You signed the offer. You did the inspection. The mortgage is approved. Now comes the day everyone dreams about: closing day. That is the day the house officially becomes yours, and you get the keys.
If you have never bought a home before, closing day can sound scary. It is not. It is mostly paperwork, done by professionals, while you wait for one happy phone call. Here is what happens, step by step, in plain words.
1. Your lawyer does the final checks
In Ontario, a real estate lawyer (or notary) handles the legal side of your purchase. In the days before closing, your lawyer checks that the seller really owns the home, that there are no unpaid bills attached to it, and that your mortgage money is ready to go.
You do not have to do this part yourself. Your lawyer does it, and your realtor stays in touch with everyone so nothing falls through the cracks.
2. You bring two things: ID and the money
On closing day, or just before it, your lawyer will ask you for two things:
A government photo ID, like your driver's licence or passport.
The rest of your money. This is your down payment, plus closing costs, minus the deposit you already paid. Your lawyer will tell you the exact amount and how to pay it — usually a bank draft or certified cheque from your bank. Never send this money to someone who emails you asking for it out of the blue; always confirm the amount and instructions with your lawyer directly.
3. The money moves and the papers are signed
Your lawyer and the seller's lawyer exchange the signed papers and the money. Your mortgage lender sends the mortgage money to your lawyer, and your lawyer sends the full purchase price to the seller's lawyer. Then your lawyer registers the change of ownership with the province. "Register" is just the official word for recording, in the government's records, that the home is now yours.
4. You get the keys — usually in the afternoon
Once everything is registered, the keys are released. In most cases this happens in the afternoon, not first thing in the morning, because the money and paperwork need time to move between banks and lawyers.
How do you actually get them? Most of the time, you pick up the keys yourself at your lawyer's office, once your lawyer confirms the deal is closed. And since COVID, another way has become very common: the seller leaves a lockbox at the house, and once the sale is closed, your lawyer gives you the lockbox code so you can let yourself in. One honest note: your realtor does not normally pick up the keys for you — that part is between you and your lawyer.
So a good tip: do not book the moving truck for 8:00 in the morning on closing day. Plan the move for the afternoon, or even the next day, so you are not waiting on the front step.
5. What to check when you walk in
Before the movers arrive, take a quick walk through the home:
Is everything the seller promised to leave still there, like appliances?
Is anything damaged that was not damaged before?
Do the lights, taps, and heating work?
If something is wrong, call your realtor right away. Do not wait a week — the sooner it is reported, the easier it is to fix.
A simple closing-day checklist
Government photo ID ready
Bank draft or certified cheque for the exact amount your lawyer gave you
Your lawyer's phone number saved in your phone
Moving truck booked for the afternoon, not the morning
A first-night bag: phone charger, bedding, towels, toilet paper, snacks, and coffee — because boxes take longer to unpack than anyone expects
The bottom line
Closing day is not a test. You do not need to understand every legal paper — that is what your lawyer is for. Your job is simple: bring your ID, bring the money your lawyer asked for, and be ready to celebrate in the afternoon when the keys are yours.
Buying your first home in London? We walk with you from the first showing all the way to the day you get the keys, explaining every step in simple words.
— Paola Cano & Jose Ramirez, Thrive Realty Group Inc., Brokerage, London, Ontario.