Jul 24, 2023
If you’re in the process of buying or selling a house in Calgary, you may be wondering how long it takes to close the deal. The closing process is a critical phase of any real estate transaction, involving various steps and timelines. At Passgo, we understand the importance of a smooth closing, and we tailor our services to meet your specific needs, ensuring a seamless experience throughout the process.
For those buying a property, timely communication is crucial. It’s helpful for us to receive the purchase contract and mortgage instructions at least two weeks in advance. By doing so, we can work diligently to ensure that the deal closes on your desired date. However, if there are any unexpected delays, rest assured that we will still do everything in our power to complete your purchase on time.
Upon receiving the purchase contract and mortgage instructions, we will promptly contact you to gather essential information, such as your occupation, how you want to be described on the title, and your preferences for handling property taxes. Our team will then draft the necessary documents and schedule an appointment about a week before the closing date.
During this meeting, you’ll visit our office, bring any required funds, and sign the documents. From there, we’ll handle all the necessary transfer and mortgage paperwork to finalize your purchase. On the closing date, we take care of registering the title and promptly send you and your lender a comprehensive report. Additionally, we’ll make a courtesy call to you or your real estate agent to inform you of the arrangements for the key handover, typically around noon.
Approximately six to eight weeks after the closing, you’ll receive a final report along with any remaining funds held in trust, ensuring a clear and transparent conclusion to the purchase process.
For sellers, we understand the importance of efficient and thorough document delivery to the buyer’s lawyer. About a week or two before the closing date, we’ll meet with you to ensure all documents are in order. On the closing day, we receive the purchase funds and handle all necessary payouts. Rest assured that you will receive a comprehensive report summarizing the transaction.
If any issues arise during the process, such as Real Property Report discrepancies, condo document complications, or other matters, you can rely on our experienced real estate lawyers to handle them with precision and expertise. Approximately six weeks after the closing, we obtain the final discharges, deliver all remaining documents to the new owner’s lawyer, and officially close your file, providing you with a seamless and worry-free experience.
Now, let’s explore a typical timeline for the sale process:
Day 1: After successfully concluding a deal with your realtor, you contact our office to inquire about our services.
Day 2: You inform your realtor that you’ve chosen Galbraith Law for assistance with the sale.
Day 3: The realtor instructs their broker to send real estate instructions to our office.
Day 4: We receive the real estate instructions and open a file for your transaction.
Day 5: We promptly conduct searches at Land Titles and order a copy of the property tax statement. Depending on your location, this step may take up to one week.
Day 8: We order a mortgage payout statement. If your property is a condominium, we also order the Estoppel Certificate, which may take one week or more to obtain, depending on the lender and condominium manager.
Day 9: We arrange a meeting with you to sign the necessary documents.
Day 10 or later: We send the Transfer of Land to the buyer’s lawyer, but this can only be done after receiving all required payout statements to ensure that all encumbrances registered against the title will be paid off during the closing.
Completion Day: Typically, we receive the cash-to-close between 11 am and 12 noon. Our first priority is to pay off any encumbrances on your title, such as your mortgage, to ensure that interest stops accruing. We then handle the payment of any commissions owed to your realtor, as well as other expenses, such as Title Insurance.
Day After Completion: Once we are certain that all debts and realtor’s commissions are paid, we complete your statement showing the monies received and disbursed, including payment to ourselves. Finally, the net sale proceeds are released to you.
Under the standard REPC (Real Estate Purchase Contract), the buyer takes possession of the property on the completion date. Typically, we receive the sale proceeds just before noon on the completion date. Our first priority is to pay off any encumbrances on your title, such as your mortgage, to ensure that interest stops accruing. We then proceed to pay any commissions owed to your realtor and handle other expenses, such as Title Insurance.
After all necessary payments are made, we prepare a reporting letter for you, including a comprehensive accounting of how the sale proceeds were disbursed, along with your net sale proceeds. Usually, the net sale proceeds are available on the business day following our receipt of the sale money.
If you have any specific requirements, such as direct deposits into your bank account or payments related to interim financing, please advise us well in advance of the completion day to ensure we can accommodate your needs. We encourage you to collect the reporting letter and solicitor’s trust cheque directly from our office. However, if you prefer, we can also send the net sale proceeds directly to your bank via courier, though please note that an additional fee applies for this service.
In conclusion, the closing process for a house in Calgary typically takes about six to eight weeks from the initial consultation to the final closing day. This timeline can vary depending on the cooperation of all parties involved and any potential delays in obtaining necessary documents. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, having a skilled and experienced real estate lawyer on your side can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth and successful closing. At Passgo, we take pride in providing tailored services that align with your goals, making the closing process efficient and stress-free.
If you’re planning to buy or sell a property in Calgary or the surrounding areas, let our team at Passgo guide you through the closing process with expertise and dedication. Contact us today to get started on closing the door to your real estate goals.
Hi! I’m Erin Crocker. I’m a real estate lawyer with over 10 years of experience in Alberta and British Columbia real estate law. I love technology and efficiency. I’m on a mission to create a modern, digital closing experience for buyers and sellers through technology, transparency and sharing knowledge.
