INTRODUCTION

You’ve found that perfect house! What do you do now? Your Sales Representative will prepare an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, including any custom clauses you may require. Most Buyers will make an offer provided certain conditions are met. These may include:

FINANCING

Even if you have been pre-approved for a mortgage, the property will require an appraisal to assure the lender that the price you are paying falls within accepted market value. Once your financing has been approved you are required to provide written notice to the Seller in the form of a waiver of amendment before the expiry of the condition.

STATUS CERTIFICATE

This condition applies only to the purchase of a condominium. It allows your solicitor to review the condominium’s documents to ensure the corporation is financially sound and meets all the requirements of the Condominium Act. Under the Condominium Act, the property management company has up to 10 days to prepare the Status Certificate and can charge a maximum of $100 for the service.

HOME INSPECTION

This condition provides an opportunity to have the property inspected by a qualified person who will look for any major defects in the building prior to your entering into a firm agreement. Many Buyers choose to have a termite inspection done as well.

FINTRAC

As of June 23, 2008 for every Purchase and Sale in real estate, the Brokerage must obtain an Individual Client Information Record. This record sets out the Buyer/Seller name and address, and the nature of your principal business/occupation and date of birth. You will need to show a piece of identification that you confirm your identity. For example birth certificate, driver’s license, passport. For more information go to www.fintrac.ca

IRREVOCABLE DATE

For the offer to be valid, it must contain a number of specific dates and times. Your initial offer will be valid for a specific period dates and times. Your initial offer will be valid for a specific period of time, usually until midnight of the same day or the following day, after which the offer is deemed to be dead. This time frame is called the irrevocable period.

COMPLETION DATE

This is the date set for the transfer of ownership of the property negotiated between you and the Seller and can also be referred to as the closing date.

REQUISITION DATE

This is the period in which your lawyer must determine if there are any problems with the title of the property and is usually set 30 days prior to the completion date.

THE DEPOSIT

A deposit cheque must accompany the offer to the Seller. The amount of the deposit will vary depending upon the value of the property but usually represents between 5% and 10% of the purchase price.

FIXTURES

Fixtures are any items permanently attached to the property. For example, a bathtub, sink or toilet permanently plumbed in would be a fixture. Technically, anything nailed to the building is a fixture while items screwed in (because screws can be removed) are chattels. This is often an area of contention when buying a resale home. So be aware of this distinction and, if in doubt, put it in the offer.

CHATTELS

Chattels, unlike fixtures, are not deemed to be part of the property and must be specified in the offer if you want them included in the sale. The following are some items you may wish to include in the offer: area rugs, ceiling fans, chandeliers and other light fixtures, draperies, wood burning stoves and accessories, microwave ovens, refrigerators/ freezers, stoves and ovens, washers and dryers, window air conditioners, garage door openers, storage sheds, swing sets and other playground equipment, garden furniture, barbecues, central vacuums and equipment.