Key takeaways
- You typically sign an Acknowledgement and Direction for the electronic transfer, a direction on your proceeds, and authorisation to pay out your mortgage and deal with the discharge. Other documents may be needed depending on the sale.
- Your lawyer will typically ask for identification and a void cheque so your net proceeds can be deposited into your account.
- Give your lawyer details of any rented equipment, plus the keys and garage remotes to pass to the buyer.
- The appointment is with your own licensed real estate lawyer and is often available in person or remotely by video.
What is the signing appointment when you sell?
The signing appointment is a meeting with your lawyer, held shortly before your closing date, where you sign the documents that let your home be sold and transferred to the buyer. Think of it as the moment you put your name to everything the deal requires, so your lawyer can complete the sale on closing day.
The legal work behind this appointment — advising you on what you are signing, and making the compliance-with-law statements that electronic registration requires — can only come from a lawyer, and your own lawyer at that, since the seller’s and buyer’s interests are not the same. That does not mean the lawyer is beside you for every signature. Trained staff in a lawyer’s office routinely verify identity and handle the mechanics of signing, and practices vary on whether the lawyer attends the whole appointment. What does not vary is that the lawyer remains responsible for the file and for the advice. If you want the lawyer present, ask when the appointment is booked.
The meeting itself is usually quick. Most of the heavy lifting — searching title, requesting your mortgage payout figures, preparing the paperwork — has already been done by your lawyer in the days before. The appointment is where you review and sign.
What documents do you sign?
At the appointment you sign the sale documents your lawyer has prepared. What is on the pile depends on your transaction, but these three come up on almost every sale.
- An Acknowledgement and Direction for the transfer. The transfer that moves ownership to the buyer is an electronic document your lawyer signs and registers. You do not sign the registered document itself. You sign an Acknowledgement and Direction acknowledging its contents and authorising your lawyer to sign and register it for you.
- A direction regarding your proceeds. “Proceeds” means the money left over from the sale after everything owed is paid. This direction is your written instruction telling your lawyer how to pay out your mortgage and where to send your net proceeds — for example, deposited straight into your bank account. It gives your lawyer the authority to handle the money on your behalf.
- Authorisation to pay out your mortgage and deal with the discharge. This authorises your lawyer to obtain your payout figure, pay the lender from your sale proceeds and attend to the discharge. Note that being paid out on closing and being removed from title are two different events, and the second usually follows later.
Depending on your sale, you may also sign a declaration of residency for tax purposes, undertakings, documents dealing with rental equipment, or a statutory declaration about the state of the property. Together these let your lawyer transfer the home, pay out your mortgage and get your money to you. Your lawyer will explain each one before you sign — take the time to understand what you are signing.
What do you need to bring?
Coming prepared keeps the appointment short and avoids delays close to your move. Here is what your lawyer will typically ask you to bring.
| What to bring | Why it’s needed |
|---|---|
| Identification | To confirm your identity as the seller — your lawyer will tell you what they need, typically government-issued ID such as a driver’s licence or passport |
| A void cheque | So your net sale proceeds can be deposited straight into your bank account |
| Details of any rental contracts | So your lawyer can deal with rented equipment (like a hot water tank, furnace, or HVAC system) as part of the sale |
| Keys and garage remotes | To hand over to the buyer through your lawyer or agent on closing |
A quick word on a couple of these. A void cheque is simply a cheque with “VOID” written across it; it shares your banking details so your lawyer knows where to send your money. No money moves because of it — it only shows the destination. If you don’t have paper cheques, most banks can provide a “direct deposit” or “pre-authorized debit” form with the same information.
Rental contracts matter more than sellers often expect. Many homes carry rented equipment — hot water tanks, furnaces, air conditioners, water softeners or full HVAC systems. Each contract has to be dealt with, usually by buying it out before closing or by having the buyer agree to take it over, subject to what the rental contract allows and to the supplier’s consent. Tell your lawyer about every rented item early, because an undisclosed rental contract can delay closing. If an old Notice of Security Interest appears on your title, it is usually of no continuing effect — consumer NOSIs were deemed expired on 6 June 2024 — but it commonly needs an application to remove it from the register, so flag it early.
Finally, bring the keys and remotes you are expected to hand over. These are usually left with your lawyer or agent so the buyer can collect them once the sale is complete.
Can you do it by video?
Yes — in many cases the signing appointment can be done remotely by video instead of in person. Your lawyer can review the documents with you over a video call and use secure methods to have you sign and provide your ID, without you needing to visit the office.
This is helpful if you have already moved, live far from your lawyer, or simply can’t get to an in-person meeting. Ask your lawyer early whether a video signing is available for your file and what they will need from you in advance, such as scanned ID or your void cheque details. In-person appointments remain available too — the choice usually comes down to what works best for you and what your lawyer offers.
How does the appointment fit into closing?
The signing appointment comes before your closing date — the day ownership transfers to the buyer. On that later day the lawyers exchange documents and money under the closing arrangements they have agreed: the buyer’s funds come in, your mortgage is paid out, the real estate commission and adjustments are settled, and your net proceeds are released to you. Registration of the mortgage discharge commonly follows in the weeks after closing.
Because you sign in advance, your lawyer has everything ready to complete these steps on closing day without needing you to sign anything more. By closing, the home should also be in the agreed condition and empty, unless you have agreed otherwise, and the keys you left behind are passed to the buyer.
In short, the signing appointment is the point where your part of the paperwork is finished. After it, your lawyer carries the sale across the finish line and gets your money to you.