Before accepting a cash offer for your Ontario home, check the purchaser and the written agreement. A polished website, friendly call or large promised price is not enough to establish that a transaction will close. Apply the same questions to every buyer, including Trusted Home Group.
Verify the person or company signing, the source of closing funds, the deposit arrangements and the conditions that allow the buyer to walk away.
1. Know who is buying the property
Ask for the full legal name of the purchaser and the role of the person negotiating. Is that person buying personally, signing for a company, acting for someone else or arranging a transaction that may be assigned?
Have your lawyer check that the purchaser is properly identified in the agreement. If company information is relevant, use the Ontario Business Registry as one verification resource. A registration does not, by itself, prove financial strength or that an offer is good.
2. Ask what “cash” means in this offer
Does the buyer already control the funds, have financing arranged, or need another party to participate? Ask what evidence supports its ability to close and have your representative assess it. A screenshot or a verbal claim should not settle the matter.
Find out whether the offer still contains a financing, inspection, partner-approval or other condition. It may be reasonable to consider a conditional offer, but the conditions must be clear when you compare it with alternatives.
3. Review the deposit and the exit routes
- How much is the deposit and when is it due?
- Who holds it and under what terms?
- What conditions remain and when do they expire?
- Can the purchaser assign the agreement?
- Can the purchaser request a price change after inspections?
- What happens if either party cannot close?
Ask your lawyer what the answers mean for your transaction. Do not assume a deposit is automatically yours after a failed closing, or that the label “firm offer” removes every possible dispute.
4. Keep legal advice independent
Use an Ontario real-estate lawyer who represents your interests. A buyer can explain its process, but should not be your only source of advice about the agreement you are signing. Ontario provides information on finding a lawyer or paralegal.
Before responding to a request for identity documents or a change in payment instructions, verify the recipient through an established contact method. A professional-looking email is not enough to verify new banking instructions.
5. Compare the whole outcome
Ask what costs you pay, what happens to contents, whether tenants remain and how closing dates can change. Compare expected net proceeds with a realistic listing option. A convenience benefit should be visible and worth its cost to you.
Look for a process that welcomes questions and gives you time to obtain advice. Be cautious about pressure to sign immediately, unexplained charges or answers that keep changing when you ask for them in writing.
“Please confirm the legal purchaser, the deposit, all conditions, any assignment rights, the proposed closing date and the costs I would pay. I will have my lawyer review the written agreement.”
A serious comparison starts with that information. If the buyer cannot provide it, you do not yet have enough detail to make a confident decision.
Common questions
Are all cash home buyers the same?
No. Buyers differ in funding, business model, conditions and experience. Assess the actual purchaser and agreement.
Should I choose the highest offer?
Compare price with funding, deposit, conditions, costs and the likelihood of meeting your timing. A higher number with uncertain terms may not serve your priorities.
Prepared by Trusted Home Group for Ontario homeowners. This is general information, not advice on a particular transaction. Editorial approach and corrections.