasks after you move in.
⚖️ This is a general guide, not legal advice. It can't account for your specific situation. Use it to get oriented, then confirm the details with a licensed Ontario lawyer.
How to use this checklist
Buying your first home means juggling a lender, a real estate agent, a lawyer, an insurer, and a moving company — usually for the first time, all at once. The boxes below are roughly in order. A few items overlap, so read each section before you start it. When something is important, you'll see a short why it matters note underneath.
💡 Timing varies from deal to deal. The "weeks before closing" markers are typical, not guaranteed — your closing date is whatever you negotiated in your Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Confirm the real deadlines with your lawyer.
Stage 1 — Before you make an offer
- Set a realistic budget — including closing costs, not just the purchase price.
Why it matters: land transfer tax, legal fees, title insurance, and moving costs are real cash you need on top of your down payment.
- Get a mortgage pre-approval in writing from a lender or broker.
Why it matters: it tells you your price ceiling and shows sellers you're a serious buyer.
- Have your deposit ready in an accessible account.
Why it matters: once your offer is accepted, the deposit is usually due within a day or two — often by certified cheque or bank draft.
- Understand your land transfer tax and whether you'll qualify for the first-time buyer rebate (more below).
- Decide what conditions you want — financing, home inspection, and (for condos) a status certificate review.
Stage 2 — After you have a firm deal
A firm deal means your offer is accepted and all conditions are met or waived. Now the real work begins.
- Hire your real estate lawyer.
Why it matters: in Ontario, a lawyer must close your purchase. Retain one early so there's time for the title search and document prep. Ask for a flat fee up front.
- Gather two pieces of government-issued ID.
Why it matters: your lawyer is legally required to verify your identity. A driver's licence plus a passport or health card usually works — confirm what your lawyer accepts.
- Send your lawyer the signed Agreement of Purchase and Sale, plus any waivers and amendments.
Why it matters: it's the contract everything is built on. Your lawyer can't start without it.
- Line up home insurance effective on your closing date.
Why it matters: your lender will not release the mortgage money without proof of property insurance. Arrange it early, not the night before.
- Confirm your down payment funds and where they're coming from. If any of the money is a gift, ask your lawyer and lender what documentation they need.
Stage 3 — One to two weeks before closing
- Review the title search results with your lawyer.
Why it matters: the title search confirms the seller actually owns the property and reveals anything registered against it — mortgages to discharge, liens, or easements. Your lawyer works to clear up problems before closing.
- Sign your closing documents with your lawyer (in person or virtually).
Why it matters: you'll sign the transfer, your mortgage, the Acknowledgement and Direction, and other papers. Read them and ask questions — this is the moment to understand what you're signing.
- Confirm the exact amount of your closing funds.
Why it matters: the final figure (your balance due on closing) includes adjustments and may differ from your rough estimate. Get the precise number from your lawyer so you can have it ready.
- Book your movers and elevator (for condos) for the closing date or just after — not first thing in the morning.
- Decide how you'll deliver the closing funds — wire, bank draft, or certified cheque — per your lawyer's instructions.
⚠️ Beware wire fraud. Criminals send fake emails with "updated" payment instructions. Always verify wiring details by phoning your lawyer's office at a number you looked up yourself — never one supplied only in an email.
Stage 4 — Closing week
- Send your balance due on closing to your lawyer by the method they specified, on time.
Why it matters: late funds are a leading cause of delayed closings. Don't leave it to the last hour.
- Do a final walkthrough of the property close to the closing date.
Why it matters: confirm the home is in the agreed condition, the included appliances and fixtures are still there, and nothing new is damaged. Report problems to your agent and lawyer immediately.
- Stay reachable on closing day.
Why it matters: your lawyer may need to confirm details. Closings complete during the business day, and keys are usually ready once registration and funds are confirmed.
- Get the keys once your lawyer confirms the deal has closed and registered. Congratulations — it's yours.
Stage 5 — After closing
- Change the locks and reset any garage or alarm codes.
Why it matters: you have no idea who else holds a key to your new home.
- Transfer the utilities into your name — hydro, gas, water, internet — effective your closing date.
- Update your address with ServiceOntario (driver's licence, health card), Canada Post, your bank, employer, and the CRA.
- Keep your reporting letter.
Why it matters: after closing, your lawyer sends a reporting letter summarizing the deal, with copies of your key documents and title insurance policy. File it with your important papers — you'll need it when you sell, refinance, or file taxes.
- Set aside money for property taxes if they aren't built into your mortgage payment, and watch for your assessment and tax notices.
A note on the first-time buyer land transfer tax rebate
When you buy in Ontario, you pay land transfer tax — a provincial tax calculated on the purchase price. (If your home is in the City of Toronto, there's a second, municipal land transfer tax on top.) First-time buyers may qualify for a rebate that offsets some or all of the provincial tax, and Toronto offers its own first-time buyer rebate on the municipal portion.
💡 As of writing, both a provincial and a Toronto first-time buyer rebate exist, but the exact rebate amounts and eligibility rules change. Don't rely on a figure you read online — verify the current maximums and conditions at ontario.ca (and toronto.ca for the municipal rebate), and let your lawyer confirm what you qualify for and apply it on closing.
What's next
You now have the full arc of a first purchase on one page. The single most valuable move is retaining your lawyer early — right after your deal goes firm — so the title search, lender instructions, and document signing all have room to happen calmly. Everything else on this list fits around that.
How Treadstone Law can help
First-time buyers are exactly who we built our flat-fee real estate service for. We close purchases across Ontario, explain every document in plain language, confirm whether you qualify for the first-time buyer land transfer tax rebate and apply it on closing, and give you a clear price up front — no surprises.
- Start your file online: treadstonelaw.ca/start-file
- See our flat fees: treadstonelaw.ca/pricing
- More on our real estate services: treadstonelaw.ca/real-estate
- Questions? Call 1-844-900-1070.
We serve all of Ontario virtually, from our Mississauga office.
This is not legal advice
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Ontario laws, tax rates, and government programs change, and how the law applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, speak with a licensed Ontario lawyer. Treadstone Law is licensed by the Law Society of Ontario — reach us at 1-844-900-1070 or start a file online.