Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca August 11, 2001 Wild West tactics must be corralled Imagine a Canadian metropolitan area where 40,000 homes and condominiums are sold every year, representing more than $12 billion in consumer spending. Now imagine that the vast majority of these homes and condominiums are sold by unlicensed salespeople. No legislation governs hundreds and […]
2001 Toronto Star Columns
Draft real estate law flawed
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca August 4, 2001 Draft real estate law flawed Changes strengthen cabinet, weaken democratic process STEVE RUSSELL/ TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO QUESTIONS: Norm Sterling, consumer and business services minister, faces the media at Queen’s Par The Ontario government has released draft legislation proposing changes to the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA), […]
No beach party for Lake Erie residents
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca July 28, 2001 No beach party for Lake Erie residents Cottagers fought court battle for waterfront access One of the most important components of owning a waterfront summer home is the right to access and use the adjoining lake or river. When that right is in dispute, or is in danger of […]
Lessons for buyers from project fire
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Bob Aaron July 21, 2001 Lessons for buyers from project fire Review maximum extension times for closingsSome of the purchasers in the Liberty Walk townhouse project, which burned to the ground in May, are being allowed to back out of their deals, and some are not. It all depends on the originally […]
Final chapter written in `infamous cement case’
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca July 14, 2001 Final chapter written in `infamous cement case’The Ontario Court of Appeal has written the final chapter in the infamous eastern Ontario cement case. In a judgment released at the end of May, the court upheld the trial decision favouring the homeowners and pinning responsibility for the defective basement foundations […]
Liberty Walk buyers won’t have to pay more
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca July 7, 2001 Liberty Walk buyers won’t have to pay more Developer due credit for honouring commitmentOn May 2 of this year, the entire Liberty Walk condominium project on Lawrence Ave. W. near Dufferin St. burned to the ground. The would-be purchasers of nearly 200 townhouses watched their dream homes go up […]
Lawsuit, shmawsuit’: Yiddish livens up courtroom
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Bob Aaron June 30, 2001 Lawsuit, shmawsuit’: Yiddish livens up courtroom Latin’s on its way out as the language of law When I was studying Latin in high school, the common wisdom was that if I had any intention of being a lawyer, I had to have a working knowledge of that […]
City takes hit for shoddy Reno
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca June 23, 2001 City takes hit for shoddy Reno The Annex is a trendy area of older Toronto homes in the Bloor-Bathurst-Spadina corridor. Back in 1990, James Ingles and his wife Valerie Webb owned an 80-year-old Annex house at 123 MacPherson Ave. They decided to improve it by lowering the basement 18 […]
Do we want to be like our southern neighbour?
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca June 16, 2001 Do we want to be like our southern neighbour? Proposed rule could encourage petty lawsuits Most standard homeowner insurance policies carry third-party liability coverage of $500,000 or $1 million. If someone is injured on the insured’s premises, the liability coverage should kick in and will contribute damages to the […]
Pizza person shut out
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca June 16, 2001 Pizza person shut out Question: In our condo, the Board have rules that forbid fast food delivery people from going upstairs to units. Instead, they call from downstairs and tenants must go down to pick up the order. The Board claims this is for reasons of security. Can they […]
Wife may be on hook for co-signing loan
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca June 9, 2001 Wife may be on hook for co-signing loan Separate legal advice for couple and bank `bullet-proofs’ transaction It happens all the time. The husband is having financial trouble and applies to his bank for a loan. The bank approves the loan but the man’s wife must co-sign for the […]
Ottawa to force lawyers to snitch on clients
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca June 2, 2001 Ottawa to force lawyers to snitch on clients `Suspicious’ financial transactions must soon be reportedWhat is the common factor in each of these scenarios? Paul and Joanne are buying a new house in Mississauga with help from Joanne’s parents in Hong Kong. For closing, they show up at their […]