Information for Buyers

Congratulations on your purchase!

Here are some things expect and a list of what we’ll need from you as we work toward your completion date.

Check off items as you go — your progress is saved automatically on this device (but nowhere else).

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Right Now

send us a copy of your fully signed Contract of Purchase and Sale once your subjects have been removed (if your realtor hasn’t done so already)

if you’re using financing, get our contact information to your lender so they know where to send their instructions

we’ll contact you for an intake, to make sure we get all of our information down properly

get your two pieces of current, government issued ID ready – we’ll send you a link to a secure ID verification service; one piece needs to prove you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (Canadian Birth Certificate, Canadian Passport, SIN Card, PR Card)

arrange your movers

get your property insurance organized and paid for

finish any notifications you need to give for the place you are leaving

set up your utilities for your new place

think about your phones – do you need a new phone number or can you keep your current one?

redirect your mail to your new address

get your “cash to close” funds ready to use – we will go over this number with you in our financial review and you will need to bring this money in to us by way of bank draft one business day before your completion date

read up on title insurance – we will discuss this with you at your review session

if you are using a Power of Attorney, get that to us right away so we can review and register it

check our tech requirements page to make sure you can connect with us

Reviewing and Signing Documents

we’ll arrange a review session to go through all of the documents with you and verify details – we usually do this by way of a videocall – this usually happens about 5 days before your completion date

we’ll set up an in-person signing appointment with you to take your signatures on the few documents that need “wet-ink” signatures – this usually happens about 3 days before closing

bring two pieces of valid, government-issued photo ID to your appointment (yes, we know you have already given this to us, but we’ll need it again, in person, including your proof of citizenship)

Just Before Completion

bring us in your “cash to close amount” – a bank draft, payable to The Notary Group in trust for the amount we reviewed with you

finish packing

On Closing Day and Afterwards

be available by phone to answer any last-minute questions that come up

Closing Day: funds and title transfer between the notaries and lawyers; you’ll be notified when it’s done

Possession Day: you get to move in! (Note: this is sometimes a different day than your Closing Day). Check your contract for the time you get to move in on Possession Day

make a diary entry about three weeks after closing to go back to your lender and ask them to add another $5 or $10 to your mortgage payments

get yourself a Power of Attorney (if you don’t already have one – the title registries will not let anyone else help you with your property (even if they are family or on the property title with you))

diarize an appointment for just after the anniversary of your mortgage each year to put another $5 or $10 on each payment you make

put an entry in your calendar for about four months before your mortgage’s maturity date so you can look at whether you want to pay that mortgage out, renew it or go to a new lender – you’ll need about that long for the banks to process your requests

don’t forget you have to apply for the Homeowner Grant every year – it’s not automatic!

Not sure what these words mean? Check our BC Legal Glossary.

Information for Buyers

Right Now

Reviewing and Signing Documents

Just Before Completion

On Closing Day and Afterwards

More Resources for Buyers