TEN REAL ESTATE LEGAL ISSUES TO BE AWARE OF WHEN BUYING, SELLING OR LEASING

As a result of recent announcements by the federal, provincial and municipal governments, change is coming to the real estate industry and real estate agents and their clients must be prepared to adapt.

Your son is shot and killed in front of your house. When you sell, must this be disclosed?

It seems that every week I am asked for advice about what a seller or real estate agent needs to disclose to a buyer. Here are five lessons to remember.

Many agents come to our office with this problem. The agent has executed an Agreement of Purchase and Sale while there is a tenant on the premises and the purchaser wants vacant possession.

The interpretation of a “standard” clause by the court is always a coin toss. This is especially true as it relates to interpreting representations and warranties, as the decision in Beatty v Wei highlights.

Some Torontonians are opting out of the market to find greener (literally) pastures in cottage country. There are, however, some caveats and critical legal and practical issues that may affect your decision.

I am constantly asked for advice about whether Airbnb is permitted and if the guests can be considered tenants. These are not easy questions to answer.

In cases where the failure to close the transaction was due to the buyer being unable to secure financing because their bank/financial institution refused to fund, this proved a lot trickier for those transactions.

There is a general misconception that residential tenants may terminate their leases at will, without consequences or without any specific notice requirements. This simply isn’t true.

Some homes that contain Kitec have reportedly been riddled with problems: deterioration of the fittings, as well as the disintegration of the pipes themselves in some cases.