Real Estate

Hiring a Lawyer/Notary Public for Closing Day

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  • Feb 28th, 2022 10:50 am
Deal Addict
Aug 15, 2018
1373 posts
1854 upvotes

Hiring a Lawyer/Notary Public for Closing Day

Hi everyone,

First time home buyer here. Offer of purchase was accepted. My realtor recommended a Lawyer for closing day, but I read online that a Notary Public could also do it.

1. In your experience, what is the cheapest option, Lawyer or Notary Public?
2. Are there any "online Lawyers/Notary Public" that would charge less than the regular ones, or are they all roughly charging the same thing?

Thank you
11 replies
Deal Addict
Oct 14, 2010
1292 posts
1787 upvotes
Toronto
Oh boy!
Biggest purchase of your life and you want to go cheap :-)
Deal Addict
Aug 15, 2018
1373 posts
1854 upvotes
budwizestest wrote: Oh boy!
Biggest purchase of your life and you want to go cheap :-)
Well we're on RFD for a reason...

Joke aside, in my understanding this is just a formality that needs an "official" signature? So the cheapest certified option, should work?
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 30, 2005
1998 posts
1581 upvotes
Ottawa, ON
We've never used a notary, so I can't comment on that, but make sure whoever you select that they clearly breakdown their costs. Lawyers have a tendency of adding excessive disbursement costs to pad the bill.
Deal Addict
Aug 15, 2018
1373 posts
1854 upvotes
ZxExN wrote: We've never used a notary, so I can't comment on that, but make sure whoever you select that they clearly breakdown their costs. Lawyers have a tendency of adding excessive disbursement costs to pad the bill.
Thank you, I will. I'm in Ottawa too, in case you have someone to recommend.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 30, 2005
1998 posts
1581 upvotes
Ottawa, ON
mattnew wrote: Thank you, I will. I'm in Ottawa too, in case you have someone to recommend.
Unfortunately I don't. I used the same lawyer from my previous location to handle the sale and purchase.
Deal Expert
May 30, 2005
49009 posts
10302 upvotes
Richmond Hill
Would a notary also help you do things like get title insurance, check the deed, calculate property taxes and utilities owing, etc., and liaison with the seller's lawyer, or are you doing that on your own?
Tons of things for sale!
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Deal Fanatic
Jan 15, 2017
5750 posts
6123 upvotes
Ottawa
mattnew wrote: Thank you, I will. I'm in Ottawa too, in case you have someone to recommend.
In ON you must use a lawyer for real estate closings. I have used Jacques Robert in the past and highly recommend them. https://www.jacquesrobert.com
Deal Addict
Aug 15, 2018
1373 posts
1854 upvotes
skeet50 wrote: In ON you must use a lawyer for real estate closings. I have used Jacques Robert in the past and highly recommend them. https://www.jacquesrobert.com
Thank you I didn't know that was an obligation. Appreciate the referral too.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 2, 2008
1755 posts
723 upvotes
The Capital
No, always a lawyer.
mattnew wrote: Thank you, I will. I'm in Ottawa too, in case you have someone to recommend.
KMH Laywers; Nancie-Anne Heaphy.

She's done a couple of various RE & related transactions for me in recent years, always upfront and no bullshit + good price.

It's not a fancy, marble floor & gold handles type of law firm; I did go with one of those once and it cost me a lot more.
KMH offered even better service for much less & no surprise disbursements.
Deal Addict
Aug 15, 2018
1373 posts
1854 upvotes
mmagda wrote: No, always a lawyer.



KMH Laywers; Nancie-Anne Heaphy.

She's done a couple of various RE & related transactions for me in recent years, always upfront and no bullshit + good price.

It's not a fancy, marble floor & gold handles type of law firm; I did go with one of those once and it cost me a lot more.
KMH offered even better service for much less & no surprise disbursements.
Thank you for the referral, I noticed her name comes up often on forums. I will contact her and get a quotation.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 4, 2008
7675 posts
10978 upvotes
Scarbs
Congrats. I got my accepted offer a few weeks back, and am going through the administrative stuff now.

My advice for lawyers is to reach out to a few, and to reach out early. A lot of the RFD recommended lawyers may not be available for your closing date
When given enough time, all threads on RFD can and will go off on a tangent.

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