condo buying

Condo Maintenance Fees, Explained: What They Cover, What’s Reasonable per Sq Ft, and Why They Rise

What Ontario condo maintenance fees cover, reasonable GTA $/sqft ranges, why an underfunded reserve triggers special assessments, and how to read a status certificate before you buy.

Pre-Construction Condo Assignment Sales in Ontario: The Complete Buyer and Seller Guide

A complete Ontario guide to pre-construction condo assignment sales: builder consent and fees, deposit and occupancy math, the 2022 CRA GST/HST rule, business income vs capital gain, and the real risks for assignor and assignee.

The Condo Status Certificate: The $100, 10-Day Document That Tells You If the Building Is Financially Healthy

The Ontario condo status certificate: the statutory $100 fee, 10-day rule, what's inside (reserve fund, special assessments, litigation), red flags, and why to go conditional.

Why Do Condo Fees Keep Rising in Ontario — And How to Tell If a Fee Is Reasonable

Why do Ontario condo maintenance fees keep rising? What your monthly common-element fee actually pays for, how the reserve fund and reserve fund study drive increases, and how to judge a cheap fee vs a healthy fee before you buy — a GTA buyer's guide from Arthur Zhao.

POTL & Common Elements Condos: Freehold Homes That Still Pay Condo Fees

According to the Condominium Authority of Ontario, a POTL is a freehold home tied to a Common Elements Condo — governed by the Condominium Act, 1998, with a monthly fee and a status certificate to order before buying.

The Pet, Rental, and Renovation Rules Hidden in a Condo’s Governing Documents

Before buying a GTA condo, read the Declaration, By-laws, and Rules in the status certificate. Pet bans, Airbnb limits, and flooring rules bind you at closing.

The Condo Insurance Gap in Ontario: What the Master Policy Covers, and What You Must Insure Yourself

Ontario condo master policies insure the standard unit only. Your improvements, contents, liability and the s.105 deductible chargeback are yours to insure.

How to Actually Evaluate a Pre-Construction Condo (and Read “Condo Reviews” Critically)

How do you evaluate a pre-construction condo before buying, instead of being led by a glossy "condo review"? I break down builder track record via HCRA, Tarion deposit protection, maintenance-fee estimates, occupancy fees, development charges, assignment rights, and Ontario's 10-day cooling-off period. According to HCRA, every new-home builder in Ontario must be licensed and is searchable with a 10-year history.