Many British Columbians are making the decision to purchase a unit in a development that is not yet constructed. This decision is usually the largest purchase a person will make in their lifetime and is often both an exhilarating but also nerve-wracking experience. And while there are advantages to “purchasing pre-sale” there are also some risks and other issues that…
One of the most important parts of the home-buying process is having a professional home inspection performed. Sometimes, the home will receive top marks, with no issues found (or a few minor issues that can be easily fixed). Most of the time, however, there will be some major issues that need to be addressed before you commit to buying the…
It is common knowledge that strata councils operate with the interest of the building in mind, not the interest of an individual owner. In a recent dispute, Nabeel Moallem, a lawyer at Sodagar & Company, overturned a strata council’s decision that an insurance deductible in the sum of $25,000 was due and payable by an individual owner. Our client was…
What is the Civil Resolution Tribunal? The Civil Resolution Tribunal (the “CRT”) is Canada’s first online dispute-resolution tribunal. The CRT has jurisdiction over the following: small claims disputes of up to $5000, strata property disputes, motor vehicle injury disputes, and societies and cooperative associations disputes. The CRT’s mandate is to encourage the resolution of disputes by agreement between parties, or…
Purchasing a home, or any property for that matter, is an exciting time. However, it’s a large purchase to make. Therefore, buyers who discover that they’ve been deceived may need to seek legal counsel to remedy the issue. In many cases, buyers will need to spend even more money to make repairs. Sometimes they’ll realize that they can no longer…
Real estate conveyancing is often exciting, but can be frustrating. Whether you’re buying a new home, transferring titles to a property, or selling your home, the team at Sodagar & Co. can guide you throughout the process. We are confident in our abilities to help you. From assessing your needs to drafting and filing the necessary documents, we can provide…
It’s no secret that the greater Vancouver housing market is an active one. However, given the number of transactions that were underway during the COVID-19 outbreak, it makes sense for contract-bearers to worry. A series of legal issues have risen, and continue to rise, regarding negotiating new transactions, transactions in progress, and lastly, transactions with binding contracts yet to close.…
A difficult decision that business owners need to make is whether to buy or lease their place of business. There are many factors that need to be considered when deliberating between each option. Below you will find a list of pros and cons for buying and leasing commercial real estate. As a result, you will be able to effectively weigh…
Acquiring commercial space is often stressful and complex. However, it may be a smart business investment and integral to your business plan. Therefore, it is critical that you do your due diligence prior to sealing the deal. This involves planning, researching, and ensuring that your choice of space and acquisition method meets your needs as well as maximizes your investment.…
You may be familiar with the Empty Homes Tax and the Speculation and Vacancy Tax if you are a homeowner in or around the Vancouver area. The key difference between both taxes is that the first is only applicable to Vancouver whereas the latter is province-wide. As of December 31, 2019, significant updates were made to the Speculation and Vacancy…