Everyone is looking for a way to increase the value of their homes. But, what if you’re in a condominium townhouse development, it may not be quite so easy. However, …
Recommending Contractors Without Fear
A common situation for real estate agents is recommending contractors. No matter who you are, many people seem to look to real estate agents as the “go to people” for …
Can You Do an End Run Around the Agent?
From time to time, a seller will think that the agent didn’t really earn their commission. It may be that a neighbour or friend approaches them after they have …
In Ontario Everyone has a Will
Everyone has a Will. The problem is that most people don’t know where it is. They have never seen it, they never signed it and they don’t know what it …
Maintain Accurate Financial Records
If you are in business you should keep good financial records. It just makes sense, but so many small businesses neglect this tedious and somewhat time-consuming task. Careful records take …
Litigation Timeline
How long does litigation take? Let’s have a look at a real case, namely Krawchuk v. Scherbak. The purchaser bought the property in June 2004. The foundation was unstable and …
Protect Yourself from Home Renovation Scams
You should be aware that there are many companies in the home renovation business which are really nothing more than “scam artists”. They take deposits for work, in fact, often …
History of Fee Simple Ownership of Real Estate
It can be quite difficult to understand the concept of fee simple ownership when it comes to real property without looking at some of the history. We have to go …
Hiding Something? ~ Be a FSBO!
Basically, it seems pretty clear, if you are selling your property and want to hide something, then you had better be a FSBO. FSBO is the acronym for the term …
Renovation Contract (Standard Form – Ontario)
Below you will find a sample contract which appeared for many years on the CMHC website. It is now no longer available. More recently, CMHC published a disclaimer concerning its …