We can meet all of your legal real estate needs. We can even assist you with private sales.

tumblr_mjco89cUVY1rkz363o1_1280.jpg

Residential Real Estate

Whether you are buying, selling or refinancing a property in Ontario, you will need a lawyer to finalize your real estate transaction. As soon as you have signed your agreement of purchase and sale or mortgage paperwork at the bank, and sometimes earlier, you should be contacting your real estate lawyer. Real estate transactions are time sensitive and will involve fixed deadlines.

sale

As a seller, you will need to provide your lawyer with your most recent tax bill, utility bills, mortgage statements, house transfer documents, any survey of the property which you might have, any details about tenancy arrangements at the property, any outstanding debts or information about registrations against title to your property and proof that any work contained in your agreement of purchase and sale has been completed. You will also need to contact your utility companies and insurance provider to arrange for account closures and final meter readings as of the actual closing of the sale.

purchase

If you are purchasing, you will need to provide your lawyer with details about the manner in which you wish to take title to the property. You will also need to make arrangements for financing, set up your utility accounts and arrange for fire insurance. Your lawyer will prepare your title registration and mortgage closing documents and arrange for title insurance. On closing, in addition to legal fees you will pay: land transfer tax (for a land transfer tax calculator, visit: http://www.trebhome.com/buying/ltt_calculator/ltt_calculator.htm), your one-time title insurance premium, search costs, registration costs, and other standard disbursements. For a more accurate breakdown of the costs, please contact us with your purchase details. If you have any specific intentions with respect to the use of the property (i.e. renovations, tenancy, commercial component), you will want to let your lawyer know your intentions well in advance of closing.     

condominiums

The purchase and sale of a condominium involves the review of a status certificate as well as an understanding of the role of the condominium corporation in managing and administering condominium budgets, bylaws and rules. Condominiums in Ontario are governed by the Condominium Act (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/98c19). If you are purchasing a condominium, you will most likely have a condition in your agreement of purchase and sale that requires a lawyer's review of the status of the condominium corporation. Your lawyer will review the status certificate and some of the condominium documents, but you should familiarize yourself with the condominium corporation's organizational structure, rules and management procedures. Make sure that your realtor gets you enough time to review the documents and seek feedback from your lawyer.    

NEW CONSTRUCTION

If you are purchasing a new construction home or condominium, you should be contacting your lawyer before you sign your agreement of purchase and sale, if at all possible. That said, you will generally have a ten day period after signing your agreement in which you can bring your agreement to your lawyer for review and revision. You are not required to have a lawyer review the agreement, but do not assume that your agreement of purchase and sale is boilerplate or immutable. In many cases, purchasers are successful in negotiating amendments that better protect their investments and provide them with a clearer understanding of the closing costs they will face some years down the road. 

Know what you are getting yourself into and understand what you are buying. If you have never purchased a new construction house or condominium, familiarize yourself with the Tarion Warranty and the HST provisions in your agreement. The Tarion Warranty Corporation provides a lot of useful information on its website. If you are considering your new construction options, take a look at the 10 Tips for New Home Buyers: http://www.tarion.com/new-home-buyers/pages/top-ten-tips-for-new-home-buyers.aspx and the Homeowner Information Package provided by Tarion: http://www.tarion.com/resources/hip/pages/default.aspx. If you are already purchased a new construction house or condominium and are nearing the date of your Pre-Delivery Inspection, print off your own checklist like the one available at: http://www.tarion.com/new-home-buyers/your-pre-delivery-inspection/pages/pdi-check-list.aspx. Buying new construction can be nerve wracking, but less so if you know what to expect. Let us give you some more information.    

tumblr_mlsetsKySj1rkz363o4_1280.jpg

Private Home Listings on MLS

If you are thinking of selling your home privately, consider our flat fee service for assistance with your listing, scheduling of house showings and open houses, review of any offers or agreements of purchase and sale and negotiations with prospective buyers. With our background in real estate sales, we can offer the support you need in any real estate transaction from start to finish. Have a lawyer assist you with every stage of your transaction for a fraction of the price of the standard real estate commission. We employ tactical negotiation strategies and will present you with a variety of marketing options, explain the legalities of each stage of your transaction, accept your buyer's offer on your behalf and handle any multiple offer scenarios, and hold the purchaser`s deposit in trust until your closing date.

tumblr_mqvsd7ij1c1rkz363o1_1280.jpg

Commercial Real Estate

Commercial real estate law is often more complex than residential and requires a lawyer that understands the legal issues involved and will undertake an adequate assessment of your risk. Commercial real estate includes: purchases and sales of commercial property, commercial property financing, commercial leases as well as other commercial property matters and contracts. Commercial real estate matters often derive from the purchases and sales of businesses and involve a consideration of the different facets of the business involved and corresponding plans for the property or space. Whether you are leasing, buying or refinancing, we can negotiate and/or draft your agreements, ensure that the due diligence requirements are met and prepare your title, security and title insurance documentation. We act for buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants of industrial property, office property, retail space and land for redevelopment and our clients include small business owners and real estate investors, as well as large companies. 

We offer a variety of commercial real estate services, including:

  • Commercial lease review and negotiation; 
  • Commercial financing for borrowers, institutional lenders and private lenders;
  • Title searching and title opinions;
  • All necessary PPSA and other security matters;
  • Land acquisition, disposition and development.