Ottawa Property Guide · ottawapropertyguide.ca
Closing day checklist
Tick each step as you complete it. Statuses below are the ones saved in your browser when this sheet was printed.
Date printed: 21 September 2026, 4:54 pm
The week before Everything that needs lead time
| Done | Step | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Confirm with your lawyer what they still need from you, and by when | Not Done | |
| 1.2 | Ask for the exact figure to bring, and how they want it — bank draft, wire, or certified funds | Not Done | |
| 1.3 | If money is moving between accounts, start it now. Transfer limits and holds are the classic closing-day surprise | Not Done | |
| 1.4 | Buyers: arrange home insurance effective on the closing date and send the binder to your lawyer. A mortgage will not fund without it | Not Done | |
| 1.5 | Buyers: confirm your lender has issued instructions to your lawyer and nothing outstanding is holding it up | Not Done | |
| 1.6 | Book utility transfers for the closing date — hydro, gas, water, internet — in both directions | Not Done | |
| 1.7 | Redirect mail, and update the address on anything time-sensitive | Not Done | |
| 1.8 | Confirm the movers, and build in the possibility that keys arrive later than you hope | Not Done |
The day before Money, documents, and the walkthrough
| Done | Step | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Buyers: do the final walkthrough — see the separate walkthrough card for what to check | Not Done | |
| 2.2 | Read the statement of adjustments and ask about any line you do not recognise | Not Done | |
| 2.3 | Have identification ready in the form your lawyer asked for | Not Done | |
| 2.4 | Collect the bank draft if one is needed, and photograph it | Not Done | |
| 2.5 | Put your lawyer's, agent's and lender's numbers in your phone. You may need them at short notice | Not Done | |
| 2.6 | Pack a box you keep with you: chargers, medication, tools, toilet paper, kettle, a change of clothes | Not Done |
On the day — buying What you are waiting on, and in what order
| Done | Step | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Expect to wait. Registration and funds have to complete before keys are released | Not Done | |
| 3.2 | Get confirmation from your lawyer that the transfer has registered — not just that funds were sent | Not Done | |
| 3.3 | Collect every key, fob, remote, mailbox key and alarm code. Ask what is missing rather than assuming | Not Done | |
| 3.4 | Photograph the meter readings the moment you are in | Not Done | |
| 3.5 | Walk the property again with the agreement: is everything that was supposed to stay actually here? | Not Done |
On the day — selling Handing over cleanly
| Done | Step | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | The property must be empty, including the garage, shed, basement and anything left "for the new owners" without being asked | Not Done | |
| 4.2 | Leave it clean. It is rarely a legal obligation and it is where disputes start | Not Done | |
| 4.3 | Leave manuals, warranties, spare parts, paint tins and the alarm code somewhere obvious | Not Done | |
| 4.4 | Deliver every key and remote as instructed — usually to your lawyer or agent, not to the buyer directly | Not Done | |
| 4.5 | Take your own meter readings and final photographs of the empty property | Not Done | |
| 4.6 | Cancel or move insurance only once the sale has actually completed, not the night before | Not Done |
Once you have the keys The first hour, and the first week
| Done | Step | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Change the locks, or rekey them. You have no idea how many keys exist | Not Done | |
| 5.2 | Find the water shut-off, the electrical panel and the furnace filter before you need them | Not Done | |
| 5.3 | Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and replace the batteries | Not Done | |
| 5.4 | File the closing documents somewhere you will find them. You will need them when you sell, and at tax time | Not Done | |
| 5.5 | Buyers: check whether a land transfer tax rebate applies to you, and claim it | Not Done |
Summary
| Total checklist items | 30 |
|---|---|
| Completed | 0 |
| Not completed | 30 |
| Completion | 0% |
| Overall status | Not Started |