Homeownership is not always about crunching numbers

by admin | Feb 16, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Sometimes, even the experts get it wrong, or maybe not entirely right. In her new book, Money Rules, financial guru Gail Vaz Oxlade says that buying a home is not for everyone. Her No. 1 rule: Renting is not a waste of money. “Home...

New research tool invaluable to home buyers

by admin | Feb 2, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Resale home’s history now available through HomeVerified – Raises privacy concerns A new type of home history report is now available on the market, and it has the potential to become an industry standard in every residential house transaction....

Innocent landowners responsible for environmental cleanup, court rules

by admin | Jan 19, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

In one of the scariest court decisions of recent years, the Ontario Divisional Court has ruled that innocent landowners can be held responsible to remedy contamination caused to their properties by a neighbour. Back in December, 2008, Thompson Fuels filled the fuel...

Disclosure statement meant buyers recovered damages, but listing agent escaped liability

by admin | Jan 5, 2013 | 2013 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca A Saskatoon real estate agent and his brokerage have escaped liability to the purchasers of a home with a wet basement in a misrepresentation lawsuit. Although they recovered their damages from the sellers, the unhappy buyers were ordered to pay...

Who has the authority to correct land registry errors?

by admin | Dec 22, 2012 | 2012 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Perhaps the most fundamental principle of property ownership in Ontario is that users of the land registration system can rely on it for an accurate reflection of title. If an error occurs in the registry, the courts, or the Director of Titles...

Title insurance really isn’t optional

by admin | Dec 8, 2012 | 2012 Toronto Star Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Despite the fact that residential title insurance has been commonplace in Ontario for the last 15 years, many of my clients still ask me what it covers just as we are about to sign the closing papers for their home purchase. Even though I...