It never fails to amaze me how the real estate community stubbornly sticks to the old imperial measurements in a country which supposedly converted to the metric system back in the 1970s.

What happens to the buyers’ deposit when they renege on the purchase agreement for a house and the owners resell for a higher price?

What happens when there is a significant discrepancy between the way a home is described on an MLS listing, and the details in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale?

Real estate lawyers get asked all kinds of oddball questions.

Last week, one of my colleagues asked me how to respond to his client’s query about returning after an Open House at her home to find one of the neatly-made upstairs beds in complete disarray.

What happens when an owner receives an incorrect status certificate issued by a condominium corporation?

That was the issue in a case before the Ontario Court of Appeal earlier this year.

Ford’s call to derail energy audits will benefit the home sale process

There is no right enshrined Canadian law that allows smoking either cannabis or tobacco in a rental property

An Ontario Superior Court ruling this year urged property buyers against overextending their finances in the wake of a failed deal.

Fluctuating lake levels put the principle of accretion to the test in a recent court case

While staging is a very beneficial part of real estate sales process, buyers and sellers should always clarify what use will be made of the photos.

A Law Society of Ontario working group is investigating practices involving the payment of fees and the offer of benefits by title insurers to real estate lawyers.

Justice John I. Laskin wrote that Pilot Insurance’s abusive conduct justified a punitive award to Whiten.

A judge decided that John Breen’s title was unmarketable due to building deficiences and that he was covered under his title insurance policy

This is the sad story of a $109,000 flower box. It all began in a large project of 213 condominium garden homes known as Bethamy Woods, in Ottawa.

This is the sad story of a $109,000 flower box. It all began in a large project of 213 condominium garden homes known as Bethamy Woods, in Ottawa.

The standard clause “to the best of the seller’s knowledge and belief,” contained in an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, has had its meaning settled by the Ontario Court of Appeal.

A looming Ontario Court of Appeal decision on when discovery and disclosure of the fact that a home was used to make illegal substances occurs during a sale agreement could impact home sales in the province.

A recent court case emphasizes the importance of using a survey and getting accurate property measurements before signing an agreement in a home purchase.

In a Toronto townhouse development, 22 unit owners are living in condos registered to someone else — their real estate lawyers were not showing due diligence

The area in question measure less than six inches wide and the ownership possibly dates back to 1923

A recent B.C. court decision, which ruled in favour of a buyer who reneged on a home purchase after discovering it had been the site of a murder, serves as a warning against signing any non-required agreements.

Decision to rebuild, or not, is up to the construction lender, not the builder.

Adding family as joint owners is easy to do, difficult and expensive to undo

A dispute between next-door neighbours over a two-foot-wide strip of land illustrates the property-law principle of adverse possession.

Pay heed to the judge’s ruling in this relevant case before removing a tree that grows on multiple properties

A court ruled there is no statutory or common-law duty on property owners to clear snow and ice from public sidewalks.

Know what to expect from your lawyer and you can avoid troublesome legal claims

Judge ruled there was no oppressive conduct on parents’ part that would justify the daughter’s position that she did not want to sell the house.

‘Zombie’ deeds have sparked a tricky legal debate.

With houses built so close together, permits to access neighbours’ space are too onerous.

There is no timetable for many key consumer protection amendments to the former condo act.

Ontario consumers will have to wait until 2020 for more regulations governing home and condo deposits.

Questions are being raised about whether landlords will be able to restrict cannabis in residential units.

This case is a lesson for real estate agents.

A 2015 study showed that of 1.2 million freehold residential properties in the Greater Toronto Area, almost half of them have significant boundary issues, most of which would not be covered by title insurance.

Land actually belonged to City of Toronto despite tax bill and assessment that listed it as the homeowners

Expensive proceedings are not always the answer in solving disputes.

Condo owners paid $21,000 special assessment fees and sale closed; then entire condominium complex burned down.

This ruling means many associations will lack the power to enforce payments

Purchase provision allows automatic increase in offer to beat another buyer’s top bid.

After signing an agreement, couple found out their house was connected underground to their neighbour.

The Ontario government requires information be culled about prospective buyers that is nearly impossible to authenticate.

Until the new legislation was passed last month, anyone with a flashlight and a business card could call himself or herself a home inspector.

Financial obligations, such as a requirement to pay monthly dues for parks, beaches or roadways, are only enforceable against parties to the contract. They don’t usually bind later purchasers.

Final cost of taxes and inevitable litigation will be borne by the ultimate buyers of the residential units to be built.

Supreme Court rejects appeal of ruling that developer misled investors with rental-income estimates. But the company is in receivership and the condo/hotel is for sale.

Judge rules exclusions for ground, surface water did not apply to flood caused by dam breach.

Making misrepresentations in listings, sale agreements or SPIS forms is risky, as recent court ruling of fraud shows.

Courts uphold insurance ruling that water seepage through foundation walls is not covered under homeowners’ policy.

How one landlord followed all the rules but went 18 months without being paid rent.

Real-estate agents are obligated to discover and disclose material facts, which include what pipes and fittings were used when a condominium was built.

Ottawa owners breached condo declaration by renting unit out through Airbnb website, reinforcing earlier court case involving Toronto condo.

When a home inspection is waived prior to purchasing a house, it is very difficult to win a lawsuit down the line.

Toronto property taxes are so low the city has been left with a gaping budget hole that must be filled.

Landmark case protects homebuyers with title insurance from hidden physical defects that make the home unmarketable.

Although the buyer could face extra costs, don’t write off the opportunity just yet.

New real-estate company in Picton is owned by local law firm, allowing it to shake up the traditional commission-fee structure.

Court decision emphasizes it’s the house buyer, not the seller, who is most at risk.

Tarion’s enforcement arm is set to target real-estate agents who are involved in selling unregistered homes.

Tarion’s limit for deposit protection — $20,000 on condos and $40,000 on homes — hasn’t changed in years.

Over-charging homeowners to help intensify urban housing defeats the purpose.

Too many renters are getting away with not paying rent, then appealing eviction orders.

Since 1997, 94 court cases in Ontario have been pinned to the Seller Property Information Statement.

Web-based money transfer system’s goal is to streamline real-estate closings. But is it needed?

Tarion warranties need to be improved, and a forthcoming report on improving consumer protections should address delayed occupancy compensation

Some simple solutions to help keep the taxman’s fingers out of your pockets.

Only a survey prepared by an Ontario land surveyor can confirm that the cottage is situated inside the appropriate land boundaries.

Proposed scheme full of unanswered questions on money safeguards, timing of transfers and discharging prior mortgages.

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca In this province, anyone with a business card and a flashlight can be a home inspector. But after more than three years of study, the Liberals are still not ready to proceed...

Until now, when a cousin, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, friend or business associate is registered on title for mortgage purposes, none of the buyers can get the rebate.

‘Administration fee’ that will now be charged on municipal land transfer tax is $75 — plus HST

What would you do if you found a gold bar while renovating someone’s house?

Recent court decisions have ruled in favour of condo buyers seeking a refund of their deposits following a discrepancy between the initial documents they signed and the final sale agreement.

The way some builders calculate estimated taxes is not the way the city does it and the result is a significant overcharge to buyers.

Interest Act is intended to protect property owners against abusive lending practices.

Toronto’s Laneway Project offers the perfect chance to honour these famous local comedians, suggests Bob Aaron.

Insurance must cover missing wall, court rules

One of the greatest shortfalls in Tarion’s consumer protection is in the area of marketing pre-construction houses and condominiums, Bob Aaron says.

One of the greatest shortfalls in Tarion’s consumer protection is in the area of marketing pre-construction houses and condominiums

Sellers aren’t required to answer questions about their property, but they have to be truthful in what they say.Agreeing to fill out a Seller Property Information Statement makes the seller liable for the answers they give.