You’ve found the house, secured your mortgage, and are counting down the days to possession. Now it’s time for one of the final steps in the home-buying journey: signing at your lawyer’s office.
If you’re wondering what happens at this appointment, I’m Rodney Biggar, a local Spruce Grove Mortgage Broker, and here’s a simple breakdown to help you walk in feeling confident and prepared.
Make Sure Everyone Is Connected
Before your signing appointment, your lawyer will need information from your team.
- Your real estate agent sends the purchase agreement.
- Your mortgage broker has the lender send the mortgage instructions.
To keep everything moving smoothly, make sure your lawyer has both your agent’s and your mortgage broker’s contact information. Behind the scenes, your team works together to prepare all the legal and mortgage documents for signing.
Your Signing Appointment
About 5–10 days before possession, your lawyer’s office will contact you to schedule your signing appointment. Plan for about an hour. During this meeting, they will:
- Review the details of your purchase
- Go over your mortgage documents
- Explain what you’re signing
- Confirm two pieces of valid ID
- Answer any final questions
This is your opportunity to make sure you understand everything—don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Statement of Adjustments
Your lawyer will review a document called the Statement of Adjustments. This outlines who owes what at closing. For example:
- Property tax adjustments
- Condo fee adjustments (if applicable)
- Utility adjustments
It ensures that both buyer and seller pay their fair share up to the possession date.
Your Bank Draft & Home Insurance
Before your appointment, you’ll need to prepare two important items:
✔ Bank Draft
You’ll bring a bank draft payable to your lawyer’s trust account. This typically covers:
- The remaining balance of your down payment
- Closing costs
- Legal fees
- Property tax adjustments
Your lawyer’s office will tell you the exact amount required.
✔ Home Insurance
You must arrange home insurance effective on possession day. Your lawyer will require a Binder Letter from your insurance company confirming coverage. Without this, your mortgage lender will not release funds—so don’t leave this until the last minute. For a no obligation quote, contact Jason McKinnon, Senior Insurance Broker at InsureLine Brokers (Platinum).
Title Insurance
Your lawyer will also discuss title insurance, which protects your ownership rights. Title insurance can cover issues such as:
- Title fraud
- Errors in public records
- Unknown title defects
- Survey or boundary issues
What Happens on Closing Day?
On possession day:
- Your lawyer sends funds to the seller’s lawyer.
- Once funds are received, documents are registered, and everything is confirmed, the keys are released.
Keys are typically available later in the afternoon, not first thing in the morning. I always recommend avoiding booking movers early in the day—closing timelines can vary slightly depending on how quickly funds and registrations are processed.
If you have any questions leading up to your appointment, reach out. I’m here to make sure you feel confident and supported every step of the way.
