5 Things to Know About Title Fraud By Mark Weisleder You have heard the famous expression “Who’s been sleeping in my bed”, from the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. How would you feel if you got home after an extended stay overseas and found out not only was someone else living in your house, they had taken over your title as well. This is what happened to a Toronto couple earlier this year. Here are 5 things you need to know: Find out more about our mobile signing services! 1. How did this happen? Imposters targeted a vacant home with no mortgage on title and obtained a ..read more

Controversial Toronto Rental Listing Sparks Debate on Housing Crisis A recently removed rental listing in Toronto has shed light on the difficulties faced by renters in the city. Originally posted on Facebook Marketplace, the listing advertised a shared basement room in a fully furnished townhouse for four female students. Priced at $600 per month per person, the post has sparked discussions about affordable housing in Toronto and received significant public backlash. Real estate experts have weighed in on the legality of the listing and the broader issues it represents. The listing specif ..read more

5 Things for Buyers and Sellers to Remember When Things Go Wrong with Their Real Estate Agreement When market conditions get rocky, both buyers and sellers in the market will begin to experience unexpected challenges that can lead to decreases in home value as well as challenges that lead to a deal-breaker. Buyers in the real estate market will more commonly need to break their agreements as they handle the personal impacts of the looming recession and economic volatility. Sellers may adjacently need to curb their heightened expectations of the selling value of their homes. So, what happen ..read more

5 Things for Real Estate Agents to Remember When Things Go Wrong With a looming recession and the accompanying increase in economic volatility, real estate agents will begin to deal with an increase of deal-breaking on behalf of buyers in the market. The best way to ride out this time is to be prepared with exactly how to handle your business as an agent in these cases.    Here are 5 key lessons for agents to remember when things go wrong in any real estate deal: Finding a solution should be your first priority. Things may be uncertain in today’s real estate brokering work, b ..read more

Here's how Canada's two-year ban on foreign home buyers affects your real estate purchasing power: What you need to know Housing prices have risen meteorically over the last two years, and it is clear that a number of factors are affecting this – particularly foreign home ownership and real estate flipping. For many individuals, home ownership is a dream that is out of reach, especially with prices escalating upwards of 20% on average over 2021 alone. In an attempt to curb these factors, the Canadian government recently announced a two-year ban on foreign home buying – including condo ..read more

No More Bidding Wars: How Do the New changes to Ontario Real Estate Legislation Affect Home Buyers? In an attempt to cool down the housing market, new changes to regulations governing Ontario real estate will take place next year. This takes place in the introduction of a proposed “Home Buyer’s Bill of Rights”— legislation designed to protect the home buyer. The most interesting change written into the new legislation is the plan to curb blind bidding – which has been identified as one of the factors keeping housing prices out of reach. Under the current system of blind bidding, potentia ..read more

The Biggest Mistake Ontario Property-Buyers Make BEFORE Buying Their Property and How You Can Avoid It Ask any Ontario home-buyer, commercial real-estate buyer, or investment property buyer how they would recommend ensuring that your real estate transaction goes off without a hitch.   Hire a Real Estate Lawyer. Find out more about our mobile signing services! Yes, you need a real-estate lawyer – especially in this super-charged market. It’s required in Ontario by law and for good reason.  Ontario real estate is tricky – there are so many ways your real estate ..read more

New Changes to Ontario Land Speculation Taxes On March 30, 2022, the Ontario Provincial Government announced changes to the rules for when a property is purchased in Ontario by a non-resident. The change enacted by the province increases the tax payable from 15% to 20% of the purchase price. I have received a lot of questions from realtors and clients alike and wanted to provide the main things you need to know about the rule change. Here are 6 things you need to know about the new changes to Ontario Land Speculation Taxes: Find out more about our mobile signing services! 1. What pr ..read more

Why you need an experienced real estate lawyer on your side By Mark Weisleder No real estate agreement is simple, and all kinds of issues can come up at any time during the course of the transaction. Too often, I am consulted when something is going very wrong at closing and could have avoided such an issue if I was brought into the deal sooner. For example, I’m often brought in when a tenant will not vacate and the deal cannot close and my clients do not know how to proceed. When I ask why they are not talking to the lawyer handling the deal, the answer is typically, “oh, they are just ..read more

In this article, we discuss what are necessary and unnecessary home-buying costs in Toronto and the GTA: helping you make smart decisions with your money Do: Ensure you are shopping in the right location. Buying may seem out of reach – but that could be because you’re shopping in the wrong location. The average selling prices are topping $1.1 million for single detached homes and condos in the Greater Toronto Area. But beyond, bargains can be found. Have you considered: Moving a bit further out? Moving closer to walk to work and shopping? Asking family for help with a down payment? Moving in ..read more