Quick answer: These Ontario real estate answers are short, sourced replies to the questions home buyers and sellers ask most: what land transfer tax costs, which first-time buyer rebates exist, how much down payment you need, what closing costs to expect and how offers work. Every figure is dated and linked to its primary source.
How to use these Ontario real estate answers
Each page opens with the short answer, then shows the numbers, a worked example and the official source. Figures were last checked on November 14, 2026. For every key number on one page, see Ontario real estate numbers at a glance. For local detail, see our GTA community guides; if you are buying your first home, start with the first-time home buyer guide for Ontario.
All answers
- Ontario Real Estate Numbers at a Glance (2026)Ontario real estate numbers in one place: land transfer tax, rebates, down payment rules, FHSA and RRSP limits, HST relief and October 2026 GTA prices.
- How Much Is Land Transfer Tax in Ontario?Ontario land transfer tax rates, worked examples from $500,000 to $1.5 million, and what first-time buyers and Toronto buyers actually pay in 2026.
- How Much Is the First-Time Home Buyer Land Transfer Tax Refund in Ontario?The first-time home buyer land transfer tax refund is up to $4,000 in Ontario, plus up to $4,475 in Toronto. Who qualifies and how to claim it.
- What Is Toronto’s Municipal Land Transfer Tax?The Toronto municipal land transfer tax is charged on top of Ontario's. See the cost at common prices, the $4,475 first-time rebate and who avoids it.
- What Is the Minimum Down Payment on a House in Ontario?The minimum down payment in Ontario is 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the rest up to $1.5 million; 20% above that. Worked examples at GTA prices.
- How Does the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) Work?The First Home Savings Account lets first-time buyers contribute $8,000 a year, up to $40,000, deduct it from income and withdraw it tax-free to buy a home.
- How Much Can You Take From Your RRSP to Buy a Home?The Home Buyers' Plan lets first-time buyers withdraw up to $60,000 each from an RRSP tax-free to buy a home, then repay it over 15 years. Rules and timeline.
- How Much Is the First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit?The first-time home buyers' tax credit is a $10,000 federal claim worth up to $1,400 for 2026 purchases. Who can claim it, how couples share it and how to file.
- Is There HST on New Homes in Ontario? Rebates ExplainedThe HST rebate on new homes in Ontario covers the full 13% up to $1 million for agreements signed April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Amounts and limits.
- What Are Closing Costs When Buying a House in Ontario?Closing costs in Ontario usually run 1.5% to 4% of the price. Land transfer tax is the biggest; see every cost a buyer pays, with a worked GTA example.
- How Do Offers Work When Buying a House in Ontario?How offers work in Ontario: what the agreement contains, deposits, conditions, competing offers and open offers under TRESA, and when a deal is firm.
- What Is a Condo Status Certificate in Ontario?A condo status certificate in Ontario costs up to $100 and must be delivered within 10 days. What it contains, who orders it and what your lawyer looks for.
- How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Ontario?The cost of selling a house in Ontario: commission plus HST, legal fees, mortgage discharge or penalty and preparation. Sellers pay no land transfer tax.
Who writes these
The answers are published by LaTrice W Realty and reviewed by LaTrice Williams, a REALTOR® with eXp Realty, Brokerage, who works with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. They are general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.