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Real Estate

Hot real estate market? Excess coverage protects your practice as property values soar

Current market conditions mean business is booming for lawyers, but keep in mind that your risk exposure may be growing in lockstep with property values. A hot market changes the way real estate deals unfold. Not only do lawyers see a higher transaction volume, but unconditional offers proliferate, and closing intervals may shrink. All these… Read More »

Categories: Articles, Excess insurance, Real Estate

Common HST errors in real estate transactions

Determining HST-applicability to real estate transactions can be more complicated than many lawyers assume. What’s more, a lack of clarity and errors can often lead to substantial unforeseen costs for clients. This is a dangerous combination from a claims perspective. This paper will discuss the common categories of HST errors and provide tips on how… Read More »

Categories: Online Only, Real Estate

Questions About HST to Ask Yourself When Handling a Real Estate Transaction

Determining HST-applicability to real estate transactions can be more complicated than many lawyers assume. What’s more, a lack of clarity and errors can often lead to substantial unforeseen costs for clients. This is a dangerous combination from a claims perspective. Here are questions a lawyer should ask themselves about HST when acting on a real… Read More »

Categories: Checklist, Real Estate

Introducing the new TitlePLUS: Launching May 17

The new TitlePLUS is launching on May 17 and is better than ever. It’s a one-stop shop to purchasing title insurance that busy legal professionals expect. Within minutes, you can complete an easy online application and receive a user-friendly title insurance policy that automatically includes legal service coverage. Backed by LAWPRO®, TitlePLUS is the only… Read More »

Categories: Real Estate, Title insurance, TitlePLUS

“Zombie” transfers can come back to haunt you

The bottom line: A dead person cannot convey an interest in land A “zombie” deed/transfer refers to a land transfer registered after the death of the transferor as if the transferor is still alive. There has been much debate around the use of “zombie” deeds – a recent case attempts to put the debate to… Read More »

Categories: Online Only, Real Estate

Did you know that some title insurers include exceptions to fraud coverage for private lender transactions where the mortgage funds are not paid to acceptable parties?

question mark over houses

In light of the commonly held view that real estate is a safe investment, many individuals use mortgage investments to supplement income or as a means of saving for retirement. Unfortunately, a reality of the current real estate landscape is that private lenders are often the target of identity frauds. A title insurance policy generally… Read More »

Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Articles, Practice Tips, Real Estate, Title insurance

Tools for a strong foundation: Resources every real estate lawyer should know about

A successful real estate practice needs a variety of tools and resources. Here are four great resources that are a good starting place to find the right tool for whatever issues come to your practice. Real estate file management checklist: Real estate continues to be LAWPRO’s second largest claims area by count and cost, and… Read More »

Categories: 2020 January - Finding Your Way, Real Estate

Fraud for Shelter Update

With housing prices on the rise, more rigorous mortgage rules, and the resulting difficulty for some Ontarians to purchase property, real estate lawyers should be mindful of fraud for shelter. Fraud for shelter differs from traditional real estate frauds. Usually in a real estate fraud, the goal is to fraudulently sell the property or to… Read More »

Categories: Fraud, Online Only, Real Estate

Land Acknowledgement

The offices of LAWPRO are located on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishnabeg, Chippewa, Haudenosaunee and Wendat peoples. Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. LAWPRO respects and acknowledges the histories, languages, knowledge systems, and cultures of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit nations.

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