Home Purchase Lawyer
When you buy property in Ontario, your lawyer is your legal advocate — the person responsible for protecting your interests, identifying risks before you're committed, and making sure the transaction closes without problems.
Zachary Soccio-Marandola is an experienced home purchase lawyer in Toronto.
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What a Home Purchase Lawyer Does in Ontario
Buying property involves multiple legal steps between offer acceptance and legal ownership. Here's what we handle at each stage:
Before Closing: Agreement of Purchase and Sale Review & Title Search
Our first step is to review your Agreement of Purchase and Sale to understand your rights and obligations, with a full understanding of the clauses, contract terms, protections, and/or conditions that are included in the deal.
We then verify the seller owns the property and can legally sell it. We search title records to identify liens, unpaid taxes, easements, encroachments, work orders, and zoning restrictions that could limit how you use the property or cost you money after closing.
If we identify any problems we work to resolve them. If title shows an unpaid lien, we coordinate with the seller's lawyer to have it discharged before closing. If your mortgage lender requires additional documentation or has concerns about title, we address those requirements.
For condominiums, we review the Status Certificate to uncover special assessments, reserve fund problems, ongoing litigation, or building maintenance issues that affect your investment. If the Status Certificate reveals financial or legal issues with the condo corporation, we explain what it means and whether you should proceed.
As your closing date approaches, we prepare all required documents for registration, coordinate with your mortgage lender to confirm funding and finalize mortgage terms, and calculate your closing adjustments — property taxes, condo fees — down to the dollar.
Lastly, we arrange your signing appointment (in-office or virtual) and walk you through every document you'll sign, explaining what each one commits you to. No document gets signed without you understanding it.
Closing Day: Completing Your Home Purchase
On closing day, we receive funds from your lender, transfer your down payment and closing costs from our trust account, pay off any existing mortgages or liens on the property, register the transfer of ownership and your new mortgage, and confirm you're the registered owner. You receive keys once title is registered. We provide a final report with copies of all registered documents and a breakdown of all funds received and disbursed.
After Closing: Title Confirmation and Final Steps
After closing, we confirm your title is properly registered, your mortgage is recorded correctly, and all discharges are filed. If any post-closing issues arise — missing documents, registration errors, or title concerns — we handle them.
Single-Family Homes (detached, semi-detached, townhomes), Condominiums (resale and new construction), Investment properties, Assignments, Recreational Properties, and Vacant Land.
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Home Purchase Closing Costs in Ontario
Closing costs include legal fees, land transfer tax, title insurance, and registration fees. Here's exactly what you'll pay and why it matters:
Legal Fees
Your real estate legal fee covers our representation throughout the purchase — title searching, document review, mortgage coordination, closing preparation, and registration. We include all office disbursements in our price: things like status certificate review, title searches, execution searches, tax certificates, mortgage instruction fees, software costs, and banking fees.
New construction purchases can involve multiple closings (occupancy closing) and add to the total legal fees.
Land Transfer Tax
Land transfer tax is the largest closing cost most buyers pay. It's calculated as a percentage of your purchase price and paid only by the buyer.
In Ontario, the provincial land transfer tax rate is:
- 0.5% on the first $55,000
- 1.0% on amounts between $55,000 and $250,000
- 1.5% on amounts between $250,000 and $400,000
- 2.0% on amounts between $400,000 and $2,000,000
- 2.5% on amounts over $2,000,000
Toronto buyers also pay municipal land transfer tax at mostly the same rates, effectively doubling the tax.
First-time homebuyers in Ontario can claim a rebate of up to $4,000 on the provincial portion, which can reduce or eliminate the provincial tax on homes under $368,000.
Toronto first-time buyers can also claim a municipal rebate of up to $4,475.
You pay $14,475 in provincial land transfer tax.
As a first-time homebuyer with the rebate, you pay $10,475.
Example: $900,000 home in Toronto
You pay $14,475 in provincial land transfer tax, and
$14,475 in municipal land transfer tax, totaling $28,950.
As a first-time homebuyer with the rebates, you pay $20,475.
Title Insurance
Title insurance protects you against losses related to defects in a property's title, including fraud, forgery, unknown liens, and boundary disputes. It's required by virtually all mortgage lenders and is based on the value of the residential property. You pay once at closing and the coverage lasts as long as you own the property.
Unlike other insurance, title insurance protects against past events (problems that existed before you bought) rather than only future events. If someone comes forward claiming an interest in your property, or if a survey reveals your fence is two feet over the property line, title insurance may cover your legal costs and losses.
Government Registration Fees
The government charges $85 per document registered on title as of 2026.
A typical purchase with a mortgage involves two registrations: the transfer of ownership ($85) and the mortgage ($85), totaling $170.
For a complete closing cost breakdown, try our legal fee calculator:
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Choosing a Home Purchase Lawyer in Ontario
Not all real estate lawyers operate the same way. Here's what matters when you're choosing a lawyer to handle your purchase:
Who actually works on your file?
Most real estate transactions are handled by a team — a lawyer and a clerk working together. That's normal and efficient. What matters is knowing who your lawyer is and who makes decisions when problems arise. Ask upfront: who's my lawyer, and who handles my file day-to-day? You should know who to reach when you need answers or advocacy.
We're a small team. You'll know your lawyer from the start, and you'll have direct access throughout the transaction. When issues come up, you're talking to the person who makes decisions on your file.
How do they communicate?
Responsiveness matters more than people realize. When you have questions about your closing, you shouldn't be waiting days for a callback. You need to know how the lawyer communicates — do they respond to emails same-day? Are they easy to reach by phone?
The best way to test this is before you hire them. Reach out for a quote or ask a question about the closing process. You'll see very quickly how they communicate.
Is real estate law their focus?
There are general practitioners who handle real estate deals on the side. The promise of a lower fee might be appealing, but experience shows when problems arise. Someone who closes a few deals a month operates differently than someone who closes deals every day.
We work exclusively on residential real estate law in Ontario. Purchases, sales, refinances, and title transfers — that's all we do. When issues come up, we've seen them before.
What does their pricing include?
Ask if their quote is all-inclusive or "plus disbursements." Some lawyers quote a base legal fee, then add on separate charges for title searches, status certificate reviews, document fees, and administrative costs. By the time you close, the final bill is significantly higher than the original quote.
We provide all-inclusive pricing. Our legal fee includes all office disbursements — title searches, status certificate review, execution searches, software fees, tax certificates, and administration costs. You get one number upfront, and that's what you pay.
Our background
I spent 7 years as a licensed real estate broker before becoming a lawyer. I've been on both sides of transactions — I know how deals are structured, how Realtors negotiate, and where things break down. That perspective shapes how we review purchase agreements and advise clients.
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Next Steps: Hiring a Home Purchase Lawyer
Looking to hire a lawyer for your purchase? Here's what to do:
- Get an Accurate Quote
Use our legal fee calculator to get an instant estimate of your legal fees and total closing costs based on your purchase price and property type. The calculator provides a detailed breakdown so you can budget accurately. - Respond to the Email Quote or Call Us
Let us know you'd like to proceed. We'll need a copy of your Agreement of Purchase and Sale, and we'll send out our Retainer Agreement. - We Handle the Rest
Once you retain us, we take care of the legal work and keep you updated throughout the process. You'll know where things stand at every stage.
Contact Us
If you have questions about your home purchase closing or any other real estate legal matter, we're here to help. As real estate law specialists, our mission is to provide the clarity and direction you need to protect your property rights.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What's the difference between a deposit and a down payment?
A deposit is paid when your offer is accepted and held in trust until closing. Your down payment is the total amount you're contributing toward the purchase price — the deposit is part of your down payment, not separate from it.
Can I back out after my offer is accepted?
Only if your offer includes conditions (financing, inspection, status certificate review) and those conditions aren't satisfied. Once conditions are waived or expire, you're legally bound to complete the purchase. If you back out without legal grounds, the seller can keep your deposit and sue you for additional damages.
What if the home inspection finds major issues?
If your offer includes an inspection condition, you can walk away if the inspection reveals problems you're not willing to accept. If your offer is firm (no inspection condition), you're committed to the purchase regardless of what an inspection finds. This is why most purchase offers include an inspection condition.
What happens if my mortgage doesn't get approved?
If your offer includes a financing condition and your mortgage isn't approved, you can cancel the purchase and get your deposit back. If your offer is firm or your financing condition has expired, you're committed to the purchase. If you can't complete the closing, the seller keeps your deposit and can sue you for additional damages.