Reviewed by Karim Eshqoor, Lawyer, Barbarian Law™ (LSO #83032R)
In Ontario, a lawyer handles the registration and funds on every real estate closing. Barbarian Law™ publishes all-in residential prices and commercial rates, and lists exactly what is not included, so you know the legal cost before you commit. Aurora-based, serving York Region and the GTA.
Your property deal, closed properly
Residential and commercial real estate legal services — clear process, transparent pricing, and a written quote before closing day.
In Ontario, a lawyer isn’t optional on a real estate transaction — it’s a legal requirement. The question is whether yours is simply processing paperwork, or actually protecting your interests.
Real estate is, for most people, the largest financial commitment they will ever make. A missed encumbrance, an unreviewed builder clause, or a poorly negotiated lease can cost far more than the legal fees you were trying to avoid. Our job is to read what others skim, flag what others miss, and close every file with precision — whether it’s a first home purchase in Aurora or a commercial acquisition across the GTA.
Service overview: real estate. Firm-wide rates also appear on fees. Related: what your lawyer does on closing.
What does a real estate lawyer handle?
We act for buyers, sellers, borrowers, and landlords on both sides of the residential and commercial spectrum. Every file is handled by a called Ontario lawyer with direct access — not a paralegal relay.
- Residential purchase — Freehold, condominium, and new-build / pre-construction. Full APS review and title clearance.
- Residential sale — Mortgage discharge, Statement of Adjustments, and trust accounting — funds in your account on closing day.
- Refinance & discharge — Switching lenders, accessing equity, or discharging a mortgage outright. We coordinate directly with your lender.
- Commercial purchase/sale — Office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use. Due diligence, PPSA searches, title insurance, and ancillary documents.
- Commercial leasing — Lease drafting for landlords and lease review for tenants. See also lease review and commercial.
- Title transfers — Adding or removing a spouse, family gifting, estate transfers, and corporate restructurings.
What does closing actually involve?
There is a common misconception that a real estate lawyer simply shows up on closing day to sign documents. In reality, the work begins the moment you retain us. We review your Agreement of Purchase and Sale in full — not to summarize it, but to understand it, identify risk, and advise you before you are bound. We conduct title searches to confirm ownership history and identify any liens, easements, or encumbrances that could affect your use of the property. We review title insurance coverage, liaise with your lender and opposing counsel, and prepare or review the Statement of Adjustments so every dollar is accounted for.
On commercial files, the scope expands: zoning compliance review, environmental report analysis where applicable, PPSA and corporate searches, and the drafting or negotiation of ancillary documents such as vendor take-back mortgages, assignment agreements, and assumption deeds. More on VTBs: VTB mortgages explained.
On a sale, we manage the discharge of your existing mortgage, ensure clean title passes to the buyer, and confirm that net proceeds reach you accurately and promptly.
How much does a real estate lawyer cost in Ontario?
No retainer. No deposit. Invoiced after the work is delivered. Closing funds pass through our trust account because the law requires it; your legal fee is paid on closing, never up front.
We publish our fees because transparency is a baseline, not a differentiator. All amounts are in Canadian dollars.
Residential prices are all-in. Each residential price below includes our legal fee and every disbursement and third-party charge on the file, including closing software, lender-portal and funds-transfer charges and the LAWPRO transaction levy where it applies. A purchase price includes acting on the purchase and on one mortgage. A sale price includes the discharge of your first mortgage.
Not included in the price: HST, land transfer tax, government document registration fees, other fees charged by government, Teranet fees, the cost of a condominium status certificate, payment for letters from creditors’ lawyers about similar-name executions, and any title insurance premium. Additional discharges and debt payouts are charged per item, as listed below.
Residential
| Service | All-in price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase, freehold or condominium, including one mortgage | $1,650 + HST | APS review, title and execution searches, status certificate review on condos, mortgage instructions, registration, trust accounting |
| Sale, including discharge of your first mortgage | $1,500 + HST | Discharge coordination, statement of adjustments, trust accounting, proceeds to you |
| Purchase and sale together | $2,950 + HST | Your purchase and your sale handled together, including one mortgage and the discharge of your first mortgage |
| Mortgage refinance | $1,250 + HST | Lender instructions, registration and trust accounting; we need lender instructions at least 7 business days before closing |
| New build, occupancy closing | $1,250 + HST | Interim closing when you take possession before title transfers |
| New build, final closing including one mortgage | $1,400 + HST | Registration of title and mortgage on the final closing date |
| Mortgage discharge, stand-alone | $1,000 + HST | Discharge of an existing mortgage, with no sale or refinance attached |
| Title transfer | $1,000 + HST | Adding or removing a spouse, family gifts, estate and corporate transfers |
Additional discharges and payouts
| Additional charge | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Each additional mortgage or charge discharged | $150 + HST | Any discharge beyond the first mortgage on a sale or refinance |
| Each other debt paid out from proceeds | $50 + HST | Credit cards, car loans, lines of credit and similar payouts |
Closing soon? If your file reaches us fewer than five business days before closing, call before you instruct us so we can confirm we can act in time.
All-in means all-in
Closing software, lender-portal and funds-transfer charges and the LAWPRO levy are inside the residential price. The only extras are HST, the government, Teranet, status certificate, execution-letter and title insurance items listed below, and per-item charges for additional discharges and debt payouts.
Advice and other services
| Service | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New build, builder agreement review | $350 + HST | Review of the builder’s APS before you sign |
| Interprovincial closing, Ontario counsel acting | $500 + HST | Where you are Ontario-based and we act as Ontario counsel on an out-of-province property |
| Independent legal advice | $500 + HST | Required by lenders when a guarantor, spouse or co-borrower signs |
| Independent legal representation | $750 + HST | Acting for a party on the transaction beyond advice alone |
Commercial
| Service | Legal fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase or sale (under $1M) | From $2,500 + HST | Due diligence, PPSA, title insurance, ancillary documents |
| Purchase or sale ($1M–$5M) | From $4,000 + HST | Quoted per file based on transaction complexity |
| Purchase or sale ($5M+) | Quoted per file | Contact us for a written estimate |
| Lease review, acting for tenant | $750 + HST | Review and advice on an existing landlord-form lease |
| Lease drafting, acting for landlord | From $1,500 + HST | Custom lease prepared from scratch; ancillary documents included where required |
Commercial fees are exclusive of HST and disbursements, which are itemized in your written estimate. All commercial engagements are confirmed in writing before work begins. Files involving environmental issues, title disputes, or multiple corporate parties are quoted separately based on scope. Commercial practice page: commercial.
What do you pay on top of the price?
These are the only items outside the all-in price. Figures are for a standard residential purchase with one mortgage.
| Item | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Land transfer tax | Set by Ontario, plus Toronto’s municipal tax if you buy in Toronto | Depends on price and location; first-time buyer refunds may apply |
| Deed registration | $84.23 (tax included) | Ontario government fee to register the transfer of title |
| Mortgage registration | $84.23 (tax included) | Where a new mortgage is registered on title |
| Title search | $35.60 (tax included) | Teranet fee |
| Execution search | $17.17 (tax included) | Teranet fee |
| Title insurance | Varies with property value | One-time premium; required by most lenders |
| Status certificate | Charged by the condominium corporation | Condominium purchases only |
On a sale, several of these do not apply, including deed registration, title search and mortgage registration. Refinances involve a reduced set. In every case you receive a written estimate specific to your transaction before closing.
First-time buyers. If you are purchasing your first home in Ontario, you may be eligible for the provincial land transfer tax refund of up to $4,000. Purchasing in Toronto? The municipal rebate stacks on top. We handle both rebate filings as a standard part of your purchase file at no additional charge. Eligibility is set by the Ministry of Finance, and we confirm yours before claiming it.
Why Barbarian Law™?
We are a boutique transactional firm. Your file does not move through a volume pipeline — it is handled by a called Ontario lawyer who has read your documents, understands your transaction, and is reachable when questions come up. We are not the cheapest option available, and we do not position ourselves that way. We are the option you choose when the deal matters.
Our practice is built around real estate, corporate transactions, and wills and estates — areas where precision is not negotiable. We bring the same discipline to a $500,000 freehold purchase as we do to a multi-million dollar commercial acquisition. The file size changes; the standard does not.
Aurora · York Region · GTA-wide · Electronic closing · Residential · Commercial
Buying through a corporation or holding company? Corporate sits beside residential and commercial closings when the deal needs both. After you own the property, many clients complete wills and powers of attorney.
Get started
Know your closing costs before you commit. Send us your closing date, property type, and purchase price. We will provide a clear written quote — the all-in price, the items not included, and HST — within one business day.
Contact Barbarian Law · Real estate · Fees
Questions about your closing statement
What does the residential price include?
Our legal fee, acting on one mortgage on a purchase or discharging your first mortgage on a sale, and every disbursement on the file, including closing software, lender-portal and funds-transfer charges and the LAWPRO transaction levy. Outside it: HST, land transfer tax, government registration and Teranet fees, a condominium status certificate, similar-name execution letters, title insurance, and any additional discharge or debt payout.
What if I have more than one mortgage or debts to pay out?
Each mortgage or charge discharged beyond the first is $150 + HST. Each other debt paid out from your proceeds, such as a credit card, car loan or line of credit, is $50 + HST. Every item is listed in your written quote before closing.
Are the extra costs lower on a sale or a refinance?
Yes. A sale has no deed or mortgage registration, and a straightforward refinance generally has no title search or deed registration. Your written quote reflects the actual scope of your transaction.
Where Art Meets Corporate Interest.
Under offer? Send us the APS before you firm up.
A lawyer who reads the agreement before it goes firm is the cheapest protection in the deal.
This article is general information about Ontario law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Every situation is different; speak with a lawyer about yours.
