Smooth, well-reviewed closings for buyers, sellers, and owners across Toronto and the GTA.
Real Estate
Ontario real estate transactions rely on the province's electronic land registration system and are governed by legislation including the Land Titles Act, the Registry Act, and the Planning Act, alongside municipal requirements specific to the City of Toronto. Civitas Law manages the legal side of residential purchases, sales, and refinances, including title searches, mortgage instructions, and closing documentation, so clients can move through their transaction with confidence.
We also assist landlords and tenants with matters touching on the Residential Tenancies Act where a transaction involves an existing tenancy.
Direct access to your lawyer at every stage, with clear, honest advice about your options.
We handle title searches, mortgage instructions, and closing documents for Toronto home purchases.
We prepare and review sale documents, discharge existing mortgages, and manage the closing on the seller's side.
We act for homeowners refinancing an existing property, including private and institutional lender transactions.
We review title for encumbrances, easements, or defects and advise on title insurance where appropriate.
We review status certificates and condo-specific documents relevant to Toronto's high volume of condo transactions.
We review or advise on APS terms and conditions before a client commits to a purchase or sale.
We advise sellers and buyers where a property involves an existing tenancy governed by the Residential Tenancies Act.
Most Toronto property is registered under the province's Land Titles system, administered through Teraview and the electronic land registration framework, which requires a lawyer to complete title searches and register transfers and mortgages electronically. The Planning Act restricts how land can be severed or conveyed, and City of Toronto requirements, including the Municipal Land Transfer Tax on top of Ontario's provincial land transfer tax, add local considerations that don't apply elsewhere in the province.
Where a property is tenanted, the Residential Tenancies Act governs what notice and rights a tenant retains through a sale, which can affect closing timelines and possession dates. Ontario also requires specific statutory declarations and adherence to the Law Society of Ontario's rules around trust accounting for real estate closings, which protects both buyers' deposits and sellers' proceeds through the transaction.
Plain-language answers to the questions we hear most. Every matter is different, so treat these as a starting point.
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