Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca April 10, 2004 House size not guaranteed to buyers Laws governing this need reform Home warranty of little help I recently received an e-mail from a Star reader asking about the calculation of total square footage in the sizes of new homes and condominiums. Mike had entered into a contract for […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca April 3, 2004 Columnist helps nab fraud suspect $380,000 cheque was fraudulent Vacation property was listed on eBay Columnist Bob Aaron helped the fraud squad nab a man involved in a bogus Internet real estate deal last month. With Aaron is his dog, Benjy, who joins him every day in his […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca March 27, 2004 It’s true: Some fences make very bad neighbours Property lines must be accurate Licensed surveyor is best protection A recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal emphasizes the importance of using a licensed Ontario land surveyor when putting up fences in new subdivisions or, for that matter, old […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca March 20, 2004 Interest rates, closing delays among buyers’ top concerns Seminar audience picks panelists’ brains on diverse issues GST often included in purchase price, but buyer ultimately pays What kinds of questions are today’s buyers of new homes asking? What are the burning issues? Earlier this month, a group of some […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca March 13, 2004 No stigma attached to nothing-down deal Old negative images don’t apply to new CMHC scheme Borrowers must demonstrate ability to carry payments In real estate circles, the term "nothing down" used to conjure up images of American hucksters whose infomercials and travelling seminars promised get-rich-quick results with investments. […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca March 6, 2004 Protection needed for small investors Mall condo never proceeded Lengthy lawsuit only recoups half The settlement last month of a multi-million-dollar real estate class action will allow 143 purchasers in a failed commercial condominium to recover almost half their original deposits after the project became insolvent. Toronto lawyer Samuel […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca February 28, 2004 Time is running out on Ontario squatters’ rights Paper titles are being converted to electronic That affects ability to acquire title by adverse possession The House of Lords, the highest court in Britain, has given its seal of approval to what was probably the biggest private land grab of […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Seller Property Disclosure Statement – the OREA Form Hamilton Law Association December 4, 2003 Lawrence Bremner – GOWLING, LAFLEUR HENDERSON, LLP [NOTE: This paper was written in 2003. It was updated to 2010 by Bob Aaron and has been posted on this website at [click on] ALL THE ONTARIO SPIS CASES […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca February 21, 2004 ONHWP has obligation to publish claims on Web site Concrete steps centre of dispute A Superior Court judge in Toronto has ruled that the Ontario New Home Warranty Program (ONHWP) has the right to publish notice of a warranty claim payment on its Web site, even where the […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca February 14, 2004 Selling unregistered condos can be complex Lack of standard forms a problem Mortgage, GST can complicate Last week I had the opportunity to act for two different clients involved in negotiating pre-closing resales, or flips, of unregistered condominium deals. One young woman whom I will call Susan […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca February 7, 2004 Home truths aren’t always so simple Disclosure statements may promote lawsuits Best to steer clear even if there’s nothing to hide Although seller property disclosure statements are mandatory in some American states, they remain voluntary in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. Whether they should become compulsory here is […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca January 31, 2004 Lawyers should handle real estate deals Paralegals don’t have the same training It’s the only way to adequately protect the public Should non-lawyers be able to handle real estate transactions? Will the public be adequately protected if paralegals are allowed to handle trust funds, process real estate purchases […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca January 24, 2004 Court upholds city ban on pesticides Industry group challenges Toronto bylaw Healthy lawn best defense against weeds Last month, the Ontario Superior Court upheld the validity of a Toronto bylaw which makes most pesticide use illegal starting April 1. The bylaw was passed by city council last May, […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca January 17, 2004 Amazing grace period spells grief for buyers Builer is allowed 5-day delay with no consequences ONHWP loophole can wreak havoc on moving day After waiting more than a year, it’s finally closing day. The builder has notified you that the house you have watched rise slowly from a […]
Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca January 10, 2004 Lawyer suspended for role in house flips Homes sold twice to inflate their value before applying to bank for mortgage The Law Society of Upper Canada has censured a lawyer who was involved in a series of 27 property flips, which cost the Royal Bank of Canada more […]