Toronto Star Columns 2011

This school sold its playground for housing
December 30, 2011
For many people, their first experience with local politics is when someone on their street wants to make a change to their house.

A New Year's resolution: Don't sue in 2012
December 23, 2011
Only lawyers win lawsuits, so make the following New Year's resolution: No matter what happens in a real estate deal, don't sue.

Can you sue the weatherman?
December 16, 2011
Over the years, I have found that the things that arise in the practice of law are often stranger than the stories yu see on TV shows.

Agent sues for $3,340 after home deal goes sour
December 9, 2011
A Toronto man is reeling after his real estate agent sued him when he pulled his house off the market.

This couple had a two-dog condo problem
December 9, 2011
This couple won a bidding war for a condo, but didn't find out beforehand whether the building was pet-friendly. Here's what happened.

Pot-smoking tenant may be hard to evict
December 2, 2011
This week's column looks at the issues surrounding tenants who smoke pot for medicinal purposes or have a license to grow pot?

This basement flood led to a lawsuit
November 25, 2011
When a basement flooded just before a home sale closed, the owner didn't tell the buyer. Should he?

They walked from house deal and were sued
November 18, 2011
The paperwork with many real estate deals says the terms are "conditional on lawyer approval." But what does that really mean?

Can you sell your home by email?
November 11, 2011
Be careful what you write in an email about the sale or purchase of a home. You may have a deal even though you may not realize it.

7 tips for successful real estate investing
November 4, 2011
Many people think being a landlord is an easy way to make money. It can be financially rewarding, but easy it is not.

We all pay for homeowner mortgage defaults
October 28, 2011
One of the big lessons from the U.S. housing market meltdown is that everyone pays when owners are forced out of their homes.

$1 real estate listings are legal, but they often don't work
October 21, 2011
One of the most widely read Moneyville stories in the past month is about the Oakville home that was listed for $1.

Your home's sale price is private information
October 14, 2011
Photos of your home taken for an open house or its selling price cannot be made public without your permission.

5 more ways to avoid buying the wrong house
October 7, 2011
Real estate columnist Mark Weisleder offers five more tips for ensuring you buy the right house.

Six ways to make sure you buy the right house
September 30, 2011
Columnist Mark Weisleder revisits his most popular article of the past year and offers six ways to ensure you buy the right house at the right price.

Why can't students and landlords get along?
September 23, 2011
Just weeks into the new school year our real estate columnist is getting questions from worried landlords, tenants and parents wondering about their rights.

As parents age, stay put or sell?
September 16, 2011
For many seniors, whether to stay in their home, or sell and move to a retirement community is a tough choice.

20 things to look for in a home inspection
September 9, 2011
The home inspection process isn't perfect. But here are some steps buyers can take to protect themselves.

Will an open house help sell your home?
September 2, 2011
Are open houses a good idea when you put your home up for sale? Here are the pros and cons.

These seniors made a $700,000 tax mistake
August 29, 2011
A B.C. couple cost their kids $700,000 in unnecessary tax because they planned with their heart and not their head.

17 things to know about closing your house deal
August 19, 2011
Closing day in a house deal is a milestone for both the seller and the buyer. To make it go smoothly, both buyer and seller must be prepared.

Why a monthly apartment lease is a better bet
August 12, 2011
It used to be automatic that you would sign a one-year lease, but it may be better for landlords and tenants to consider monthly leases instead.

Older condos face repair bill woes
August 5, 2011
The GTA's condominium housing stock is aging and many are in need of repair. The problem is many condo associations aren't setting aside enough money to pay for them.

Beware the pitfals of collateral mortgages
July 30, 2011
Many banks are now asking borrowers to sign collateral mortgages, but you could end up tied to this bank for life.

Be careful when renting newer condo or home
July 20, 2011
Here's why you should be cautious if you're renting a home, condo or apartment built after November 1, 1991.

Should you sell your home on your own?
July 15, 2011
With all the choice, 90 per cent of home sellers are still sticking with traditional brokers. Why?

If you have a partner, you need a contract
July 8, 2011
If you are ever planning on investing or living with someone else, think about having a contract done first.

Why we need a Danish housing ‘Lemon Law'
July 1, 2011
What we need in Ontario to protect resale home buyers from hidden defects is a lemon law like the one they have in Denmark.

Caught in a bidding war? Know the rules
June 24, 2011
The issue of what to do in a bidding war is high on reader's minds. Here's what to expect.

Do homebuyers need a ‘lemon law'?
June 17, 2011
The buyer of a resale home in Ontario enjoys less consumer protection than someone purchasing a used car. This needs to change, says Mark Weisleder.

Beware of the 'power' in any Power of Attorney
June 15, 2011
Most people have no idea of the power that they give to someone else when they sign a Power of Attorney.

What does 'updated wiring' really mean?
June 10, 2011
In this follow up to a column on home inspections, real estate lawyer Mark Weisleder answers reader questions...

Realtors already back more competition
June 6, 2011
The federal Competition Bureau appears to be on the warpath with Canada's realtors, but unjustly, according to lawyer Mark Weisleder. He says the industry has already made the competition-friendly changes the bureau sought.

5 things to ask when buying a cottage
May 27, 2011
Buying a house in the city or suburbs can be complicated enough, but buying a cottage or vacation property requires even more due diligence.

Why home inspections aren't a waste of money
May 20, 2011
Almost every resale home purchase is conditional on a satisfactory home inspection. But what does satisfied mean?

Why I wouldn't sell my home myself
May 13, 2011
An Ottawa woman had high hopes for selling her home without an agent. It started off well, but ended badly.

Home buyer beware when going it alone
May 6, 2011
Many people who go without an agent when buying a house are focused on saving half of the commission. But there's more to it than that.

When can you evict a tenant for a family member?
April 29, 2011
When can you evict a tenant for a family member?

Do you need an agent for a bidding war?
April 22, 2011
Real estate columnist Mark Weisleder thinks it's tough for private home sellers to create the critical mass for a bidding war. Here's why.

Can you be evicted for hoarding?
April 15, 2011
This Toronto man's landlord thought his apartment was a fire hazard. Not so, he said. Who was right?

This tenant paid $400 to settle a dubious $1,050 charge
April 11, 2011
When a tenant leaves an apartment, how clean is clean and what's ‘a move-in' condition?

How tenants can deal with noisy neighbours
April 1, 2011
Mark Weisleder's article last week on whether you can evict a tenant for loud sex (legally yes, practically no) led to more questions about noise and harassment in apartments.

Can you evict a tenant for having loud sex?
March 24, 2011
Columnist Mark Weisleder answers some unusual questions from readers including what constitutes too much noise and who's on the hook for a lease when a tenant dies.

10 ways to avoid buying the wrong house
March 22, 2011
The most common mistake home buyers make is that they buy with their heart instead of their head.

Should a landlord pay for a tenant's crime?
March 18, 2011
Parkdale-High MPP Cheri DiNovo wants to make changes to the way residential rents can be increased.

Why rent increase rules may be an election issue
March 11, 2011
Parkdale-High MPP Cheri DiNovo wants to make changes to the way residential rents can be increased.

Is it too hard to evict lousy tenants?
March 4, 2011
Landlords think it takes too long to evict tenants, while tenants think the deck is stacked the other way. Who's right?

Should tenants pay for utilities separately?
February 25, 2011
One of the big choices when it comes to looking for an apartment is whether to rent with utilities included or to pay separately.

Is it the tenant's job to shovel snow?
February 18, 2011
A tenant who agreed to shovel her own snow, slipped and fell and sued the landlord. Does she have a case?

The ins and outs of subletting
February 12, 2011
The rules around subletting your apartment are fairly clear. It pays to know them.

Why you can't ask tenants if they plan to have kids
February 7, 2011
Most landlords get along with their tenants, but there is always the tenant from hell. What can you do? to protect yourself?

Why no-smoking rental clauses are a problem
January 29, 2011
Even if a tenant signs a no-smoking lease, and they later smoke, you cannot evict them just because they broke their promise.

Why a no-pet rental clause is unenforceable
January 21, 2011
Many landlords put no-pets clauses in their leases. In the first of a Moneyville series for landlords and tenants we look at this contentious issue.

Why no money down mortgages can work
January 14, 2011
Last week's column about buying a house with no money down upset some readers, but here's why they shouldn't worry.

You can buy a house with no money down
January 7, 2011
You have a good job and want to buy a first home, but don't have a down payment. Can it be done? The answer is yes in some cases.

My real estate wish list for 2011
January 1, 2011
Real estate columnist Mark Weisleder suggests five ways buying and selling a home could be less stressful.

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