Real Estate
Subdivision control under the Planning Act: What do you need to know?
The subdivision and part lot control provisions of section 50 of the Planning Act are lengthy and complex. Sometimes it can be difficult to sort out the parts that apply to a present-day transaction, or the extent of the abutting lands search that is needed to confirm that no contravention occurred in the past. The… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateNew LAWPRO video helps inform the public of cottage ownership issues
As part of LAWPRO’s public awareness efforts to promote the role of the lawyer, we have produced a video: Cottage ownership: Know what you’re buying. The video seeks to raise awareness about title and other issues of particular relevance to cottages, such as shoreline allowances and seasonal access restrictions. We will be promoting this video… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateIs your purchaser client entitled to an HST New Housing Rebate?
Canada’s HST New Housing Rebate program, created under s. 254 of the Excise Tax Act, offers significant economic relief to qualifying purchasers of qualifying properties. However, the eligibility criteria are complicated, and have been strictly applied by courts. To avoid claims based on a client’s non-receipt of the rebate (or on having had it clawed… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateLAWPRO Magazine practice tip: Steer clear of real estate claims by asking these five questions on every deal
The real estate lawyer’s job is more than just conveying title, and not every matter will be straightforward. Communication errors and inadequate investigation are the biggest causes of real estate claims at LAWPRO, respectively 41 per cent and 26 per cent of claims reported between 2001 and 2011. Busy, high-volume practices often lead to situations… 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 EstateLAWPRO Magazine archive: Title insurance – separating fact from fiction
In just over a decade, title insurance has gone from a little-known development to a mainstay of real estate practice. In Ontario alone, title insurance is a $100 million a year industry: Between 1999 and 2009, the revenue of the major title insurers of Ontario grew 534 per cent. Not surprisingly it is estimated that… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title InsuranceA Foot in the Door: A Classroom Resource on Real Estate and Housing Law in Ontario
LAWPRO and the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) have joined forces to create learning material for Ontario secondary schools. The lesson plans address two of the most important skills in life – legal capability and financial literacy. Entitled A Foot in the Door: A Classroom Resource on Real Estate and Housing Law in Ontario, the… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateThings that go bump in the night: Disclosure of ghosts in Ontario
One of the stranger claims the TitlePLUS program has received over the years was for a haunted house. Unfortunately, while ghosts might cause sleepless nights they don’t affect the title to your property, so the situation wasn’t covered. But are the sellers of homes with a “stigma” required to disclose that to potential buyers in… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate