What to Expect on Closing Day

By the time closing day arrives, most of the legal work is already done. You have signed documents days earlier, your funds have been wired, and your lawyer is coordinating a handful of moving parts. Here is what is actually happening on the day itself.

The Day Before

In most Ontario closings, you have already:

• Signed your transfer documents and mortgage documents 1 to 5 days earlier
• Wired your closing funds (down payment less deposit, plus closing costs) to your lawyer's trust account
• Confirmed home insurance is in place effective the closing date
• Received instructions about where and when keys will be available

If anything is still outstanding, your lawyer is chasing it the day before.

Closing Day, Morning

• Your lawyer receives the final mortgage advance from your lender. The funds land in their trust account.
• The lawyer for the seller sends final closing documents (statement of adjustments, undertakings, direction re: funds).
• Your lawyer reviews and confirms everything matches what was agreed.

Closing Day, Mid-Day to Afternoon

• The transfer of title is registered electronically through Ontario's electronic registration system (Teraview). This is the moment ownership legally changes hands.
• The new mortgage is registered against title at the same time.
• Your lawyer wires the purchase funds (minus the deposit, which goes to the seller's lawyer separately) to the seller's lawyer.
• The seller's lawyer confirms receipt and authorizes key release.

You Get the Keys

Once the seller's lawyer confirms funds and clears the deal, keys are released. Usually by the listing realtor at the property, sometimes at the lawyer's office. Your lawyer texts or emails you the all-clear.

What Can Go Wrong

The most common closing-day issues:

• Lender delay. Funds don't arrive until late afternoon. Closes still complete, just later in the day.
• Last-minute holdback. A title issue, a missing document, or a discrepancy in adjustments can force a hold-back of part of the funds.
• Buyer wire timing. If your closing funds don't reach your lawyer in cleared form, the registration can't happen. Always wire at least 2 business days before closing.

What You Should Do

• Don't book the moving truck for the morning of closing day. Afternoons are safer.
• Don't disconnect old utilities until the day after closing.
• Take a photo of the property condition the night you take possession. It protects you if there is a dispute about chattels or damage.

If you want to see a sample closing timeline for a Windsor, Toronto, or anywhere-in-Ontario closing, get a free quote and we'll walk you through it.

Common questions

Do I have to be there in person on closing day in Ontario?

No. In most Ontario closings you sign your transfer and mortgage documents with your lawyer one to five days earlier. On closing day itself, the lawyers handle registration and money transfers behind the scenes. Your job is to wait for the all-clear text or email, then pick up your keys.

What time will I get the keys on closing day?

There is no set time. Keys are released only after title is registered and the seller's lawyer confirms the purchase funds arrived, which usually happens in the afternoon. Lender delays can push key release into late afternoon, so plan your moving truck for the afternoon, not the morning.

When should I send my closing funds to my lawyer?

At least two business days before closing. Your funds must reach your lawyer's trust account in cleared form before the transfer can be registered. If the money is still in transit on closing day, registration cannot happen and your closing stalls until the funds clear.

What can go wrong on closing day?

The most common problems are lender delays, last-minute holdbacks, and late buyer funds. A lender sending the mortgage advance late usually just pushes the closing to later in the day. A title issue, missing document, or discrepancy in the adjustments can force part of the funds to be held back.

Who hands over the keys when you buy a house in Ontario?

Usually the listing realtor, at the property. Sometimes keys are picked up at the lawyer's office instead. Either way, they are released only after the seller's lawyer confirms the purchase funds have arrived and clears the deal. Your own lawyer will text or email you when you can collect them.