Ontario general information. Sources checked 4 October 2026.
Questions about the home often combine several decisions: where people will live, how bills will be paid, whether a sale or transfer is proposed, and how property claims will be addressed. Preparing a home-specific record set can make those questions easier to discuss without assuming that one document answers them all.
Describe the property and current arrangements
Record the address and type of property, who lives there, and any other property used by the family. Identify the people named on the ownership records, mortgage or lease. Include the marriage or relationship history and any existing agreement or court order about the home. If a record is unavailable, list it as missing rather than guessing its contents.
Ontario's property guide describes equalization for married spouses and different property rules for common-law couples. It also explains that the family home receives particular treatment in the married-spouse framework. Ask which rules apply to your property and relationship; this guide does not calculate a share or decide a right to occupy the home. Ontario: dividing property when a relationship ends.
Put dates on the financial records
Gather available purchase documents, ownership records, mortgage statements, secured credit information and any valuation material already obtained. Keep records showing their dates and purpose. A current balance, purchase price, tax assessment and market-value opinion answer different questions. Ask which dates and valuation information are needed before commissioning new work.
Include records of a down payment, gifts or inheritances connected with the property, and any written terms about them. Explain what each record shows without deciding that it creates an automatic deduction or reimbursement. If ownership changed or money was advanced later, add that event to the timeline and keep the supporting document with it.
Make the carrying costs visible
List mortgage or rent payments, property taxes, insurance, utilities and other recurring costs. For each item, record the billing period, amount, who paid and whether anything is overdue. Keep invoices and proof of payment separately identifiable. Mark estimates and proposed arrangements clearly.
Describe the present living arrangements and any safety or access concerns. Ask how payments, access and personal belongings should be addressed while the larger questions remain unresolved. Do not assume that paying a bill determines ownership or that a private spreadsheet changes an agreement. If there is immediate danger, call 911; an office inquiry is not emergency assistance.
Turn a sale or transfer proposal into a task list
If someone proposes a sale, refinancing or transfer, keep the proposal and relevant correspondence together. Write down the suggested timing, the people or institutions involved and what has actually been confirmed. A conversation about refinancing should be labelled as a proposal until the relevant steps are established.
Questions may include who would give listing instructions, how ongoing expenses would be addressed, which lender information is outstanding and how any proposed proceeds or payment would be handled. Raise any renewal date, arrears notice, offer or proposed signing deadline. Ask about the legal, lending, tax and implementation advice the proposal needs before committing to it. This page does not recommend selling, transferring, leaving the home or changing access.
Prepare the questions that remain
- Which ownership, debt and relationship documents are missing?
- Which dates and valuation records matter to the property discussion?
- What needs to be addressed about living arrangements and carrying costs?
- What would be required to carry out the proposed sale or transfer?
- Which existing terms, notices or dates require prompt advice?
Use the before-signing guide to place the home proposal alongside other agreement terms, and the financial-disclosure guide for the wider financial picture. See Divorce & Separation for the firm's related practice information.
To ask whether the firm can assist, contact the office and identify upcoming dates. An inquiry does not confirm representation or change a deadline. Keep addresses, loan identifiers and personal records out of public comments; ask about document-transfer instructions before sending sensitive material. General information for Ontario; not a property calculation or advice about your housing decision.