Real Estate Lawyer Fees in Ontario (2026): A Transparent Breakdown
If you are buying or selling a home, real estate lawyer fees in Ontario are one closing cost you cannot skip — the law…
Services
Real estate services for Richmond Hill
Our real estate law page explains each service and the full purchase process. Wills, probate and immigration for Richmond Hill are on our Richmond Hill page.
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Selling and buying together
Your sale and your next purchase, priced together in the quote, with the closings lined up so one funds the other.
Fee by price — instant quote -
Buying a home
Agreement review, title and execution searches, title insurance, your mortgage and registration.
Fee by price — instant quote -
Refinancing
A new lender at renewal, equity for a renovation or a second suite. B-lender mortgages add $400 + HST.
Fee by mortgage amount — instant quote -
Condo status certificate review
For Yonge Street and Highway 7 condos: written notes and a call within your conditions.
$250 + HST -
Pre-construction agreement review
A written review of a builder’s agreement for a new condo or house.
$450 + HST -
Title transfers
Adding a spouse or child to title, or transferring between family members.
Quoted individually
Land transfer tax
One land transfer tax, and why it matters more at Richmond Hill prices
Only the City of Toronto charges a municipal land transfer tax. In Richmond Hill you pay Ontario’s tax alone, so on a detached house the saving over a comparable Toronto purchase runs into the tens of thousands.
For a home with one or two single-family residences, Ontario’s rate is 2% on the part of the price between $400,000 and $2,000,000 and 2.5% above $2,000,000 (as of 2026). Worked example: on a $1,400,000 Richmond Hill home the tax is $275 + $1,950 + $2,250 + $20,000 = $24,475.
| Price | Tax | Same price in Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| $800,000 (condo) | $12,475 | $24,950 |
| $1,400,000 | $24,475 | $48,950 |
| $1,800,000 | $32,475 | $64,950 |
| $2,400,000 | $46,475 | $92,950 |
The first-time buyer refund is capped at $4,000 whatever the price, so on that example a qualifying first-time buyer still pays about $20,475. The tax is paid on closing from your own funds, not the mortgage; the instant quote shows it for your price with our fee.
Why Wannes Law
A Toronto law firm that keeps you informed
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A licensed Ontario lawyer
Rosalie Wannes, licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, is responsible for your file from start to finish.
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Fees before you commit
Instant online quotes and published flat fees, so you know the cost before you retain us.
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Every step explained
Plain-language explanations of what happens, what you provide and what we handle, at every stage.
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Direct access
Reach your lawyer and law clerk directly by phone and email while your matter is underway.
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Sign in person or remotely
Meet at our Sheppard Ave E office in Toronto, or review documents by video and courier the originals.
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English, Armenian and Arabic
Talk through your matter in the language you are most comfortable with.
Second suites
Richmond Hill houses with a basement apartment or garden suite
Richmond Hill allows up to three additional units on a lot, and plenty of listings now mention one. A unit adds value only if it was built properly.
The City permits additional residential units, such as basement apartments and garden suites, subject to zoning: up to three on a lot, to a maximum of four homes in total. Each needs a building permit, and the electrical work needs a separate permit from the Electrical Safety Authority. The Ontario Building Code applies throughout.
What to ask before you firm up
- Was the unit built under a building permit, and was the permit closed after final inspection?
- Is there an ESA certificate for the electrical work?
- Is the unit rented, on what terms, and is the tenant staying after closing?
- Does your lender count the rent, and does your insurer know the house has a second unit?
A tenant who stays becomes your tenant under the existing lease, and a home that isn’t vacant on closing is priced beyond our standard fee. If a unit was built without permits, legalizing it later can mean opening walls and ceilings, so price that in or make the offer conditional on the documents.
Title and fraud checks
We search title and executions on every purchase and arrange title insurance through Stewart Title, which covers losses from title fraud and forgery. Owners of mortgage-free houses and rental properties are frequent targets of real estate fraud; if a document you didn’t sign appears on your title, get advice quickly.
Moving within Richmond Hill
Selling one Richmond Hill home and buying another
Many Richmond Hill moves are within the city: a condo to a townhouse, a townhouse to a detached house, or a family home to something smaller. Two closings a few days apart need one plan.
Line up the dates
The simplest plan closes the sale first, or on the same day as the purchase, so your sale proceeds can pay for the purchase. Same-day closings work routinely when both agreements and both lenders are ready early; tell us your dates as soon as either agreement is signed.
If the purchase closes first
Your lender may offer bridge financing to cover the down payment until the sale closes. Ask early: the lender needs the firm sale agreement, and a bridge loan is priced beyond our standard fee.
Your existing mortgage
If you are selling a house with a mortgage, ask your lender about the prepayment penalty, and whether you can port the mortgage to the new home instead. We get the payout statement and make sure the discharge is registered after closing.
What stays and what goes
Chattels and fixtures, rental water heaters and furnaces, and any holdback for work the seller promised are all set by the agreement. We check the agreement on both sides so the statement of adjustments on each closing matches what you agreed. The quote prices the sale and the purchase together. What a real estate lawyer does on a purchase
Before you firm up
A Richmond Hill buyer’s checklist
Most problems are cheaper to solve while your conditions are still open. These are the items we most often ask Richmond Hill buyers about.
Send us
- The accepted offer and any amendments
- The status certificate, for a condo or a townhouse on a common elements road
- Details of any tenant or basement unit, and any lease
- Your lender’s and mortgage broker’s contacts
- Your sale agreement too, if you are selling
Ask about
- Permits for any second suite, addition or finished basement
- Rental equipment, such as a water heater or furnace, that you would take over
- Your immigration status, if you are not yet a permanent resident
- Whether you qualify as a first-time buyer
- How you will hold title, and whether your wills match it
The standard fee applies when we have the agreement and mortgage instructions at least five business days before closing. The quote is valid for 30 days. Buying with a partner? See wills for Richmond Hill families.
Testimonials
A York Region client who closed remotely
It was a pleasure working with Wannes Law, everything was seamless, we didn't have to move and everything was arranged for us. 2 days before closing Rosalie explained the process and documents, cleared any doubts that we had and on closing day we received all the documents in order.
Questions
Richmond Hill real estate questions
Do you have an office in Richmond Hill?
No. Our only office is at 3319 Sheppard Ave E, Suite 103, Toronto. Richmond Hill clients can sign there, or review documents with us by video while signing on paper and courier the originals back.
Is there a Richmond Hill land transfer tax?
No. Richmond Hill purchases pay Ontario’s land transfer tax only. On a $1,400,000 home that is about $24,475 (as of 2026), half what the same price would cost in Toronto.
I’m on a work permit. Can I buy a home in Richmond Hill?
Possibly. The federal ban on purchases by non-Canadians has exceptions, including for some work permit holders, and Ontario’s 25% non-resident speculation tax may apply unless an exemption fits. Check with us before you sign.
Can I buy a house with a basement apartment in Richmond Hill?
Yes, but check whether the unit was built under a building permit, with an ESA permit for the electrical work, and what happens to any tenant on closing.
Can my sale and purchase close on the same day?
Usually, yes, if both agreements and both lenders’ instructions reach us early. If the purchase has to close first, ask your lender about bridge financing well ahead of time.
How much does a real estate lawyer cost in Richmond Hill?
Our legal fee is calculated from your price in the online quote before you retain us. Disbursements, title insurance and land transfer tax are extra. Our fees guide
Guides
Guides for Richmond Hill buyers and sellers
Real Estate Lawyer Disbursements in Ontario: What Each One Costs
Real estate lawyer disbursements are third party costs that your lawyer pays to complete your transaction. The legal fee covers the firm's own work.…
Condo Status Certificate Review in Toronto: What to Check Before You Buy
A status certificate review by a real estate lawyer is one of the most important steps in any condo purchase in Ontario.
Related
Related pages
Areas We Serve
Real estate across York Region and the GTA
We act for buyers and sellers from Markham and Vaughan to Scarborough, North York, Durham and Peel.
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Scarborough
Real estate lawyer for Scarborough clients. Our office is on Sheppard Ave E.
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North York
Real estate lawyer for North York clients.
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Markham
Real estate lawyer for Markham clients.
Here to help
Know the numbers on a Richmond Hill home before you commit.
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Prefer to talk now? Call (647) 707-7718 · Service in English, Armenian and Arabic