What a real estate lawyer actually does on closing
A real estate lawyer is the legal pivot on every closing. The lawyer reviews and explains the agreement, conducts a title search, orders off-title searches like tax, utility, and zoning, reviews the survey or arranges title insurance in lieu, prepares closing documents, receives mortgage instructions, manages the statement of adjustments, transmits funds through the lawyer trust account, and registers the transfer and charge on title. None of that is optional. None of it is what your realtor does.
Title insurance, what it actually covers
Most residential closings in Canada use title insurance instead of an up-to-date survey. Title insurance covers undiscovered title defects, forgery, fraud, certain encroachments, certain zoning surprises, and survey-related issues. It does not insure against issues you knew about, future events, or environmental contamination. Your lawyer reviews the policy and ensures appropriate endorsements are in place for new build, condominium, or rural files.
Common deal-killing issues
Unregistered easements crossing the proposed garage location. Outstanding work orders from the municipality. Sewer impost charges due before closing. Builder add-ons that were verbally agreed but never signed. A spousal interest that was not properly handled. A previous mortgage payout figure that comes back $4,000 higher than the agreement statement. None of these are exotic. A good real estate lawyer catches them three weeks out, not three hours before closing.
Closing costs you can expect
In Ontario, expect legal fees of roughly $1,200 to $2,200 for a residential purchase including disbursements and title insurance, plus land transfer tax which scales with price and is doubled in Toronto. First-time buyers receive partial rebates. Condominium closings typically run a few hundred dollars higher because of the status certificate review. New build closings include HST, Tarion enrolment, development charges, and education levies that are routinely larger than the legal bill itself.
When to retain counsel and how to choose
Retain a real estate lawyer the day the offer goes firm, ideally the day it is signed. The lawyer reviews title, requisitions, and any conditions while there is still time to resolve issues. Look for a firm that practises real estate as its primary work, communicates clearly, signs at hours that work for you, and offers electronic signing where appropriate.