Blogs written by lawyers at Highlander Law Group in Tantallon, Nova Scotia for people in Halifax with an interest in Real Estate Purchase and Sale, Corproate, Litigation, Debt Collection, Divorce, Probate, Wills, Power of Attorney, Trusts, Child support, Spousal Support, Custody, Migration, Debt Collection, Builders Liens, Estate Planning, Trademarks, Copyright and other Intellectual Property issues. .
Keeping you home in tip top shape in order to show it can be a task. Particularly when you have pets in your home, but it can make a bad impression if you don't. Here are some things you should think about when your selling with pets:
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When you are buying a home in Nova Scotia there are a lot of moving parts to the process. When you are buying a condominium, often you can count on adding a few more. One of the requirements specific to purchasing a condo unit is getting your hands on the estoppel certificate. It’s important to understand why you need one.
Read MoreIf you are buying a home for the first time you may qualify for First Time Home Buyers' rebate.
A "first time buyer" is an individual who builds or purchases a newly built home and has not owned or occupied a home in Canada in the last five years.
Read MoreThere are many reasons home owners require an appraisal, but the most common appraisal requests are for lending purposes. When a financial institution is considering granting a loan to purchase, improve or refinance a property, they need confirmation of the current market value of the property that will be securing their investment. An appraiser is called upon to provide an unbiased opinion of value based on market research and analysis and a review of the subject property. Appraisals are also commonly sought for real estate transactions, estate planning, separation and divorce settlements and insurance purposes.
Read MoreA new year is a fresh start in many ways. It is a great time to re-set. Organizing your home can be a great way to do this. Read on to learn a few ways to take advantage of the timing and get organized.
Read MoreIncorporation is only the beginning of the process, corporations in truth require continuous attention. One important order of business a corporation is required to conduct is an Annual General Meeting or an “AGM”. A corporations governing legislation will set out the time frame within which an AGM is required to be held. According to both the Canada Business Corporations Act and the Nova Scotia Companies Act, an AGM is mandated to take place at minimum once a year
Read MoreHygge is a word that has been popping up a lot in discussions of home decorating, particularly for the fall and winter. Consider how embracing Hygge when staging your house for sale in the winter can have a positive impact on offers.
Read MoreIn Nova Scotia real property is given an assessed value each year. The question is how do assessors arrive at that value, why are properties given an assessed value and what is that figure used for?
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I was asked recently by a contractor if there was really any value in filing a builder’s lien in Nova Scotia. Reading between the lines, I gathered what he was really asking was, is it worth the money in legal fees that it would cost to go through with a builder’s lien process. The answer is, it depends.
Read MoreA dairy company in Maine loses a multi-million-dollar case over a missing comma in the state’s employment legislation that would have otherwise prevented drivers from receiving overtime pay. Rogers loses a million dollar case against Bell over a comma only to have the decision overturned based on comma placement in the French version of their contract.
Read MoreJanuary 31st has been designated ‘Bell Lets Talk Day’ in an attempt to recognize that we as a society need work on acknowledging mental illness. Mental illness is as real as physical illness. Just like physical illness, mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes and does not discriminate against who it attacks. Statistically, in any given year 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. The Canadian Mental Health Association website shares other startling statistics with respect to how common mental illness is amongst us. Initiatives like ‘Bells Lets Talk Day’ help reduce the stigma and resulting discrimination attached to mental illness. However, the reality is understanding and acceptance of mental illness in our society is not what it should be…. yet.
Read MoreIn Nova Scotia, your Executor is the person you designate in your Will to be legally responsible for distributing your assets to the beneficiaries you name after you’ve died. They’re also technically responsible for handling your remains. It is a very important role with heavy financial consequences attached to it, as such it is important to select someone who is up to the task.
Read MoreLeasehold improvements include anything that needs to be done to the space that you are going to lease in order to make it fit for your purposes. Your lease should outline who is responsible for making the changes, who is paying for the changes, and what the timeline is for getting it done. It should also make clear who is the decision maker with respect to the leasehold improvements. For example, if new flooring is to be laid do you get to decide the specific type or does the landlord.
Read MoreWhen a person creates a Will in Nova Scotia the two main functions of the Will are to determine which assets each beneficiary will receive and to appoint the person who is in charge of following the instructions in the Will. The Executor is title given to the person whose job it is to follow the instructions in the Will.
Read MoreThe topic comes up all the time. Are you incorporated? Are you going to incorporate? When is the right time to incorporate? But a large number of small business owners don’t know what incorporation actually means, or why they should or shouldn’t incorporate.
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A common question we get when people contact us about starting the process of drafting their Will or estate planning is “What do I have to do before I come in?” The short answer is nothing. At our firm, when we help people with their estate planning we don’t require any sort of forms to be filled out in advance, nor do you have to compile a laundry list of bank account numbers or balances
Read MoreIn Nova Scotia, Probate is required if a person dies without a Will, if the Will is contested, or if there are assets within the estate which require probate (e.g. owning land or registered assets). Put simply, probate is the formal process where the court determines who will administer the estate, who the beneficiaries are, and which assets each beneficiary receives.
Read MoreWhile it may seem like a morbid topic of conversation, it is an important one to have. What happens to your home when you die? In Nova Scotia, typically, when the first spouse to passes away, the home simply stays with their surviving spouse. This happens because most spouses hold their homes as "joint tenants". This is only applicable in situations where both spouses are on title to the home, and listed as joint tenants. This designation is listed on the parcel register for your property and you can have a lawyer find this information for you if you are unsure of your current situation.
Read MoreIf you are like many lucky Nova Scotians buying or selling a home, you are working with a great team of professionals who will help you through the process. Your mortgage broker, real estate agent and lawyer will all help make the process as smooth as possible. There are a few things that you will need to do as well.
Read MoreMuch of a home buyer's initial search happens online these days. This means that the pictures and videos of your home online are the things that will capture someone's attention and impress them enough to see the home in person. You want to make the most of this opportunity. Virtual tours have also become a great way to show off your home. Professional home staging and photography are a great way to accomplish this.
Read MoreT 902.826.3070
F 902.826.1694
E info@highlanderlaw.ca
5288 St. Margaret's Bay Rd.
Suite #201, Upper Tantallon, NS (just outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia)
B3Z 2J1
