Buying a home in Edmonton: what costs am I missing beyond the down payment?

What might I have to pay before closing?

Confirm these items early. They do not all apply to every home.

Do not assume the deposit can wait until the mortgage advances. Check when your own money will actually be available. Ask the account provider about withdrawal and transfer timing before promising a payment date.

Is the deposit extra money on top of my down payment?

A purchase deposit is generally part of the down payment, not a second down payment. RECA describes it that way. Your agreement and closing statement determine how it is held and credited. RECA: deposit and closing-cost definitions

Here is a simple illustration, in Canadian dollars:

• Total down payment planned for the purchase: $50,000
• Deposit already paid and confirmed as credited to that purchase: $10,000
• Down payment still to provide: $40,000

The total is $50,000, not $60,000. Other buying costs are still separate. These example amounts are not required amounts or a recommended budget.

Only subtract a deposit once the credit is confirmed. Have your lawyer explain the agreement's deposit terms, including what happens if the purchase does not close. Do not assume a deposit is refundable.

Why is a legal-fee quote different from the cash needed to close?

The lawyer's service fee is one item. Ask for an itemized estimate showing the remaining purchase funds and all other amounts you must provide, with the date they must arrive.

Ask whether the estimate includes:

• The legal service fee and applicable tax
• Disbursements: amounts paid to other parties for your file, such as searches and registration
• Any title-insurance or survey-related cost that applies to your purchase
• Property-tax and other closing adjustments
• Any lender, broker or other transaction charge payable by you

Ask which items are estimates, which may change and which you pay separately. Do not add a fee twice if it is already included in another quoted total. No single legal-fee quote establishes a complete Edmonton buying budget.

What Alberta registration charges should I check?

Alberta lists transfer registration and mortgage registration separately. The official schedule effective October 1, 2026 shows:

• Transfer of land: $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of land value
• Mortgage registration: $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of the mortgage principal amount

For a separate illustration using $500,000 of land value and a $400,000 registered mortgage, those two base calculations are $550 and $450, or $1,000 together. This is only a registration illustration, not a closing-cost estimate. Other charges can apply. Alberta: current Land Titles fee schedule

Have your lawyer confirm the values, registered mortgage amount and charges for your transaction. Do not calculate every registration charge from the home price alone.

How do Edmonton property taxes fit into the plan?

For ongoing budgeting, start with the actual home's tax information. The City of Edmonton property-tax estimator can help with an estimate, but it excludes local improvement charges, Clean Energy Improvement Program charges and supplementary property taxes.

A yearly tax estimate is not the amount you will necessarily pay at closing. Ask your lawyer to show any tax adjustment on the closing statement and explain how it affects the cash you need. Keep that closing amount separate from your future tax budget.

What should I keep for moving and life after the keys?

List moving costs, utility setup, property insurance and any immediate work you already know the home needs. Keep a separate amount available for unplanned costs rather than assuming every dollar left after closing is free to spend.

For the ongoing budget, record mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance and any condo fees. Get quotes for the particular property where possible. For a condo or new build, ask your lawyer which additional charges or obligations need checking before you commit. This guide does not calculate taxes, rebates or special levies for a specific purchase.

Use the cash-timing worksheet

Make one row for each cost. Use Canadian dollars. Write “to confirm” for an unknown amount, date or credit. Unknown does not mean zero.

Keep a separate note of the deposit's amount, due date, holder and receipt. When it is credited, record it in the down-payment row; do not add it again as a separate purchase cost.

For a row that represents a total cost, subtract only confirmed payments, credits or financed amounts that apply to that same row. Do not subtract them again from a quote that already shows the remaining balance. A financed amount still has to be repaid; it is not a discount.

Then group the cash still needed by due date: before closing, for closing and after moving. Check that the money is available before each deadline. Keep ongoing monthly costs on a separate list.

Before sending a deposit

Confirm payment instructions directly with the designated deposit holder. If instructions change, stop and call using a trusted number you already have, not a number found only in the new message. RECA: deposit-fraud warning

Keep the completed worksheet with your own records. Do not send it, bank statements or other financial documents through BCG's contact form.