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Real Estate

Cottage Planning

Cottages are similar to family farms. Their succession plans should be similar too. Cottage succession planners should take a lesson from farm experts. Cottages, like farms, make succession planning challenging. Succession planning for the family cottage has many similarities to transferring the family farm. The primary goals of most cottage... Read More

Real Estate

First Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit

The First Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) was implemented in the 2009 Federal budget. As of 2022, HBTC allows for first time home buyers to save up to $1,500 in federal tax relief. That amount comes from a non-refundable tax credit based on an amount of $10,000. The credit... Read More

Real Estate

RRSP Home Buyers Plan

In addition to the First Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit, first time home buyers are also eligible for the Home Buyers’ Plan (“HBP”). This is a program that allows you to withdraw up to $60,000 from your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) to buy or build a qualifying home for... Read More

Real Estate

Selling a Home: Legal Costs

Fees Lawyers fees with respect to the sale of a typical home are usually less than half a percent of the sale price, and sometimes less than a quarter of a percent of the sale price. At Smith Neufeld Jodoin LLP, our lawyers typically adhere to general policies regarding fees... Read More

Real Estate

Selling a Home: Transferring Clear Title

It will be a requirement of most Offers to Purchase that the seller transfers to the buyer title to the land, clear of all registered encumbrances, mortgages, liens, etc., with a few exceptions. As a result, your lawyer will conduct a search of the title upon opening their file to... Read More

Real Estate

Buying a Home: Costs

Fees The fees to your lawyer charges for all typical work with respect to your purchase include such things as: title searches at the land titles office; investigating taxes related to the property; exchanging information with the seller’s lawyer; preparing all documentation necessary to complete the purchase; answering your questions... Read More

Real Estate

Selling a Home: Real Estate Commission

If you have hired a real estate agent to help you with the sale of your home, you will be required as a term of your agreement with the agent, to pay real estate commission for their services. The real estate commission is usually payable as a percentage of the... Read More

Real Estate

Buying a Rental Property: Residential Tenancy Issues

In the event that you are purchasing a home where a tenant is living in the property and you do not intend to terminate the lease or to have the seller terminate the lease prior to the date of possession, we would advise that a buyer proceed with extreme caution.... Read More

Real Estate

Buying a Home: Survey Issues

It is often a term of the Offer to Purchase that the property being purchased shall be free from encroachments from neighbouring properties, that none of the buildings being purchased are encroaching onto the neighbouring properties and that the property will be in compliance with all applicable building and zoning... Read More

Real Estate

Contracts of Sale and a Real Estate Agent’s Duty of Care

This last September, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench articulated the level of skill and care expected of real estate agents when handling their clients’ affairs. Particularly, it discussed the expectations held when advising clients of the meaning and effects of different provisions in a contract of sale. In Alvas... Read More