Your best choice for purchase, sale and mortgage transactions.

We also place Title Insurance policies for existing homeowners.

MAIN OFFICE: Suite 200, 223 Brock St. N., Whitby, Ontario, L1N 4H6, 905-430-8880

Toronto Office by appointment only: Suite 704, 4711 Yonge Street (at Yonge and Sheppard Subway)

FAX 905-430-0772, Ajax: 905-428-8000, Toronto: 416-492-0989, Peterborough: 705-755-7363

Real Estate Legal Services - QUALITY SERVICE, GOOD ADVICE, REAL COST FAIR PRICES WITH NO HIDDEN FEES, FINE PRINT OR EXCEPTIONS. WE WILL CHARGE YOU LESS THAN THE SO CALLED "ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICE" LAWYERS IN OUR AREA.  IF YOU SEARCH HARD ENOUGH YOU MAY FIND A LAW FIRM THAT WILL CHARGE YOU A LITTLE LESS BUT WE COMBINE OUR LOW FEES WITH PERSONALIZED SERVICE.

MARKET UPDATE FOR MAY 2008:    SOME PEOPLE WERE ALARMED THAT TORONTO REAL ESTATE BOARD SALES WERE DOWN THIS PAST WINTER EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN BLAMED GENERALLY ON TOO MUCH SNOW AND BAD WEATHER. WITH SPRING HERE ALONG THE 2008 ONTARIO REAL ESTATE MARKET IS HEATING UP AGAIN.  THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS CATCHING UP FROM THE DELAYED START OF THE SPRING MARKET.  LOWER INTEREST RATES SHOULD FURTHER SPARK ANOTHER LONG BUSY REAL ESTATE SEASON. THE CANADIAN RATE WAS REDUCED HALF A PERCENT AS EXPECTED APRIL 22. AFTER A HARSH WINTER WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN URBAN REAL ESTATE SALE AGREEMENTS IN OUR OFFICE RECENTLY.  RURAL AND COTTAGE PROPERTIES ARE LIKELY TO PICK UP LATER IN MAY. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF GM LAYOFFS ADDS MORE WORRY TO FEARS ABOUT THE ECONOMY BUT DO NOT CHANGE THE REAL ESTATE MARKET SIGNIFICANTLY YET.

 THERE HAS BEEN SOME SPILL OVER TO ONTARIO OF BAD ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.  STATISTICS FOR JANUARY SHOW THE CANADIAN ECONOMY GROWING A LITTLE AND CERTAINLY NOT IN A RECESSION. THE ONTARIO BUDGET OF MARCH 25, 2008 IS A MODERATE BALANCED ONE THAT CONTAINS MEASURES TO HELP ONTARIO COPE IN TOUGHER TIMES, BUT IT ALSO PROJECTS SOME CONTINUED GROWTH. IN THE U.S.A. DESPITE BIG DEFICITS CAUSED BY EARLIER TAX CUTS AND THE COSTLY IRAQ WAR, PLANS ARE GOING AHEAD TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY, HELP HOMEOWNERS COPE AND REDUCE THE IMPACT OF A RECESSION. ON JANUARY 22ND AMERICAN INTEREST RATES WERE REDUCED BY .75% JUST AS WORLD MARKETS HAD DROPPED OUT OF FEAR OF A UNITED STATES RECESSION AND FINANCIAL CRISIS.  A CANADIAN DROP OF .25% SENT A POSITIVE SIGNAL WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY FOLLOWED ON MARCH 4 WITH A HALF PERCENT CUT AND FURTHER RATE CUTS ARE EXPECTED TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION.  A FURTHER AMERICAN CUT OF .5% WAS MADE ON JANUARY 29TH WITH ANOTHER ONE OF .25% ON MARCH 16TH AND A FURTHER DROP OF .75% ON MARCH 18TH AND MOST RECENTLY A .25% CUT ON APRIL 30. CANADIAN RATES REMAIN SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN AMERICAN RATES EVEN AFTER A .5% REDUCTION APRIL 22.  IN CANADA WE ARE IN A BETTER POSITION AND OUR HOUSING MARKETS ARE MORE LIKELY TO REMAIN ACTIVE WITH PRICES HOLDING THEIR OWN.  ON DECEMBER 13TH THE McGUINTY GOVERNMENT IN ONTARIO ANNOUNCED IT WILL EXTEND THE $2000 LAND TRANSFER TAX EXEMPTION FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS TO INCLUDE RESALE HOMES AND NOT JUST NEW HOUSING PURCHASES.  THIS SHOULD PROVIDE A BOOST TO THE SPRING 2008 MARKET AND IT COVERS PURCHASE AGREEMENTS SIGNED AFTER DECEMBER 13, 2007.

BUYERS ARE IN A GOOD POSITION WITH WORRIED VENDORS,  INTEREST RATES LOW AND PRICES LOOKING STABLE.  CANADIAN INTEREST RATES ARE LIKELY TO DROP FURTHER.  WITH THE CANADIAN DOLLAR ROUGHLY AT PAR WITH THE U.S. DOLLAR IT IS NOT LIKELY THAT OUR INTEREST RATES WILL BE RAISED AS THAT WOULD CAUSE A GREATER INCREASE IN THE CANADIAN DOLLAR THAT WILL FURTHER HURT CANADIAN INDUSTRY AND MANUFACTURING. THE U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN ANNOUNCED ON JANUARY 10, 2008 THAT HE IS READY TO DROP INTEREST RATES FURTHER AND MAJOR U.S. RATE CUTS HAVE FOLLOWED.  IN CANADA WE EXPECT ANOTHER INTEREST RATE CUT. IF YOU ARE PREPARED TO TAKE MINIMAL RISK A VARIABLE RATE IS MOST LIKELY GOING TO RESULT IN LOWERING RATES IN THE SHORT TERM (YOU CAN LOCK IN YOUR RATE WHEN IT BOTTOMS OR THE TREND CHANGES) AND LESS INTEREST BEING PAID OVER THE TERM OF A MORTGAGE.  THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE AS THE LONG TERM FIXED RATES OF THE BANKS HAVE NOT BEEN DROPPING. 

  NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION STARTS CONTINUE TO BE DOWN EXCEPT FOR CONDOMINIUMS.  NEW HOME SALES SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED BY THE FURTHER REDUCTION IN GST TO 5%.  THIS WILL SAVE MONEY FOR ALL NEW HOME BUYERS. WITH LOCATION AND CONVENIENCES AS THE KEY TO REAL ESTATE VALUE, CONDOMINIUMS WHICH OFFER CONVENIENCE IN LIFESTYLE ARE USUALLY BUILT IN PRIME LOCATIONS WHERE IT IS NO LONGER PRACTICAL TO BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.  RECORD GROWTH IN NEW CONDOMINIUM SALES HAS SUSTAINED THE NEW HOUSING MARKET. ONLY CONDOMINIUM PRICES HAVE RISEN ON AVERAGE FOR 2007. STATISTICS FOR 2007 SHOW INCREASES IN CONDOMINIUM PRICES PARTICULARLY WHERE WELL LOCATED BY NEIGHBOURHOOD WITH TORONTO SUBWAY ACCESS NEARBY.  CONDOMINIUM TRANSACTIONS ARE COMPLICATED AND YOU SHOULD GET ADVICE BEFORE COMMITTING. NEW CONDOMINIUM PURCHASES ARE USUALLY SUBJECT TO BIG DELAYS UNLESS YOU BUY WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY. CONDOMINIUM SALES HAVE GONE WAY UP SIGNALLING A TREND DUE IN PART TO THE GENERAL SHIFT FROM RENTING TO OWNING AND THE HIGH PRICE AND LIMITED SUPPLY OF SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IN CENTRAL CITY AREAS. NEW HOME STARTS IN CANADA WERE UP BASED ENTIRELY ON CONDOMINIUM CONSTRUCTION. IN THE GTA CONDOMINIUM SALES EXCEEDED REGULAR HOME SALES IN THE MONTH OF JUNE 2006 FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AND THE TREND IS CONTINUING. WHAT WAS CONSIDERED A SENIORS LIFESTYLE HAS BECOME VERY ATTRACTIVE TO YOUNG INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DO NOT YET HAVE CHILDREN.  VERY FEW BABY BOOMERS HAVE YET MOVED TO THE CONDOMINIUM LIFESTYLE BUT THAT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN AS THEY AGE AND THEIR CHILDREN LEAVE HOME. THIS BOOM SHOULD CONTINUE LONG TERM. CONDOMINIUMS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN MARKET SHARE AS MORE PEOPLE SEEK OUT CONVENIENCE AND PRIME LOCATIONS FOR LIVING.

IN TORONTO WE SAW MORE TRANSACTIONS CLOSING AHEAD OF THE CITY'S NEW LAND TRANSFER TAX COMING INTO EFFECT.  FOR INFORMTION ON THE NEW TAX SEE OUR FEES PAGE.

 WE REMAIN FULLY EQUIPPED (WITH THE HELP OF ON-LINE REGISTRATION AND TITLE SEARCHING PLUS TITLE INSURANCE) TO HANDLE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS ANYWHERE IN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO.  CALL MURRAY MISKIN'S OFFICE AHEAD OF LISTING, OR SIGNING ANY PURCHASE AGREEMENT.  PLEASE CALL US AS SOON AS YOU CAN TO DISCUSS ANY INTENDED TRANSACTION.   FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE CALL ARLENE AT EXTENSION 119 OR SEND EMAIL TO:  realestate@adrworks.com

COMPARE OUR REAL COST PRICING TO OTHER LAWYERS   WE HAVE LOWER FEES THAN MOST LAWYERS INCLUDING THOSE WHO ADVERTISE A FIXED PRICE (USUALLY SUBJECT TO EXCEPTIONS AND FINE PRINT EXTRAS).  THE FEE WE QUOTE IS OUR FEE AND IT WILL NOT GO UP AFTER YOU RETAIN US FOR YOUR TRANSACTION.  OTHER LAWYERS QUOTING LOW PRICES SAY "PRICE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE". IF A LAWYER ADVERTISES A MUCH LOWER FEE FOR  PURCHASE THEY WILL PROBABLY CHARGE EXTRA FOR HANDLING THE MORTGAGE SO THAT THEIR FEE WILL ACTUALLY BE HIGHER THAN OURS. WE TRY TO KEEP OUR PRICES LOWER THAN MOST LAWYERS BUT OUR PRIORITY IS TO GIVE YOU BETTER SERVICE. WE BEAT THE FIXED PRICE DEALS OTHER LAWYERS IN OUR AREA OFFER BY OVER $50 PER TRANSACTION.  IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THIS JUST ASK US TO GIVE YOU THE FIXED PRICE DEAL OFFERED BY THE OTHER LAWYER BUT TAKE $50 OFF THE PRICE OF THE OTHER LAWYER AND WE WILL READILY AGREE.  WITH OUR USUAL "REAL COST" PRICING YOU WILL LIKELY SAVE MORE.  THE CHOICE IS YOURS; EITHER WAY YOU SAVE. 

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY OUR PRICING IS BETTER: WHEN YOU SELL YOUR HOUSE AND DISCHARGE THE MORTGAGE, MOST BANKS NOW REGISTER THE DISCHARGE (COST $70.50) AND INCLUDE THAT COST IN THE MORTGAGE PAYOUT.  A FIXED PRICE LAWYER ON THE SALE WILL TELL YOU THAT THE MORTGAGE DISCHARGE REGISTRATION COST IS INCLUDED IN THEIR FEE, BUT YOU MAY PAY IT TWICE BY PAYING YOUR BANK ON THE DISCHARGE AND ALSO PAYING THE LAWYER FOR A FEE THAT INCLUDES THE SAME MORTGAGE DISCHARGE.

SOME LAWYERS PERSONALLY BENEFIT FROM USING THE LOW COST OF TITLE INSURANCE THROUGH STEWART TITLE. THERE IS A  $100 DISCOUNT TO LAWYERS ON TITLE INSURANCE FROM STEWART AND WE PASS THE DISCOUNT ON TO OUR CLIENTS. IF YOU GET TITLE INSURANCE THROUGH STEWART TITLE ON YOUR PURCHASE THE DISCOUNT CAN BE CALLED A $100 "ADMINISTRATION FEE" STEWART LETS LAWYERS KEEP FOR THEIR WORK IN PLACING THE COVERAGE. THAT SAVINGS IS WORKED INTO THE COST OF THE FIXED PRICE LAWYERS. OTHER LAWYERS NOT USING THE FIXED PRICE SCHEME MAY JUST CHARGE YOU THE FULL TITLE INSURANCE COST OF STEWART AND KEEP THE $100. WE BELIEVE IT IS WRONG TO KEEP THAT MONEY AND WHEN STEWART TITLE IS USED WE PASS THE SAVINGS ON TO CLIENTS BY A $100 REDUCTION IN THEIR COST OF TITLE INSURANCE. WE ALSO PLACE COVERAGE WITH TITLE PLUS AND FIRST CANADIAN TITLE.

FOR DETAILED FEE AND OTHER COST INFORMATION CLICK HERE