Real Estate Lawyer in Toronto

Buying in the City of Toronto triggers both the Ontario land transfer tax and Toronto’s municipal land transfer tax. On a $1,000,000 home, each tax comes to $16,475, or $32,950 in total before rebates. An eligible first-time buyer can recover up to $8,475, which brings the total to $24,475. Our land transfer tax guide shows how each bracket is calculated, and our first-time buyer guide covers the rebates.

For a resale condo, we review the status certificate for the reserve fund, special assessments, pending litigation, and the condo’s rules, and we confirm that any parking space or locker you are buying is included in the transfer. Our status certificate guide explains what each section means.

When you buy a new condominium from a builder, you generally have 10 days after receiving the disclosure statement and signed agreement to cancel. We review the agreement in that window, including closing adjustments, levies, interim occupancy and your right to assign. See our pre-construction condo service.

Toronto charges a Vacant Home Tax of 3% of a property’s assessed value from the 2024 tax year, and residential owners must declare the occupancy status of their property every year, even if they live there. A false declaration can lead to a fine of up to $10,000 on top of the tax (see the City of Toronto Vacant Home Tax page). When you buy or sell, we confirm the seller’s declaration has been filed.

If you plan to rent a Toronto home on a short-term basis, the City allows it only in your principal residence, requires you to register, and limits rentals of an entire home to 180 nights a calendar year (see the City of Toronto short-term rental page). A condo corporation can have stricter rules of its own, so we read the declaration and rules before you buy.

Some Toronto properties are listed or designated on the City’s Heritage Register. The owner of a listed property must give the City at least 60 days’ written notice before demolishing it, and a designated property carries stronger controls on alterations (see the City of Toronto Heritage Register page). If you plan to renovate or rebuild, we check the register during due diligence.

Our only office is at 6201 Highway 7, Suite 10, in Vaughan. We act for clients across the City of Toronto from there.

Amar Sarkaria or Kabeer Sethi looks after your file from the first call to closing day.

We provide our fee during your consultation, before you sign the retainer.

Whether we meet at our Vaughan office or handle parts of your file another way depends on your matter. We explain the options at your consultation.