pre-construction

Pet Rules When Buying an Ontario Condo: Read the Declaration, Rules and Status Certificate BEFORE You Waive

Buying an Ontario condo with a pet? Pet rules can live in the declaration, rules or by-laws — and the declaration is the hardest to change and takes priority. Learn the restriction types, human-rights exemptions, the CAT dispute process, and the exact status certificate checklist to read before waiving conditions.

The Ontario New-Home PDI: How One Hour Before Possession Protects Your Tarion Warranty for 7 Years

A complete guide to the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) for a new or pre-construction home in Ontario: what the PDI is, a room-by-room checklist, how to document it, and the Tarion 1-, 2-, and 7-year warranty timeline with Initial and Year-End forms. By Arthur Zhao.

Before You Buy New: How to Check an Ontario Builder’s HCRA Licence

According to the HCRA, since Feb 1, 2021 every new-home builder and vendor in Ontario must be licensed, and building unlicensed is illegal. Here is how I check a builder on the Ontario Builder Directory before my clients sign.

Taxes on a Pre-Construction Assignment Sale: GST/HST, Income Tax and the Flipping Rule

How is a pre-construction assignment sale taxed? According to the CRA (2022), since May 7, 2022 almost all assignments of newly built/substantially renovated housing are taxable for GST/HST (13% in Ontario), with the deposit portion excluded from the taxable amount; the profit is usually reported in full as business income. Layer on the 2023 flipping rule (held under 365 days = business income). Here are the three layers of tax.

The New-Build Cost Buyers Miss: Development Charges and Levies in Ontario

Development charges and levies are the most overlooked cost of buying a new-build or pre-construction home in Ontario. According to the City of Toronto (2025), the DC on a two-bedroom condo is $80,690 per unit. Here's how DCs, education levies, Tarion fees, hook-up charges and HST work — and why you must cap levies in the contract.

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.

The Long-Term Case for Greater Toronto Real Estate — Honestly Argued, Headwinds Included

Does the long-term case for investing in Greater Toronto real estate still hold? I walk through the structural pillars — Greenbelt land constraint, immigration-driven population growth, and the CMHC supply gap — and stay honest about today's headwinds. According to CMHC (2025), Canada needs roughly 2.6 million additional units by 2035 to restore affordability.

Why Your New Condo Is Smaller Than the Floor Plan: How Builder Square Footage Really Works

Bought a pre-construction condo in Ontario and the unit feels smaller than the floor plan? Learn how builders measure square footage, why stated area exceeds usable area, the 2% variance rule, and whether Tarion covers floor area.