The majority of home buyers are not afforded the luxury of paying for a home without obtaining a loan from one of the many available lenders. As a result, it is usually a requirement that the buyer arrange a mortgage with their lender. A buyer of real property should be aware that the requirements of…

Gemma Brown (continuing the long standing involvement of Bob Smith in the community), along with fellow Southeast Events Group board members, check out the ice after Friday’s opening – what an exciting day for this community culminating years of effort!  

When selling a home, sellers normally receive an offer to purchase from a purchaser which sets out the terms of the agreement between the buyer and seller. The offer to purchase creates a binding agreement between the parties and therefore, if you have any questions about it, you should consult your lawyer prior to signing…

An offer to purchase is the form used to create the agreement between the buyer and seller. Once the offer to purchase is signed, the agreement between the parties is established, and your lawyer will be limited by the agreement with regard to their ability to assist you. Therefore, prior to entering into an offer…

Rent Guidelines The rent increase guideline is the amount by which landlords can increase the rent of units without applying to the Residential Tenancies Board. The Manitoba Government will increase the rent guideline by 1.7% starting January 1, 2025. This means that rent cannot be raised more than 1.7% in the year of 2025 with…

The issue of GST as it applies to the purchase of a home is a complex issue which should be discussed with your lawyer prior to signing an Offer to Purchase in order to determine whether it must be paid on the purchase of a home, and whether you have the necessary funds to pay…

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 for a taxation year will…

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 owners are: A prime concern…

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 which are based upon the…

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 yourself or for a related…