Buying
Buying a home in London, Ontario
Buying a home has a rhythm to it: get your footing first, look with intent, offer with a clear head, and let the professionals carry the paperwork through. Here's how the process works in Ontario, step by step.
1. Start with the money conversation
Before the first showing, talk to your bank or a mortgage broker about pre-approval. It tells you what you can comfortably spend, locks a rate while you search, and makes any offer you write stronger. Budget beyond the purchase price too: land transfer tax, legal fees, a home inspection, and moving costs all land before or at closing.
2. Decide what actually matters
Three bedrooms or a finished basement? School catchment or a shorter commute? Most buyers trade something — deciding your non-negotiables early keeps a hot listing from making the decision for you. This is where a local conversation helps: the same budget buys very different homes in different corners of the city.
3. See homes, and take notes
Photos flatter. Walk the homes that make your shortlist, and pay attention to the things photos don't show: grading and drainage, window age, the electrical panel, how the street feels at 6pm. After three or four showings they blur together — short notes after each one keep the comparison honest.
4. Make the offer
An Ontario offer sets out price, deposit, closing date, what's included, and any conditions — commonly financing and home inspection. Conditions protect you; how many to include is a judgment call that depends on the property and the competition. When an offer is accepted, the deposit (typically delivered within 24 hours) is held in trust until closing.
5. From accepted offer to keys
Your lawyer takes it from here: title search, closing documents, and the transfer of funds on closing day. You'll confirm financing, book the mover, set up utilities, and do a final walk-through before closing. Then the keys are yours.