Land survey trumps all documents in a house purchase

by admin | Dec 21, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Title insurance will help cover costs if alterations needed Encroachment issues are easier to work out before a property sale, and a land survey is needed for that True or false? A land survey is unnecessary if the house purchaser buys title...

HST rebate rules don’t include all your relatives

by admin | Dec 7, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Third parties named on title could disqualify your tax break Many buyers of new homes and condominiums may be surprised to receive a demand from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to repay as much as $24,000 in HST new-home rebates that they received...

Tarion: Buyers may not be able to sue for claims exceeding warranty limits

by admin | Nov 23, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Buyers should check their purchase agreements to see whether the liability limitation clause is included A recent court decision raises the thorny issue of whether it should be legal for builders to restrict the ability of new home and condo...

Condo Act review promises major change in Ontario

by admin | Nov 9, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Establishing a quasi-judicial Condo Office should be done with care A sea change is coming for the management and operation of the province’s 600,000 condominium units if recommendations in Stage 2 of the Condominium Act review, released last...

Does century-old murder still haunt Massey house?

by admin | Oct 26, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Sensational slaying created headlines but, a century later, questions arise whether buyers should be warned In the real estate field, when the value of a house might be affected by a history of murder, suicide, ghosts, hauntings or other...

Land survey outlines what’s really yours

by admin | Sep 28, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Get the details of property you’re buying in all-important survey I think it’s time that a land survey be made a compulsory part of every real estate transaction. It baffles me why a clause to that effect is not a part of the standard form...