The First-Time Home Buyer Checklist for London, Ontario

Buying your first home feels like a hundred decisions at once. It helps to see it as a sequence. This checklist follows the order in which things usually happen for buyers in London, Ontario, from your first conversation about money to the day you pick up the keys. Where a step depends on legal wording, we say so and point you to your lawyer rather than guess.

Step 1: Get your finances in order

Before you look at a single listing, know what you can comfortably carry.

• Gather income documents, a list of debts, and proof of your savings.
• Check your credit report so there are no surprises.
• Work out the cash you need, not just the down payment. Our guide on how much money you need to buy a house in Ontario walks through the down payment, land transfer tax and closing costs.
• Look at the programs you may qualify for, such as the Home Buyers’ Plan, the FHSA and the Ontario land transfer tax refund, in our first-time buyer programs guide.

Step 2: Get a mortgage pre-approval

A pre-approval from a lender or mortgage broker gives you a likely borrowing range and often a rate hold for a period of time. It is not a final approval: the lender will still review the specific property and your documents once you have an accepted offer. If your down payment will be under 20%, ask how mortgage default insurance affects your numbers, as covered in our down payment and CMHC guide.

Step 3: Choose who will represent you

In Ontario, a REALTOR® either represents you as a client or you are self-represented. Look at registration, experience and how well the person listens, and read any representation agreement carefully before signing. Our article on finding a real estate agent you can trust explains what to ask and what to expect.

Step 4: Decide what you actually need

Write two lists: must-haves and nice-to-haves. Think about commute, space, lot size, parking, condition and how long you plan to stay. Then decide on the type of home. If you are torn between a condo and a freehold home, see our condo vs house comparison. If you are considering a brand-new home, read about buying a new build and the Tarion warranty and our new home construction page.

Step 5: Explore London’s neighbourhoods

London is a city of distinct areas, and nearby towns offer different trade-offs on price and lifestyle. Spend a few evenings and a weekend morning in the areas you like. Our London real estate community guides and our family neighbourhood article are good places to start, and our moving to London guide adds general context.

Step 6: Watch the market, then view homes

Market conditions change month to month. LSTAR’s September 2026 release reported 561 sales and 5.9 months of inventory, and described continued signs of a buyers’ market. We unpack the numbers in our September 2026 market report. Use that kind of data for context, but remember that every street and every home behaves differently. Set up listing alerts through our buyer page, view homes in person, and keep notes and photos so you can compare them later.

Step 7: Prepare to make an offer

Before you submit an offer, review what to ask about the home. Our list of questions to ask before making an offer covers the deposit, conditions and what to review. In general:

• Your representative will help you compare recent comparable sales to decide on a price.
• Your offer becomes an Agreement of Purchase and Sale once both sides accept it, and that document sets the price, deposit, closing date and any conditions.
• Conditions and irrevocable deadlines are written into the agreement. Do not rely on a general rule from the internet; ask your representative and your lawyer how the wording works for your specific offer.
• It is wise to have your lawyer look at the agreement before you sign, or at least as soon as possible afterwards, depending on the conditions you have.

Step 8: Complete your conditions

If your offer has conditions, they typically involve some of the following, depending on the home:

• Financing: your lender confirms the mortgage.
• Home inspection: a qualified inspector looks at the condition of the house and you review the report.
• Insurance: you confirm you can get home insurance.
• Condo documents: for a condo, your lawyer reviews the status certificate.
• Other items: for example, well water or septic checks on a rural property (see our rural property guide).

Keep an eye on the deadlines in your agreement. If a condition is not satisfied, talk to your representative and lawyer immediately about your options.

Step 9: Hand things over to your lawyer

Your lawyer will complete the title search, prepare the closing documents, arrange for the mortgage to be registered, calculate the statement of adjustments and collect your closing funds, including land transfer tax. Give them the signed agreement, mortgage details and any documents they ask for as soon as possible. Ask for a cost estimate early.

Step 10: Final preparations before closing

• Arrange home insurance so it is in place when you take possession.
• Set up utilities and change your address.
• Do a final walk-through before closing to confirm the home is in the condition the agreement describes.
• Meet with your lawyer to sign documents and confirm how you will deliver your closing funds.
• Book movers early, and plan for any overlap with your current rental or home.

Step 11: Closing day and after

On the closing date, your lawyer registers the transfer and, once everything is complete, you receive the keys. Afterwards, think about the tax side: if you are eligible, apply for the land transfer tax refund within the window described by Ontario, and learn how your property tax bill works in London. Keep your documents together for years to come.

Ready to start?

You do not have to figure all of this out alone. If you would like to talk through your plan, contact us or start on our buyer page.