Podcast Episode 136: “AFS Paperwork and Education.” About four months ago, I got a call from a client who wanted to sell his property by way of Agreement for Sale (AFS). Unfortunately, he had only a skimpy notion of the AFS concept and no actual education on how to apply the strategy. This blog post and … Continue reading Learn How to Write Agreement for Sale Paperwork in Canadian Real Estate

Podcast Episode 135: “Win-Win Real Estate Investing.” Here’s another success story from the lucrative Creative Real Estate Investing space. For would-be Canadian real estate investors, two of the biggest obstacles are building up cash for a deposit and qualifying for a mortgage. This Tale is an example of how one of our students creatively solved … Continue reading How to Buy Property Without a Mortgage in Canada by Solving a Seller’s Problems

Podcast Episode 134: “Wholesale Home Run!” For a change of pace, here is a positive Tale about a massive success in Canadian real estate investing. Longtime readers/listeners know that my Tales from the Trenches series is mostly about how buyers and sellers of real estate get themselves in trouble. It doesn’t matter whether folks are … Continue reading How Much Money Can I Make Quickly in Canadian Real Estate?

Podcast Episode 133: “Foreclosure Timing Traps.” When searching for the ideal piece of real estate to buy, properties in foreclosure can be an interesting place to look. Are you an investor looking for a new rental property? Or maybe you’re a buyer looking for a dream home—or at least a property you can turn into … Continue reading How Long It Takes to Buy a Foreclosed Property

Podcast Episode 132: “(Un)attached Goods, Defects, and Stigmas.” Negotiating an Offer to Purchase for a piece of real estate is about more than just the price. In this blog post, I’ll start by looking at two key points that must be worked out between buyer and seller: unattached goods and material latent defects. Then I’ll … Continue reading Three Issues to Negotiate When Buying or Selling Real Estate: Chattels, Defects, and Stigmata

Podcast Episode 131: “Renovation Heartbreak.” Dishonest, fly-by-night, or even inexperienced renovators can leave a trail of heartbreak. Buyers happily move into their newly-purchased, freshly-renovated home, but problems often don’t show up till later. Here are three recent scenarios from my real estate law practice in Edmonton, Alberta. First, I’ll discuss the problems, then I’ll talk about … Continue reading Renovated Basements Without Permits and Inspections Come Back to Haunt Buyers

Podcast Episode 130: “Third Flood.” Recently, some Alberta homeowners finally ran out of patience when their property was flooded—again. They lived on the lower end of a sloped street, and water flowed down the block from the higher end when it rained. The curb had slumped in front of their home, allowing water to run … Continue reading Third Preventable Flood at Alberta Home; Who Is Liable?

Podcast Episode 129: “Home-buyer’s Dilemma.” Seems like I’m always finding examples to write about regarding real property reports (RPR) and how they fit into a real estate transaction in Alberta. Land surveys, as RPRs are also known, should be simpler than they are. The standard AREA/MLS contract says that the seller will provide an RPR … Continue reading Should a Buyer Accept Title Insurance in Lieu of a Real Property Report and Compliance?

Podcast Episode 128: “Secondary Suite Grudge Match.” Would-be Calgary Landlord Builds Legally-Approved Secondary Suite but Gets Stifled by Restrictive Covenant on Title for Neighbourhood’s Single-Family Dwellings. And now for the main event! This Real Estate Regulation League title fight is scheduled for five rounds in the heavyweight division. At stake is the Secondary Suite Championship … Continue reading Real Estate Cage Fight: Restrictive Covenants vs. City Bylaws

Podcast Episode 127: “3×3 Permits.” This is the third Tale in my recent mini-series on Real Property Reports (RPR), municipal compliance, and building/development permits. Our first two Tales dealt with the maze of bureaucracy that surrounds permits and the dangers of not getting a clean RPR with compliance when buying real estate. As per usual, my examples … Continue reading Three Examples of Real Estate Woe with Permits, Surveys, and Compliance