Most purchase and sale agreements come in standard formats, with standard clauses, and are drafted by the builder or real estate board. There are generally spaces throughout the agreement for additional, customized clauses to be added.

It is recommended to have a lawyer review your offer to purchase before you sign it. Regrettably, relatively few people do this, because they either don’t realize they should, perceive it to be an unnecessary or costly legal expense, or could cause delay that could cause a purchase to be lost to someone else, or otherwise kill the deal.

Alternatively, rather than seeing a lawyer before submitting an offer to purchase, some people may wish to insert a condition that states the offer is subject to approval as to form

The Canadian Real Estate Association has updated its forecast for 2016, with two provinces expected to lead the way.

“Since CREA’s last forecast published in September, housing markets in British Columbia and Ontario have strengthened further,” CREA said in its updated housing forecast. “As a result, CREA has raised sales and average price forecasts for these provinces.”

National sales for the rest of the year have also been revised higher.

Home sales in Ontario are expected to rise by 9.3%, which would be higher if prices in the GTA were more affordable, CREA said.

“British Columbia is projected to post the largest annual increase in sales activity in 2015 (+21.4 per cent), while Alberta (-21.4 per cent), Saskatchewan (-10.8 per cent), and Nova

Two out of three adult Canadians do not have a will. One out of four Canadians will die suddenly. You can’t take the risk that the Canada Revenue Agency or your provincial government will end up with your money because of poor tax planning and lack of a will. However, there are some classic pitfalls to avoid when preparing your will and doing your estate planning.

# 1 – Not Having a Will or Not Updating your Will and Not Also Having the other Two Key Documents Many people do up a will and forget about updating it. So much can change in terms of your circumstances, assets, beneficiaries and wishes that you need to review your will on an annual basis at a set time, eg. your birthday, the first of the new year or some other memorable time. Also review

While some move to Canada to be with family members or for gainful employment, many others emigrate here to escape difficult situations in their home nations. Regardless of the motivation for moving, owning a piece of property is both a huge point of pride, and one of the most sought-after components of establishing a home in a new country.

But obtaining a mortgage in Canada for the first time can be a tricky undertaking without the right guidance and knowledge. There are several important points for new Canadians to take note of if they plan to purchase property in the near future.

You're considered a new arrival to Canada during your first five years in the nation, and you will be eligible to obtain a mortgage if you have your permanent

Todays news from the Canadian Real Estate Association

Today, the government announced its intent to raise the minimum down payment requirements on homes valued over $500,000. Requirements will remain at 5 per cent down payment for homes under 500,000. Any amount over $500,000 will require a 10 per cent down payment. For example a $700,000 home will require a $45,000 down payment, 5 per cent on $500,000 and 10 per cent down on the remaining $200,000. The announced changes will take effect on February 15, 2016.

The government cites its desire to “contain risks in the housing market” as the reason for its decision.

As you know, the issue of an increase to minimum down payments is something CREA has effectively and successfully fought against since

Mortgage insurance a must for those with high-ratio loans

Hot markets and cold feet might keep some people out of the housing market, but a lack of upfront cash doesn't have to be an obstacle. While it's long been the convention in the industry to start with a 20% down payment, the availability of mortgage default insurance means ownership is still possible with as little as 5% down, as long as the buyer meets industry standards of income and creditworthiness.

"What mortgage insurance allows people to do is to get into the market with today's prices, with today's low interest rates, once they have determined that home ownership is right for them," says Mary Stergiadis, principal for Ontario business development at Canada Mortgage and Housing

Study after study suggests that Canadians are having a tough time paying off their mortgages, as debt levels continue to hit record levels year after year. Why?

Could it be that there are more opportunities to spend? Could it be that some people don't want to pay off their mortgages faster?

Or are some professionals advising alternate investment strategies, suggesting that paying off the mortgage is not the best financial strategy?

BIG MORTGAGES AFFECT RETIREMENT

Rebecca and Darcy are in their mid-50s and are starting to think about retirement planning; they would like to retire in the next five years.

One of their biggest hurdles is a $225,000 mortgage. Currently, their $2,200 monthly payment would have the mortgage paid off in 10 years.

Third of investors unprepared for buying process

It is a cardinal sin for investors not to be prepared or knowledgeable about the home buying process, but new figures point out that a third (32 per cent) of first-time investors admit to just that.

The survey, published by the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), also found that 26 per cent of investors wished they had a better grasp of the buying process, 21 per cent wished they had looked at more properties and 14 per cent wished they had a better understanding of the contracts involved.

Other findings include:

• 43 per cent said there were sections of the real estate contract when they bought or sold a home that they did not fully understand.
• 36 per cent mistakenly think that after

Mobile deposit technology to be rolled out

The Canadian real estate market may be poised for transformation with the introduction of mobile-driven deposits, set to help investors avoid the snafus that too often scuttle deals.

ExactDeposit will be launched via a pilot project through Royal LePage Atlantic and other local brokerages before it is rolled out across Canada to follow.

“Mobile payments for real estate deposits have never be possible before,” says Chris Ryan, founder and director of ExactDeposit. “We are the first of our kind.”

The technology has been designed to offer greater convenience and efficiency to investors, Realtors and real estate brokerages.

“[The transaction] can be completed from anywhere, using a smartphone, laptop or

Foreign investor stats revealed

Foreign owners made up a bigger share of the condominium markets in Toronto and Vancouver over the last year, according to the nation’s housing agency.

Foreign owners of condos comprised 3.5 percent of the market in Vancouver and 3.3 percent in Toronto, according to a report from Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. which surveyed property managers. That’s up from 2.3 percent in Vancouver last year and 2.4 percent in Toronto, Canada’s largest city. When narrowing to the downtown core, foreign buyers made up 5.4 percent of Vancouver condo buyers this year versus 3.4 last year and 5.8 percent of Toronto condo buyers versus 4.3 percent.

Politicians have been under pressure from many quarters including Vancouver Mayor Gregor