Real Estate
Does title insurance bring benefits to the primary professional liability program?
We all know that notwithstanding the rise of title insurance in Ontario, claims arising from real estate practice are still a large (and in many years, the largest) exposure for the primary professional liability program that LAWPRO provides for the Law Society’s lawyer-licensees (the “E&O program”). We have explored why in other articles and settings…. Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title Insurance, LAWPRO Errors and Omissions CoverageTechnology benefits for a real estate file
The most important change the real estate practice has seen in recent years is the advance of technology. However, I think it is underused by lawyers to their own and their clients’ detriment. Most technologies are already available on the lawyer’s desktop but like many telephone users, the full gambit of features is not being… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, TechnologyCottage country: Purchasing rural residential properties
The very word “cottage” conjures up images of summer fun: boating, walks in the woods, sitting out on the dock with a cold drink or roasting marshmallows by the bonfire. These are the things on which you want your clients to focus when they come to you for assistance with the purchase of a cottage… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateTitle insurance is not an autopilot licence
Title insurance is one tool that purchasers can employ to reduce some of the risks associated with a real estate purchase. This may not sound like “news” meriting coverage in a publication for lawyers. However, claims experience here at LAWPRO suggests that the function of title insurance is not fully understood by the bar –… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title InsuranceReal estate lawyers: Make a name for yourself with social media
On top of being unfamiliar with the best marketing techniques, many lawyers struggle to find the time for business development activities. The internet and social media offer real estate lawyers new options for reaching out to existing and potential clients and is a friendly, non-offensive way to interact with them. Websites, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter… Read More »
Categories: Technology, Real EstateDealing with Parcels of Tied Land in Ontario: A TitlePLUS perspective
On May 5, 2001, when the Condominium Act, 1998 came into force, it created the real estate entity known as a Parcel of Tied Land (“POTL”). A POTL is a freehold parcel of land, or a standard condominium unit, which is inextricably tied to a share in a Common Elements Condominium (“CEC”). The POTL is… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateRequisition: a process, not just a letter
By definition, a requisition is the act of formally requiring or calling upon someone to perform an action. However, one cannot demand performance without fully knowing what to request. Requisitions are not merely a means of communication between two parties but a process by which matters requiring attention, such as defects in title, are investigated… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateCommercial Title Insurance: Don’t let big picture thinking stop you from caring about the details
Title insurance can be a useful tool in commercial real estate transactions as policies usually provide coverage that will shield buyers from risks that can affect ownership and/or future marketability of a property. While it is tempting to assume that the coverage afforded under a commercial title insurance policy would be similar to that of… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title Insurance