The Costs of Buying a Home - Closing Costs

Before you take possession of your new abode, you need to consider any and all additional costs of obtaining your mortgage. We call these closing costs. Generally estimated around 1 - 1.5% of the price of the home, these are the unavoidable costs that are the last hurdle between you and glorious home ownership.

Deposit
Due upon the acceptance of your purchase offer, a deposit is essentially a gesture of good faith between the buyer and the seller. A minimum deposit is usually around $5000.00. This is something your realtor will help you with.

Mortgage loan insurance
This is a mandatory expense for buyers who make a down payment of less than 20%. Administered through one of the three insurers we have in Canada; the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Genworth Financial or AIG, the cost of this insurance depends on the amount of your down payment and also certain details of your application. The premium ranges from between 0.5% all the way up to around 6% if you are self employed and putting only 5% down. This premium is charged on the amount of the mortgage and can be added on to the mortgage.

Home inspection
Real estate agents normally counsel buyers to make an offer on a home conditional on the outcome of an independent home inspection. A home inspector looks for items that could affect the price and desirability of a home, such as outdated wiring, shabby roofing, an elderly furnace or cracks in the foundation. The fee depends on the home's size, age and the amount of time it takes to do a thorough inspection. Approximate cost $400-500.00.

House insurance
Canadian law states that a home owner must have fire insurance on his or her new property effective when he or she takes possession. If the home inspection turned up antiquated wiring or other problematic features, a potential insurer may refuse to cover you unless you get it fixed. Rule of thumb: Factor in all costs required to pacify the insurance company.

Legal fees
A lawyer is vital to any home deal. He or she is responsible for research, handling documents, mediating with the seller's attorney, transfer of land title and much more. Approximate cost $800-1300.00.

Title insurance
This protects you from any unpleasant revelations about your property's history that might crop up in the future. Unless you pay for a survey, it's difficult to ascertain a comprehensive history of your property. In order to deal with potential errors or omissions in the public registry or secret heirs to the land, most new homeowners buy title insurance. The fee depends on two factors. The first is whether the property is urban or rural; title insurance costs more out in the country because there's a greater chance that the property may contain an undisclosed structure, such as a well or a septic tank. The second factor depends on whether it's a single residence or a multiple-family dwelling (such as an apartment); the cost is more in the latter case. This is obtained through your lawyer and is approximately $200-250.00

Interest adjustment
Unless you take possession on the first of the month, you must prepay the amount of interest accrued up to the first day of the next month. This depends on what payment structure you have chosen (monthly, bi weekly, weekly, etc). That sum is due on your closing day or with your first payment, depending on the lender.

Prepaid bills
The seller may be entitled to a reimbursement, from you, if she has prepaid bills (water, gas or hydro) or property taxes.

Moving expenses
Whether you're hiring professional haulers or conscripting friends and family to lug boxes, you can expect an outlay of cash on moving day.

Service activation fees
Once you move into your new dwelling, you'll inevitably have to pay activation fees for utilities such as phone, cable, gas and electricity.

Forwarding your mail
You've made a point of apprising the important people in your life -- family, friends, employers, the bank, the utilities, your credit card company -- of your new address. But you're bound to forget someone. To ensure you don't miss any crucial mail, you should get Canada Post to forward mail sent to your old address to your new residence. You can sign up for the service online or at any post office. The cost is about $30 for six months, but peace of mind is priceless.

Appraisal
An appraisal may be required to determine the market value of the property you are buying. If you are putting more than 20% down the appraisal is at your cost and they generally start at $350 and go up depending on the appraisal company, the size of the property and its location. For example, properties over 1800 square feet have a higher cost as well as acreages depending on the amount of land and where they are located.