By Jaswal Law | September 30th 2026 | Family Law
Getting your offer accepted feels like the finish line. It isn’t. It’s the starting line for everything your lawyer does behind the scenes to make sure the house you think you’re buying is actually the house you end up owning, free and clear.
In Alberta, a lawyer isn’t optional in a real estate purchase – your lender won’t advance a single dollar of your mortgage without one. Here’s what that work actually looks like.
Before anything else, your lawyer reviews the contract you’ve already signed. Is the possession date realistic? Are the appliances and fixtures you negotiated for actually listed? Is your financing condition worded specifically enough to protect you if the mortgage falls through – vague financing conditions have been found insufficient by Alberta courts in some cases. Catching a problem here, before you waive conditions, costs almost nothing to fix. Catching it after the deal is firm can be expensive.
Your deposit is paid almost immediately after your offer is accepted – typically to the seller’s brokerage, held in trust, and credited toward your purchase price at closing. Your down payment is different: it’s the larger sum you contribute toward the purchase price, and it doesn’t move until closing, when it’s combined with your mortgage funds in your lawyer’s trust account. Buyers often assume these are the same payment. They’re not, and mixing them up when budgeting for closing is a common – and avoidable – surprise.
Once your deal is firm, your lawyer searches the property through Alberta’s Land Titles system to confirm the seller actually holds clear title – no undisclosed mortgages, builder’s liens, caveats, or other encumbrances that could follow you home. If something turns up, it needs to be resolved before closing, not after.
Your lawyer also reviews the property’s Real Property Report (RPR) – a survey confirming everything built on the lot complies with municipal bylaws. A missing, outdated, or non-compliant RPR is the single most common cause of closing delays in Alberta, which is why it’s worth sorting out immediately after your offer is accepted, not the week before possession.
In most residential purchases, your lawyer also acts for your mortgage lender – so you’re generally not paying for two separate lawyers, just your own. Your lender sends your lawyer a detailed package of instructions specifying exactly what needs to happen before they’ll release your mortgage funds. Your lawyer has to follow these to the letter – there’s no discretion here, and missing a requirement can delay your closing.
A few days before closing, your lawyer prepares your Statement of Adjustments – the final balance sheet for the deal. It prorates costs like property taxes and condo fees between you and the seller based on your possession date, so you’re only ever paying for the days you actually own the home.
One to two days before closing, your mortgage funds and down payment move into your lawyer’s trust account. On possession morning, those funds get released – the seller’s mortgage is paid off, commissions are paid, and your lawyer registers the transfer at Alberta Land Titles. Once that registration clears, the property is legally yours, and the keys change hands.
From the day your conditions are waived to possession day, most Alberta closings run three to four weeks – enough time for the title search, RPR review, and mortgage instructions to come together properly. Rushing this timeline is usually where problems start.
"An accepted offer feels like the finish line, but it's the starting point. Our job is making sure the home you're buying is the home you own, free and clear."
Do I need my own lawyer, or can I use the seller’s?
Yes, you need your own. The seller’s lawyer represents the seller’s interests – using the same lawyer for both sides of the same transaction is a conflict of interest and isn’t something a lawyer can properly do.
What if my Real Property Report is missing or outdated?
Your lawyer can help you order a new one, or in some cases, title insurance can be used instead to satisfy your lender’s requirements. Either way, this is worth sorting out as early as possible – it’s the most common reason Alberta closings get delayed.
Can I close without a mortgage?
Yes. A cash purchase skips the mortgage instructions step, but your lawyer still handles the title search, RPR review, statement of adjustments, and registration at Alberta Land Titles.
Is closing day the same as possession day?
In most Alberta residential transactions, yes – funds transfer and the keys change hands on the same day, though exact timing can vary depending on registration and fund clearing.
Whether it’s your first home or your fifth, we’ll walk your purchase from firm deal to possession – checking title, reviewing your RPR, and making sure nothing gets missed before you get your keys.
Phone: 780-737-9999
Email: info@jaswal-law.ca
Office: 5008A-50th St, Beaumont, Alberta T4X 1E6
Proudly serving Beaumont, Edmonton, Leduc, Sherwood Park, Camrose, Wetaskiwin & surrounding areas.
Disclaimer: This blog post provides general information about the real estate purchase process in Alberta and should not be considered legal advice. Every transaction is different. For advice about your particular purchase, please consult with a qualified real estate lawyer.