Buyer guide · 04 / 04
Closing & settling in
Your professional team and next steps.
Prepare for the handover and the practical details of your move.
Bring the right people together
Different questions call for different expertise.
The guide describes a professional resource network. Ask about referrals where useful, and choose providers who fit your needs.
- Mortgage professional: financing questions.
- Real estate lawyer: legal review and closing questions.
- Home inspector: independent property evaluation.
- Insurance advisor and movers: coverage and relocation arrangements.
Keep the closing steps clear
Know who is responsible for what.
Closing follows the offer and due-diligence stages in the guide. Ask your lawyer, mortgage professional, and representative to explain the remaining steps for your transaction.
- Confirm which items still need action or review.
- Ask about the dates and responsibilities for your closing.
- Keep the relevant professionals’ contact details accessible.
Plan the practical move
Consider services you may need around the handover.
The resource list includes contractors, electricians, plumbers, movers, and staging or interior-design professionals. Use it as a prompt to identify what your move actually requires.
- List essential services separately from optional improvements.
- Ask providers about availability and the scope of their work.
- Coordinate moving arrangements with the confirmed transaction details.
Stay connected after closing
Keep a useful point of contact for the next chapter.
The guide includes ongoing client support after the move. Ask Kenneth what help is available for later property questions, referrals, or your next real estate decision.
- Keep your professional contacts in one place.
- Note questions that arise as you settle in.
- Ask what follow-up support would be useful to you.
Closing costs in Ontario
Land transfer tax. For a $1,400,000 home, Ontario land transfer tax works out to about $24,475. First-time buyers can claim a refund of up to $4,000, bringing it to about $20,475. Markham has no municipal land transfer tax. In Toronto, the city's own tax would add about the same amount again at this price.
Other costs to plan for. Legal fees and disbursements, title insurance, and the statement of adjustments, which repays the seller for property tax or utilities they have prepaid. If your mortgage has default insurance, the premium is added to the mortgage, but Ontario's 8% sales tax on that premium is paid at closing.
New builds. Read the builder's agreement for added closing charges, such as utility connections and development levies, and check what the Tarion warranty covers.
Moving in. In Markham, electricity is supplied by Alectra Utilities, gas by Enbridge Gas, and water is billed by the City of Markham. Book transfers into your name for closing day.
Before your next conversation
A short checklist to help you prepare. Your ticks stay on this page until you leave or refresh.
Common questions
What closing costs should I expect on a Markham home?
Plan for Ontario land transfer tax (about $24,475 on a $1,400,000 home before any first-time buyer refund), legal fees, title insurance, adjustments for prepaid property tax or utilities, and sales tax on any mortgage default insurance premium.
When do I get the keys?
On closing day, once the lawyers have exchanged the funds and registered the transfer. This is often in the afternoon. Your lawyer or the brokerage tells you when and where to pick them up.
Can I visit the house before closing?
If your agreement includes a clause for visits, usually two or three before closing. Use one close to closing day to check that the home and included items are as agreed.
What is title insurance?
A one-time policy, usually arranged by your lawyer, that protects you against problems with the title, such as fraud, errors in public records or some survey issues.
Ready to start looking?
Get new Markham and GTA listings by email, or book a short call to talk through your budget, timing and the areas you are considering.
Adapted from the RE/MAX Realtron Buyer Guide, August 2026, printed pages 6, 11, 13–14. This overview is for planning; confirm property-specific, financing, and legal questions with the appropriate professionals.