Things That Make Your Transaction Go More Smoothly

Every transaction has its own rhythm, but these are the things that consistently make the difference between a smooth closing and a stressful one.

Money & Timing

• Get your mortgage broker’s questions and documentation sorted out as soon as possible — this is one of the most common sources of last-minute delay.
• Get your property insurance organized and paid for well ahead of time.
• If any part of your down payment is a gift from family, get the gift letter sorted with your lender early — this is a common last-minute scramble.
• If you’re self-employed or have irregular income, your lender may need extra documentation (tax returns, Notices of Assessment, business financials) — get ahead of this rather than waiting for your broker to ask.
• Start estimating your “cash to close” about two weeks out. You won’t know the exact number yet, but you can get close based on your purchase price, Property Transfer Tax, any applicable GST, plus a bit extra for legal fees and closing costs.
• Don’t leave town the week before closing.
• If you’re selling and buying at the same time, avoid setting both closings for the same date if at all possible.

Communication & Expectations

• No news is good news from us. Past our initial intake call, we’re not chatty people — we won’t call just to give you a status update. We’ll call if we have questions, need information, or need instructions from you on something. If we haven’t called, things are moving along as expected.
• Be available by phone in case we need to reach you.
• Check your email regularly during your transaction, including your spam or junk folder — a lot of what we send is time-sensitive.
• Tell us early and often about any issues or odd things that come up, even if they seem small.
• Don’t assume we already know about your agreements — especially verbal ones. If it isn’t in the contract, we don’t know about it.

Property & Move Logistics

• Watch your possession time so your movers aren’t sitting on the lawn racking up overtime charges. Make sure your movers know your actual possession time, not just the general “moving day.”
• Do a drive-by of the property a day or two before closing to check that nothing has changed that needs to be addressed.
• Fill out your buyer checklist to help keep yourself on track.