February 15, 2021
The most important issue for the legal industry is removing barriers for individuals who are seeking legal guidance and solutions. Whether the issue is contractual in nature, such as purchasing or selling real estate, or a question about a civil or family matter, almost half of the population of Canada experiences a legally relevant situation in any given three-year period.
January 15, 2021
My boss, Wayne Quirk, our Corporate Administrator and myself put our heads together in meeting after meeting on what to get our agents for Christmas. No party, no gathering of more than 10 inside our office, no music even. A gift card to a local restaurant was suggested but that was quickly turned down by Wayne, as he felt it was too “cold” of a gift. No real thought or meaning was involved. At our final meeting a plan for a holiday gathering solidified, thanks again to our commander in charge.
January 15, 2021
Whenever an individual gifts their property – whether it land, a boat, or money for instance – the intention of the donor is crucial. Sometimes this intention is not clear, and this can lead to litigation. This article considers gifts that are made while the donor is living, rather than gifts that are made under a will. After reviewing some of the essential features of gift giving, it explores a few cases where gift giving has resulted in a legal battle.
January 15, 2021
The sales figures are in for December and they are truly remarkable, both in number of units sold and also in average sale price across Niagara. Normally we would see a significant slowdown in sales activity over the month of December. Things really slow by mid December and then pretty well shut down over the Christmas season. And while sales did definitely slow in December when compared to the previous month, that slowdown was not nearly as drastic as one might expect. Across the region we saw a total of 591 sales recorded in December. When compared to the 739 registered in November, that represents a reduction of 148 units or 20.03%. However, when we compare it to December 2019 where 375 sales were recorded, we see this years December sales are actually up by 57.6% year over year. That is truly remarkable. And it speaks to the underlying strength in the marketplace and the pent up demand that continues to drive the market upward.
January 15, 2021
January 15, 2021
Did you know? According to a 2019 RBC Family Finances Poll, 9 out of 10 parents (96%) are financially supporting their children (ages 18-35 years). On average, this costs parents $5,623 per year! This is an added cost that many parents cannot afford. In fact, approximately 3 in 10 parents (32%) are seeing delayed retirement in order to help kids with post-secondary costs and are facing an inability or delayed response in paying off their own debts.
December 15, 2020
December 15, 2020
Buying a home is one of the largest investments you will ever make! In order to make your home hunting experience the best it can be, there are a few key mistakes to avoid and be aware of before you start your journey:
December 15, 2020
When a real estate salesperson is licensed to trade in real estate, he is licensed under the Provincial Real Estate and Business Brokers Act. He is licensed to sell real estate, bricks and mortar, and he is licensed to sell businesses. Often they are combined where a buyer is buying both an operating business and the building from which it operates. And while that is the optimal situation it is not always the case. The real estate and the business within it are two separate things, and need to be treated as such.