Welcome to the first edition of Realty Check — our newsletter on the legal side of buying and selling a home. You can expect a quick monthly check-in with insights, resources, and tips straight from our legal team. 

Have you ever wished you had a lawyer in your back pocket? That’s exactly what this newsletter is for. We’re here to unpack real estate trends and topics, with particular focus on legal, no jargon, just clear, helpful info. Think of it like grabbing a coffee with your lawyer friend every month.

Got suggestions or topics you'd love us to cover? We’re all ears — let us know how we can make this newsletter even better for you.

All the best,

We get a lot of questions about LTT, and it’s one of the costs that catches people off guard. For a good overview of the tax and its nuances, check out our LTT page here. For a quick reference, these are some of the most common questions we get about LTT. No more guesswork, you’ll know exactly where you stand.

A: Not entirely. As a first-time homebuyer, you’re eligible for a rebate, but not a full exemption. In Ontario, the maximum rebate is $4000. This will be applied immediately —no waiting to receive the credit.

A: Unfortunately not. You must pay the full LTT on or before closing.

No, you must live at the property as your primary residence to qualify for the LTT rebate.

With sales volumes down sharply and inventory climbing to decade-high levels, we’re seeing more conditional offers and extended negotiation timelines re-emerge. That means more room to negotiate, and more reason to be careful about the conditions in your agreement: financing, home inspection, and closing dates. In a market like this, getting the agreement right from the outset matters more than ever.

Real people. Real results.

Here’s what some recent clients had to say about working with us.

“What an amazing platform! As someone who has interacted with traditional law firms before, Ownright blew them out of the water in terms of efficiency, straightforward processes, and easy-to-understand procedures. Will use again, and would definitely recommend!”

We moved in last week and my husband and I will continue to use Ownright for EVERY property sale/purchase we will ever make. As younger buyers, we felt like we were fully explained the process but also respected throughout. With Ownright as your lawyer, you will not only save money on your real estate deal, but also your sanity!! They were the best part of our moving process. We <3 Ownright!!!

The Ownright advantage

Buying or selling this year? Get a clear, fixed-fee quote for your closing in minutes.