Top 10 buyer questions for lawyers
1) What does my real estate lawyer actually do?
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Reviews your Agreement of Purchase and Sale and amendments
Checks title and legal searches
Prepares closing documents
Receives mortgage funds and closing funds
Registers the transfer and mortgage
Confirms legal closing so keys can be released
For a straightforward Ontario purchase, a realistic budget is about $1,000 to $2,500 in legal fees, plus HST and disbursements; for Sarnia-Lambton, that is the safest working range unless your lawyer gives you a specific flat quote.
Quick tips
Hire your lawyer right after your offer is accepted
Send the full deal paperwork early
Ask who your actual contact person is in the office
2) When should I hire a lawyer?
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As soon as your offer is accepted
Even faster if it is:
a condo
an estate sale
a private sale
tenanted
power of attorney
anything unusual or messy
Quick tips
Do not wait until closing week
Last-minute legal panic is not a strategy
Ask what documents they need from you right away
3) What is title insurance, and do I need it?
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Usually a one-time closing cost
Can help protect against:
title defects
fraud
registration errors
some encroachments
some lien-related issues
It does not replace every legal search
It does not cover every possible problem
Current TitlePLUS Ontario premiums show:
resale house, over $200,000 to $500,000: $385.74 plus 8% PST = about $416.60
new house, over $200,000 to $500,000: $338.89 plus 8% PST = about $366.00
resale condo, over $200,000 to $500,000: $195.00 plus 8% PST = about $210.60
Quick tips
Ask what it covers
Ask what it does not cover
Keep a copy of the policy after closing
4) What does my lawyer check before closing?
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Title and ownership issues
Registered charges
Needed searches for that property
Property tax issues
Condo documents if applicable
Other legal problems affecting ownership or use
Quick tips
Ask what searches are being done for this property
Septic, well, condo, rural, estate, or tenant properties need more attention
Not every deal needs the exact same legal checks
5) What closing costs do I pay as a buyer?
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Usually:
legal fees: about $1,000 to $2,500
HST on legal fees
disbursements: the only public Lambton reference I found is an older local estimate of about $200 to $300, but purchases can run higher depending on searches and registrations
title insurance: often about $200 to $500, and roughly $416.60 for a typical resale house in the $200K–$500K range
land transfer tax
adjustments such as prepaid taxes, condo fees, fuel, or utilities if applicable
Quick tips
Ask for the full estimate early
Keep extra money aside
Closing day has a nasty habit of adding surprise math
6) How does land transfer tax work, and what is the first-time home buyer rebate?
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Ontario land transfer tax is charged in brackets:
0.5% on the first $55,000
1.0% on $55,000 to $250,000
1.5% on $250,000 to $400,000
2.0% on $400,000 to $2,000,000
2.5% on the amount over $2,000,000 for qualifying one- or two-family residential property
For first-time buyers:
eligible buyers can get a refund of up to $4,000
that means no Ontario land transfer tax on the first $368,000 if you fully qualify
At the current Sarnia-Lambton average sale price of $421,186, Ontario land transfer tax is about $4,898.72.
If that buyer fully qualifies for the first-time home buyer rebate, the net provincial land transfer tax would be about $898.72 after the maximum $4,000 refund. The current year-to-date average price is $447,562, which would mean about $5,426.24 in Ontario land transfer tax before any rebate.
Quick tips
Ask your lawyer before closing if you qualify
Do not assume every first-time buyer qualifies automatically
This rebate is one of the few times Ontario gives you money back instead of taking it first
7) Can I get my deposit back if the deal falls apart?
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Only if the contract allows it
In resale deals, it usually depends on:
your conditions
your deadlines
the wording in the agreement
In regular resale, changing your mind is usually not enough
Condo purchases have extra legal protections in some cases, including status review and, for some new condo purchases, a cooling-off period
Quick tips
Make conditions clear
Know your deadlines
Get legal review fast on builder or unusual contracts
8) What is a status certificate for a condo?
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It can show:
financial health of the condo corporation
reserve fund issues
special assessments
legal claims or judgments
common expense information
rules and restrictions
Quick tips
Never waive review casually
Ask your lawyer to flag financial risk and rule restrictions
Check pets, rentals, parking, and renovation rules carefully
9) When do I get the keys?
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Usually on closing day
Only after legal closing is completed
That means funds, documents, and registration have to be done first
Quick tips
Do not book movers with zero buffer
Expect some waiting on closing day
Keys are released after legal completion, not wishful thinking
10) What if I am buying in a special situation?
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Extra legal review is smart if:
a corporation is buying
there is a trust
someone signs under power of attorney
title is unusual
the property has legal complications
Quick tips
Tell your lawyer early
Special situations usually mean extra paperwork
“We’ll sort it out later” is how deals get ugly fast
