Real Estate
What do title insurers expect from lawyers?
Still relatively new in Canada, title insurance is not fully understood by many consumers. Even certain less-sophisticated lenders lack detailed knowledge of the product. The responsibility for explaining title insurance to those who purchase it – and for supporting insureds in obtaining coverage that suits their needs – falls squarely on lawyers’ shoulders. Lawyers are… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title InsuranceReal estate value fraud – alive and kicking
Is your client purchasing a property with a significant increase in value within a short period of time? It may be prudent to ask some questions before proceeding: Have there been any renovations done on the property? Are there other factors which could explain the increase in value? Was it listed on MLS? Are real… 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 EstateFrom TitlePLUS Today: Title Insurance – Not a Panacea for Due Diligence
Obtaining title insurance in connection with the purchase of property has become the norm to the point that title insurance is on most real estate lawyers’ standard checklist of items to use when acting on a real estate transaction. It is important to keep in mind that, while title insurance shields buyers from many of… 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 EstateMentoring Real Estate Lawyers
Are you in need of a mentor? Would you mentor someone if you had the time? Here is a possible solution for both. The OBA’s Working Group on Lawyers and Real Estate has undertaken a mentoring initiative on their web site, www.lawyersworkinggroup.com. This mentoring initiative is set up so that everyone can participate with little… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateFrom LAWPRO Webzine – Surprise: Land Titles doesn’t guarantee lot dimensions!
This article is excerpted from a longer review of topics in real estate law presented by Bob Aaron at the Law Society of Upper Canada’s 2013 Sole and Small Firm Conference in Toronto, Ontario on May 23, 2013. A decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal in February may have settled the thorny question of… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateTitlePLUS Resource: Tools to Help You Get Legal Work From Local Lenders
Want more business from local lenders? Talk to them; make yourself more visible. To help you strengthen your position in your community, the TitlePLUS program created a resource “Tools to help You get Legal Work from Local Lenders.” This is a step-by-step guide, which includes instructions and precedents that you can use to promote your… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate