REMOTE BUYING · ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
Buying a House in St. John’s From Out of Province: A Remote Buyer’s Guide
Yes. Buyers from other provinces regularly buy in the St. John’s area without being here for every step. Expect live video viewings, an offer conditional on financing and inspection, a Newfoundland and Labrador lawyer to handle title and closing, and a plan for signing documents where you live. Possession can be timed to your move.
Researched: November 9, 2026 · Updated: November 10, 2026 · By Jay Schwartz, REALTOR® · Royal LePage Vision Realty (see /about)
This page covers the buying process from a distance. For lifestyle, communities and the relocation checklist, use the moving-to-St. John’s guide.
Video viewings · Conditions · Remote signing · Deposits · Foreign-buyer rules
FOR BUYERS FROM AWAY
Process first
What you can do remotely—and what still needs a witness
No land transfer tax · NL lawyer at closing
Not legal, tax or immigration advice; confirm with your NL lawyer.
ON THIS PAGE
Who does what
Timeline
Viewing
Conditions
Deposit
Lawyer & signing
Pre-approval
Closing costs
Possession
Foreign-buyer
NL checks
FAQ
Remote buying at a glance: who does what
Buying from another province or country is a team sport. Jay has recommendations, but buyers are free to select anyone they like to represent them in the different areas—including the inspector and the lawyer. You choose and pay those professionals. The table below shows who typically handles each piece.
For lifestyle, communities and the relocation checklist, see planning the move itself. This page stays on the buying process from a distance.
Step-by-step remote-buying timeline
Dates are set in your agreement of purchase and sale. The sequence below is a working checklist, not a promise of how many days each step will take. Jay works with each buyer’s individual circumstances to determine the best plan for them—there is no single set of day counts that fits every remote purchase.
If you are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, confirm eligibility with a lawyer before an offer—see the foreign-buyer section below.
Viewing homes you can’t visit
Live video tours vs recorded walkthroughs
Live video lets you direct the camera: open cupboards, run taps, look at ceilings, walls and the electrical panel, and walk outside for grading, the roof line and the street. Ask for a road view at the time of day you would commute.
MY TAKE
“A recent out-of-province buyer who was on a time crunch got me to view homes downtown for them. I often made videos that they could watch later, which gave them the flexibility to pause, rewind and slow down the playback so they could pay attention to the details.”
— Jay Schwartz, REALTOR®
MY TAKE
“On my remote videos or video calls, I always make sure to identify any maintenance or issues I might see, and I always make sure to show the mechanical and electrical components of the house.”
— Jay Schwartz, REALTOR®
What video can’t show you
Video misses smells (oil or damp), noise, how a slope feels, wind exposure and moisture behind finishes. An inspector’s report—and specialists when needed—covers what a camera cannot.
Winter viewing caveats
Snow can hide the roof, grading, driveway slope and yard. Ask the seller for photos from other seasons, ask whether the street is on a city snow-clearing route, and look at driveway slope carefully. In warmer months, ask for an attic check—winter evidence is not always visible in July.
Offers sight unseen
You can write an offer without an in-person visit, but conditions are your protection. Do not waive financing or inspection without a full inspection report in hand. Treat video as a shortlist tool, not the end of due diligence.
Making an offer from away: conditions that protect you
Financing condition
This lets your lender approve the specific property. FCAC notes that pre-approval is not a guarantee and that the lender still checks the home.
Inspection condition
You book and pay the inspector as soon as the offer is accepted. Attend the end in person or by video. Specialists may cover wells and septic, wood stoves (WETT), oil tanks and older wiring when the property calls for them.
Other conditions to discuss
Jay recommends all the normal protections he does for all buyers, especially a home inspection if you have not laid eyes on the property yourself. Insurance availability, confirmation of HOST oil-tank registration when a tank is present, and a lawyer’s review are also common topics for buyers from away. Your REALTOR® and lawyer will help you match conditions to the property—not every offer needs the same list.
Signing the offer electronically
Purchase agreements in NL are typically signed electronically with the brokerage’s e-signature tools. Your agent will walk you through the purchase agreement and any condition pages before you sign.
Your deposit and closing funds: trust accounts and fraud
Under the Real Estate Trading Act, 2019 s.26, your deposit is paid directly to the real estate brokerage, which must issue a receipt and place it in a trust account within two banking days. It can only be paid out in listed situations, such as completion or written direction from both parties. NLR 66/20 s.5 allows electronic payment to the broker’s trust account.
Closing funds go through your lawyer’s trust account. Before you send any deposit or closing money, confirm the payment instructions by phone using a number you already know. Remote buyers are a frequent target for wire fraud.
Your NL lawyer, ID checks and signing from another province
What the lawyer does
An NL real estate lawyer handles the title search, registration of the deed and mortgage at the Registry of Deeds, the statement of adjustments and movement of funds through the lawyer’s trust account.
How your identity is verified remotely
Your real estate broker or sales representative must verify your identity under FINTRAC rules when acting as an agent in the purchase or sale of real estate. FINTRAC’s government-issued photo identification method can be used when you are not physically present: the brokerage must authenticate the ID document and then confirm it is you, for example by live video comparison to the photo on the authenticated document, or a selfie with facial recognition (Guide 11, last modified December 3, 2024). A video call alone is not enough to verify ID. Your NL lawyer has separate Law Society client-identification rules when handling funds.
Signing documents where you live
Under the Registration of Deeds Act, 2009 s.16, a document signed outside the province may be proved before listed people such as a notary public under seal, a commissioner for oaths outside the province, a Canadian consul or certain police officers. Section 16 itself has no audio-visual witnessing option.
Video witnessing under section 15(2) is a separate, limited path: an NL lawyer acting as a commissioner or notary, and only when the prescribed conditions are met. Law Society witnessing rules were not independently re-verified for this page. Your lawyer will tell you which method applies to each document—do not assume everything can be signed on a video call. In Jay’s experience, remote buyers need a local notary in their area to sign, depending on whether they need financing. Budget for a local notary fee and courier time.
Mortgage pre-approval when you live in another province
FCAC explains that pre-approval may show a maximum amount, estimate payments and lock a rate for roughly 60–130 days depending on the lender. It is not a guarantee. Expect to provide ID, proof of income and proof of down payment plus closing costs.
For uninsured mortgages from federally regulated lenders, the OSFI minimum qualifying rate is the greater of 5.25% or the contract rate plus 2% (page modified January 29, 2026).
Tell the lender the property is in NL, ask whether a local credit union will lend here, and flag any job change during the move. Buyers with foreign income should ask early what documents the lender needs. For down payment and CMHC basics, see the first-time buyer mortgage guide.
Closing costs for buyers from away: no land transfer tax
Newfoundland and Labrador has no land transfer tax—unlike the percentage-based taxes many buyers expect from Ontario or British Columbia. Instead, buyers pay Registry of Deeds registration fees of $100 plus $0.40 for each additional $100 of value above $500, charged on the deed and again on the mortgage (mortgage fee capped at $5,000).
See the full closing-cost budget and compare property taxes and water fees across St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Paradise and Conception Bay South. Do not budget from another province’s fee sheet.
Possession day and moving logistics
Closing and possession dates are set in the agreement. Plan the movers’ arrival, a storage gap if needed, and insurance starting on the closing date (lenders require it). Arrange power service for the address. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro says it sells electricity to rural communities on the island and to all customers in Labrador, and supplies Newfoundland Power, which serves remaining island customers. Confirm which utility serves the home, and arrange oil delivery if there is a tank.
Keys usually come through the lawyer or your agent. Do a final walkthrough by video or in person, then change the locks. Vehicles and household goods reach the island by Marine Atlantic ferry or by air—book early in peak season.
MY TAKE
“To avoid timing issues with closings when travelling from out of province: you never know when a winter storm will affect a flight or hurricane winds will keep the ferry delayed. It’s always best to plan for a buffer.”
— Jay Schwartz, REALTOR®
MY TAKE
“A buyer I worked with was moving here from another province to a home outside St. John's. Her plan was to arrive only a few days before her closing, just as the weather was turning. About a week out, her lawyer told me the closing was uncertain, partly because weather could delay her trip. Then the paperwork slipped too. The survey report came in late, the seller's side still needed signed affidavits, and the original documents had to be couriered in. The closing moved back a few days. I did the final walkthrough on the original date and checked in with the lawyers every day until it closed. The lesson: if you're travelling here, especially in winter, leave a few days of buffer between your arrival and your closing, and keep your plans flexible.”
— Jay Schwartz, REALTOR®
This is an anonymized example based on a real closing, shared with the client’s permission. Identifying details have been left out. It is for illustration only and is not a guarantee of timing or outcome for any purchase.
Keep post-arrival tasks (MCP, driver’s licence, garbage schedules) on the moving-to-St. John’s checklist rather than packing them into closing week.
Buying from outside Canada: the federal foreign-buyer ban
Checked November 10, 2026 (NST). This check re-opened the Act (current to October 19, 2026), Finance Canada’s February 4, 2024 extension notice, Budget 2026 Chapter 3 and Annex 3. A LEGISinfo search on November 10, 2026 found no bill whose title or short description extends the Act to 2029. This section is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Have a lawyer review your status before any offer. Re-check the Act and any Budget 2026 legislation before you rely on these dates.
Canadians abroad and permanent residents
The ban does not apply to Canadian citizens, permanent residents or people registered under the Indian Act. Canadians living abroad and permanent residents can buy, but lenders may ask for extra documentation and non-resident tax questions belong with an accountant—not this guide.
Non-Canadians
The Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act prohibits non-Canadians from buying residential property—buildings of up to three dwelling units, including semis and condo units—inside census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations. Property outside a CMA or CA is excluded.
The St. John’s CMA (2021) includes St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Paradise, Conception Bay South, Portugal Cove–St. Philip’s, Torbay, Logy Bay–Middle Cove–Outer Cove, Flatrock, Pouch Cove, Bauline, Petty Harbour–Maddox Cove, Bay Bulls, Witless Bay and Holyrood. Use the CMHC address lookup for a specific address; this page does not promise any address is exempt.
Exceptions in the Act and regulations include certain work-permit holders with enough time remaining who have not already bought another residential property under the rules, certain students, protected persons, buying with a Canadian or PR spouse or common-law partner, and diplomatic purchases. A contravention can bring a fine of up to $10,000, and a court can order the property sold. The fine also applies to anyone who knowingly helps.
What’s changing (as of November 10, 2026)
The ban’s current end date is January 1, 2027 (Finance Canada, February 4, 2024). The Act’s repeal is not yet in force. Budget 2026 (tabled November 5, 2026) proposes legislation to extend the ban on foreign purchases of existing residential properties to January 1, 2029, while exempting new residential properties. That proposal is not law yet, and “new” is not defined in the budget text. Budget 2026 Annex 3 lists this as legislation the government proposes to introduce; it had not been enacted as of this check. As of November 10, 2026, no such bill was found on LEGISinfo. This research found no separate Newfoundland and Labrador foreign-buyer or speculation tax. The provincial Registry of Deeds fee schedule dated May 1, 2007 uses one registration scale and does not add a surcharge by residency. That is not tax advice—confirm with a lawyer or accountant. We ask every buyer who is not a citizen or permanent resident to confirm eligibility with a lawyer before an offer.
NL-specific things to check from a distance
Oil tanks, heat and insurance
If the home has a heating-oil tank, insurers and lawyers often ask for confirmation of HOST registration. A licensed inspector tags the tank; confirmation of registration is free and usually takes at least three working days (gov.nl.ca HOST page). Call your insurer before you remove conditions.
Two-apartment homes, wells, septic and older homes
Two-apartment layouts are common on the Avalon—see two-apartment homes in St. John’s. Rural or semi-rural properties may need well and septic specialists. Older homes can need wiring, chimney and moisture attention—build those into the inspection plan rather than discovering them after firm sale.
For current metro conditions without copying figures here, see the St. John’s metro market report. To compare communities at a high level, use Jay’s area guides and how buying works locally.
Remote Buying Questions
Straightforward answers. Select a question to open or close its answer.
Yes, with live video viewings and an inspection condition. Jay recommends all the normal protections he does for all buyers, especially a home inspection if you have not laid eyes on the property yourself. Treat the video as a first look, not your due diligence. Book a professional inspection as soon as the offer is accepted, join the end of the inspection or a video walkthrough, and read the full report before you remove any condition.
Usually not, but ask your NL lawyer early. Jay’s practice is that remote buyers need a local notary in their area to sign, depending on whether they need financing. Under the Registration of Deeds Act, 2009, s.16, a document signed outside the province may be proved before listed people such as a notary public or a commissioner for oaths where you are. Section 16 has no audio-visual option. Video witnessing under s.15(2) is a separate, limited path. Budget for a local notary fee and courier time.
You do. The buyer chooses and pays the inspector. Jay has recommendations, but you are free to select anyone you like. Book as soon as the offer is accepted, and join by video or for the final part of the visit. Ask about specialists for wells and septic, wood stoves, oil tanks or older wiring when the property needs them.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the deposit is paid directly to the real estate brokerage, which must issue a receipt and place it in a trust account within two banking days. Electronic payment is allowed. Confirm the payment instructions by phone with a number you already know before you send money.
Yes. Work with a lender or mortgage broker and tell them the property is in NL. Pre-approval may estimate a maximum and hold a rate for a limited period, but it is not a guarantee—the lender still reviews the specific property and your documents.
No. Newfoundland and Labrador has no land transfer tax. Buyers pay Registry of Deeds fees instead: $100 plus $0.40 for each additional $100 of value above $500, charged on the deed and again on the mortgage (the mortgage fee is capped at $5,000). See the full closing-cost budget for a complete picture.
Not usually, for now. Canada’s ban on non-Canadians buying residential property currently runs to January 1, 2027, and the St. John’s census metropolitan area is covered. Some exceptions apply, including certain work-permit holders. Budget 2026 proposes extending the ban to 2029 for existing homes, but that extension is not law yet. As of November 10, 2026, no extension bill was found on LEGISinfo. Confirm eligibility with a lawyer before you make an offer.
The closing and possession date is set in the purchase agreement. Jay works with each buyer’s individual circumstances to determine the best plan for them—there are no fixed day counts that fit every remote purchase. Build in buffer days for movers, the ferry and storage if needed; a winter storm can affect a flight, and hurricane winds can delay the ferry. Arrange home insurance to start on the closing date. Keep post-arrival tasks such as MCP and licences on the moving-to-St. John’s checklist rather than rushing them into closing week.
Planning to buy before you move? Talk to Jay
Share your move date, budget and must-haves—then set up a video consultation.
Whether you are transferring for work, moving home to NL or buying from abroad, we can map the remote steps against your timeline without pressure.
Clear process before big decisions.
About This Guide
Researched: November 9, 2026 · Updated: November 10, 2026 · Re-check foreign-buyer rules when Budget 2026 implementing legislation is tabled.
Sources, checked November 10, 2026:
Facts on this page are drawn from primary statutes, regulations and official guidance checked November 10, 2026. They are for information only and are not legal, tax, immigration or lending advice. Confirm signing methods, eligibility and timing with your NL lawyer and lender before you buy. Jay Schwartz is a REALTOR® with Royal LePage Vision Realty Inc. Each office independently owned and operated.
The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA.