Toronto and Humber Bay Shores · Resale condo buyers
From the accepted offer to the first night in your new home, a practical countdown that protects your money, moving plans and peace of mind.
Follow the closing timeline ↓The mistake you can avoid
Imagine your moving truck arrives at a Humber Bay Shores condo early in the morning. The agreement names today as closing day, but the lawyers are still working through the title transfer and final funds. You may not have legal access yet, even if the suite looks empty.
This is a hypothetical scenario, not an actual client's transaction. The agreed closing date, your signed Agreement of Purchase and Sale, the lawyers' work and condo-management procedures all matter. You can plan much of this before moving day without predicting when a deal will close.
Buyer countdown
Review the deposit deadline and verified recipient, financing and status certificate conditions if any, the agreed closing date, and exactly which parking/locker rights, fixtures and appliances are included. The signed agreement governs; conditions are not automatically extended.
Connect your lawyer and mortgage lender, check owner insurance starting at closing, plan utilities and internet, and ask condo management about elevator bookings, loading access, parking, fobs and any actual move-in rules. This timeline is a suggestion, not a statutory deadline.
If the agreement includes a visit, coordinate access properly. Check the condition, appliances, major systems, included items and agreed seller repairs. Record and promptly raise issues with your agent and lawyer. Do not enter or renovate without permission.
Confirm lender instructions, legal documents, title insurance where applicable and the actual cleared funds needed. Verify the law firm and bank instructions independently. The offer deposit is normally credited toward the purchase price; do not double count it.
The lawyers must complete the transfer and funding requirements. Do not assume keys can be released at 9 a.m. or that a lockbox code is available before the transaction is completed. Have a flexible moving plan.
Verify fobs, keys, mailbox, included parking and locker access, and any documentation discrepancies. Register your details with management as required, set up condo fee payments and check all governing move-in rules.
These are recommended planning stages, not legal deadlines. A lawyer, lender, brokerage or condo corporation may require action on different dates in an actual purchase.
If your contract allows a pre-closing visit
RECO recommends a meaningful visit to check the home against what you agreed to purchase. Arrange access with your agent and the seller's representative. Record any concern, but don't assume you can perform repairs or change the contract unilaterally.
Has the condo been maintained in substantially the same condition as when you agreed to purchase? Note any new visible concerns.
Where permitted, check the working condition of the appliances and major systems that the sale agreement covers.
Confirm the agreed appliances, fixtures, window coverings, remotes and other inclusions remain.
Check whether expressly agreed repairs or other seller work have been completed as required by the contract.
Closing day access
RECO's brokerage guidance says access codes or keys must not be released ahead of a successfully completed closing without written seller consent. Lender funding and legal registration timing vary.
The lawyers and agents confirm completion, then coordinate permitted access. Check your actual fobs, garage, parking, locker and building entry before bringing in moving crews.
Have a contingency: flexible movers, truck or storage timing, child or pet arrangements, overnight essentials and a reachable lawyer. If the closing is delayed, contact the lawyer immediately—do not assume automatic cancellation, early possession or an extension.
RECO: Key release after confirmed completion ↗The final financial handoff
Your final cleared-funds requirement depends on the contract, your mortgage, your previously paid purchase deposit, land transfer taxes, legal costs and adjustments. The deposit is ordinarily credited toward the purchase price; adding it again would overstate the total. Review the final amount with your lawyer and confirm when and how funds must arrive.
Watch for payment-instruction fraud: never accept a last-minute change to account details just because it appears in an email. Use a separately verified known contact number at your lawyer's office to confirm payment instructions. Keep proof of transfers and signed documents securely.
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Common closing-day questions
Not automatically. Closing date is not a guaranteed hour of possession. Ontario real estate regulator guidance says brokerages must not release keys or access codes before the transaction is confirmed completed unless the seller has given written consent. Coordinate with your lawyer and agent before booking movers.
Only if your purchase agreement or a separate agreement gives you that access. Pre-closing visits are intended to verify the condition, inclusions, working systems and promised repairs; access must be coordinated with the seller side. A visit does not itself authorize early renovations.
Document the condition and immediately contact your agent and lawyer. Your options depend on the signed agreement, facts and applicable law. Do not assume you can cancel or withhold funds unilaterally.
Use the actual lawyer closing statement and independent verified payment instructions. It reconciles the purchase deposit, mortgage funds, land transfer taxes, legal charges and adjustments. A generic online estimate cannot determine the final balance due.
Ask the specific condo management well in advance about bookings, fees, refundable deposits, loading areas, time restrictions and required forms. Do not assume your preferred move-in time is available before you have confirmed possession.
Verify any payment instructions using an independently known and trusted phone number for your real-estate law firm. Unexpected changes to account details in email or messages should be treated as unverified until confirmed through your legal team.
No. This article addresses a typical resale condo where title and possession are being transferred through a resale purchase. New and pre-construction condos can involve different interim occupancy arrangements, legal notices and builder requirements.
Primary sources and next reads
Educational guidance reviewed October 15, 2026. This is not legal, mortgage or transaction-specific advice. Access, inspections, contractual remedies, ownership and moving rules depend on the signed agreement and the relevant professionals. This article concerns resale condos, not builder interim occupancy.
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