About Bruce Heakes
D. Bruce Heakes is Underwriting Manager, TitlePLUS
Bruce Heakes's Posts
Cottage 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 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 EstatePeer-to-peer rentals: entering the sharing economy
Peer-to-peer rental networking sites, such as Airbnb and VRBO, provide homeowners with the tools with which to rent out all or part of their properties on a short-term basis. Homeowners may wish to rent out their properties occasionally in order to supplement their income, or they may have purchased the property entirely for income purposes…. Read More »
Categories: Real EstateA Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (In a Real Estate Transaction)
For the most part, gone are the days when real estate lawyers and clerks knew all of their clients personally and were familiar with all of the properties with which they were dealing. In order to run a viable real estate practice, today’s real estate practitioners often have to provide expert opinions on properties using… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateTitlePLUS Tips: Keeping up with the changing nature of condominiums
Over the past two decades, as the popularity of condominiums has increased, the legal concept of the condominium has changed and expanded dramatically in various parts of Canada. The definition of “condominium” is no longer limited to the commonly held perception of a stand-alone residential apartment building. In Ontario, for example, the Condominium Act, 1998… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate