The Complete Moving Checklist for Montreal and Laval Buyers

Getting the keys is a milestone, not an endpoint. The period between offer acceptance and your first night in a new property involves more administrative and logistical steps than most buyers anticipate. Here is the complete list, organized by timeline.

Immediately After Offer Acceptance

Notify your current landlord if renting. Most Quebec leases require 3 months written notice to terminate. If your closing is 60 days away and you have not given notice, calculate immediately whether you will need to pay rent during any overlap period.

Book your mortgage broker for final approval steps. Your pre-approval becomes a full approval when tied to a specific property. Provide your broker with the signed accepted offer immediately. Do not make any major financial changes (new debt, job change, large purchases) between now and closing.

Book your building inspector. If your offer includes an inspection condition, schedule immediately. Good inspectors are in demand. You typically have a short window to complete the inspection and decide whether to proceed.

Engage your notary. If you have chosen your notary, contact them immediately with the accepted offer. They need time to begin the title search.

Four to Six Weeks Before Closing

Arrange home insurance. Your mortgage lender will require proof of insurance before releasing funds. Contact insurers early, especially if the property has any characteristics that affect insurability (older electrical, oil heating, heritage status).

Book a moving company. Quality movers book out significantly in advance. July 1 (Quebec’s traditional moving day) is essentially unavailable for booking if you wait until May. Book as early as your closing date is confirmed.

Transfer or set up utilities. Confirm the possession date and contact Hydro-Quebec and your internet provider to schedule service transfer or setup.

Start the Canada Post mail forward. The Canada Post address change service forwards mail from your old address. Allow two weeks minimum for it to take effect.

Two Weeks Before Closing

Update your address with CRA (Canada Revenue Agency). Critical for tax documents, benefit payments, and government correspondence.

Update your address with Service Canada and Retraite Quebec. If you receive any federal or provincial benefits or contributions.

Notify your bank and all financial institutions. Credit cards, investment accounts, pension plans.

Notify your employer’s HR department. Payroll records, T4s, benefits correspondence.

Update your Quebec driver’s license and vehicle registration. SAAQ requires address updates within 30 days of moving in Quebec.

Notify your insurance companies. Auto insurance, life insurance, and any other policies.

Contact your children’s current and new schools. If applicable, begin the transfer or enrollment process as early as possible.

The Week of Closing

Confirm the final closing details with your notary. Verify the exact closing time, the total amount you need to bring (bank draft or wire transfer), and what you need to bring for identification.

Do a pre-closing walk-through if possible. Before signing at the notary, view the property one more time to confirm its condition matches what was agreed in the purchase contract. Verify inclusions are present, no damage has occurred, and the property is in the condition represented.

Arrange the certified bank draft or wire transfer. Your notary will tell you the exact amount required (down payment plus closing costs minus any deposits already paid). This typically needs to be in your notary’s trust account the day of or before closing.

Closing Day

Bring two pieces of government-issued identification to the notary. Expect to spend 60-90 minutes reviewing and signing documents. Ask the notary to explain anything you do not understand.

After You Move In

Change the locks. The sellers handed over all keys they had, but you do not know who else may have had a copy over the years.

Locate the main water shutoff valve, the electrical panel, and the gas shutoff. Know where they are before you need them urgently.

Save all purchase documentation. The deed of sale, the inspection report, any seller disclosures, and warranty documentation for appliances or systems. You will need these for future transactions and potentially for tax purposes.

Questions at any stage of your purchase? Get in touch at any point in the process, not just during the search.

Georges Matar

Residential Real Estate Broker · RE/MAX DU CARTIER INC.

Contact Georges