Once your real estate agent drafts your purchase contract and your conditions are removed, your lawyer’s job is to prepare various closing documents. Once these document are ready, you meet with your lawyer to review and sign them. This meeting usually takes place about a week before your closing date and lasts about an hour if you are getting a mortgage.
Especially for purchasers, the stack of paperwork the lawyer brings into the room can be a little intimating. At MHR Law, we are happy to explain what each document says and why it is required. We want our clients to ask us any questions they have about the process. Buying a house is one of the most significant legal transactions of your lifetime, and we want you feel confident in the process.
The exact documents will vary depending upon your unique circumstances, such as whether you are the buyer or the seller, but will often include:
- the certificate of title;
- the encumbrances that will stay on title (e.g., utility easements, restrictive covenants)
- transfer documents;
- the real property report;
- mortgage paperwork;
- the statement of adjustments, which allocates property taxes and other expenses between the buyer and seller
- realtor fees;
- your lawyer’s account;
- a breakdown of how various fees will be paid.
You will need to bring a bank draft for the remaining amount of the purchase price (we will let you know this amount before your meeting), as well as ID to confirm your identity.
This meeting is usually the only time you will see or talk to the lawyer on your file. The rest of the time, our experienced real estate paralegals are your main point of contact.