Buying

Buying a Heritage-Designated Property in Ontario: Permits, Grants, and What You Can (and Can’t) Change

An Ontario guide to buying a heritage property (Ontario Heritage Act): listed vs designated, Part IV (individual) vs Part V (conservation district), the 90-day heritage-permit decision window, that only the heritage attributes named in the by-law are protected, 10%–40% property-tax relief and ss.39/45 restoration grants, and how Bill 23 / Bill 200 require listed properties to be designated by January 1, 2027 or fall off the register. Sources: Ontario.ca / Toronto.ca / Gowling WLG (2026).

Latent vs Patent Defects: What Ontario Sellers Must Disclose and What “Buyer Beware” Really Means

An Ontario guide to defect disclosure: patent (visible) vs latent (hidden) defects, the caveat emptor "buyer beware" default, when a seller must disclose a latent defect (known + dangerous/uninhabitable), the consequences of concealment and fraud, why the SPIS is a double-edged sword, and how an agent's TRESA "material facts" duty differs from the seller's. Sources: RECO / Ontario case law (2026).

Buying a Cottage in Ontario: Financing, Well & Septic, Water Access, and the Capital-Gains Trap

A GTA buyer's guide to Ontario cottages: Type A (four-season) 5% down vs Type B (seasonal) 10% down, why CMHC usually won't insure a seasonal cottage, well & septic due diligence under Building Code Part 8, the 66-foot Shore Road Allowance you may not own, restricted flood insurance, and the one-property-per-year capital-gains trap. Sources: CRA, CMHC, Ontario.ca (2026).

Buying an Older Toronto House with a Mutual (Shared) Driveway: Ownership, Maintenance, and Disputes, Sorted

What a mutual driveway really is in older Toronto neighbourhoods, how it differs from a registered easement or right-of-way, how to confirm it on title (S/T and T/W), maintenance and dispute rules, and the real risk when there's no registered easement. Buyer due-diligence checklist. Source: Protect Your Boundaries / Ontario real estate lawyers.

New Build vs. Resale in the GTA: Price, Warranty, Risk and Carrying Costs Compared

New build (builder / pre-construction) vs. resale home in the GTA: a full comparison of deposit structure, HST and the New Housing Rebate (plus the federal first-time buyer GST rebate under Bill C-4), Tarion 1/2/7-year warranty, closing costs and delivery risk — with a buyer-by-buyer decision framework. Source: Tarion / CRA / Ontario.

Can You Buy a Former Grow-Op in Ontario? Stigma, Mould, Electrical, Financing and Insurance — the Full Due-Diligence Guide

Can you buy a former marijuana grow-op or stigmatized property in Ontario? This guide covers the physical damage (moisture/mould, bypassed electrical, structural mods, air quality), why lenders and insurers treat these as high-risk, the remediation documents you need (environmental/mould inspection, ESA electrical, municipal clearance), Ontario disclosure rules, and the offer conditions to use. Source: RECO / OREA / Health Canada.

When an Ontario Deal Fails to Close: Buyer and Seller Default, and the Remedies

What happens when a firm Ontario deal fails to close: buyer default (financing, appraisal gap, cold feet) and seller default (won't close, no clear title), plus remedies. Deposit forfeiture isn't automatic — it needs a mutual release or court order; sellers can sue for the shortfall (Azzarello v. Shawqi, 2019 ONCA 820). Education, not legal advice.

Toronto Co-op Apartments Explained: Cheaper Than a Condo, Much Harder to Finance

A plain-English guide to Toronto/Ontario co-op (co-operative) apartments: you own shares plus an occupancy right, not title like a condo; governed by the Co-operative Corporations Act, not the Condominium Act; why banks won't give a normal mortgage; share loans and board approval; what the maintenance fee really covers; resale liquidity and the price discount. Source: Ontario Co-operative Corporations Act / Legal Line / CHF Canada.