Real Estate Lawyer in Edmonton, AB

The team at Tiffen Law Office provides a complete suite of real estate legal services for residential buyers and sellers in and around Alberta. From straight-forward transactions to resolving tricky boundary disputes or issues with a property once a sale has gone through, our seasoned lawyers can provide legal counsel at every stage of the proceedings.


Buying or selling a home or business premises is frequently the largest financial transaction an individual will make. In those circumstances it makes sense to ensure that every aspect of the process is completed in accordance with the law. Not only that, but it’s vital to make sure all the relevant checks and searches are carried out to safeguard your asset.


When you need a dependable and empathetic real estate lawyer that can take care of all legal matters pertaining to real estate, Tiffen Law Office can assist.

Buying Property

Buying a fresh property is a big undertaking. With thousands of dollars at stake, it’s vital that you obtain the right legal advise to ensure you have all the information necessary to protect your investment. Tiffen Law Office provides a complete real estate law solution.

  • Do I have to use legal services for my property purchase?

    In a word, no! There is no legal obligation for you to use a legal advisor, or any other form of advisor when you are purchasing a property with real estate lawyer in Edmonton.


    However, if you don’t take legal advice, you will have to rely on your own judgement and knowledge, along with information from searches and surveys, to decide if the property is worth the asking price. 


    You will also need to take the consequences of any problems that arise after the transaction has been completed.

  • I have purchased a property and there is a fault with it - what can I do?

    The extent to which you have recourse to the law when you find a fault in the property after you’ve completed the purchasing transaction depends on a range of variables.


    For example:

    • Was the fault there prior to purchase, or did it develop subsequent to the purchase? 
    • Did you hire a suitable professional to complete checks to establish the possible presence of this type of fault?
    • Did you have legal counsel prior to completing the agreement, and, if so, did they raise the need to check for this type of fault?
    • What is the cause of the fault?

    We would advise people in this situation to contact us directly to discuss the circumstances in more detail.

  • The seller is being unreasonable - what legal recourse do I have?

    As residential real estate lawyers in Edmonton that work with both buyers and sellers, we understand that sometimes, even if the seller has a good reason for their actions, buyers can become enormously frustrated with recurrent delays, additional requests and further limitations on the scope of the purchase.


    For some buyers, it may be more sensible to walk away from the property. 


    If the property is one you’re particularly eager to acquire, you may have to do your best to live with the seller's request. 


    In some cases, mediation may help to smooth the way towards a successful resolution. 

  • How long does the legal side of a property purchase take?

    If the transaction is a smooth, straightforward one and the various searches and surveys that are needed for a low-risk purchase are returned promptly, the legal work required for a property purchase can be completed in a timely fashion.

    The process can become more drawn out due to factors such as:

    • Delayed search or survey results.
    • Problems in securing the necessary financing for the property (which means completion is delayed).
    • A problem coming to light as a result of the home buying survey or search results.
    • Delays from the seller (or the seller’s legal team) providing the information needed to complete the sale.

  • At what stage of the purchasing process do I need to get lawyers involved?

    If you haven’t purchased a property before, we suggest choosing a source of legal advice and support as soon as you’ve got an in-principle agreement for a home loan and have selected a property. 


    When you work with us, we’ll make sure you’re aware of all the information you’ll need to decide if the property is right for you, as well as check the transaction paperwork to ensure there are no irregularities.


    If you feel confident that you know what searches and surveys are needed, we suggest using us to check that the results of your searches haven’t thrown up anything untoward and to check the transaction paperwork.

Selling Property

Ensuring you get the outcome you want for your property sale, be that a fast sale, an advantageous price, or both, can be a challenge. The Tiffen Law Office has plenty of experience in working successfully with residential sellers, assisting in achieving the desired outcome for any property sale.

  • Do I need a legal professional to assist with my property sale?

    Not necessarily, but having seen some unfortunate circumstances where a vendor had signed off the purchasing transaction, only to realize that they’ve missed a vital detail that would have probably been picked up if they’d had suitable legal counsel, we would normally recommend legal assistance.


    If the sale is a complex one we would strongly recommend using a suitably qualified attorney to protect your interests during the sale process. 


    As a legal professional with experience in a wide range of legal issues (we are an Edmonton personal injury attorney and also work on probate cases), Tiffen Law Office can provide legal advice that covers property sales that also include overlapping areas of law.

  • What does a lawyer do to facilitate a property sale?

    Lawyers can assist with almost any part of the property sale process as it relates to the law. This includes activities such as:

    • Preparation and/or correction of the sales contract.
    • Preparation of any appendices that need to be attached to the sales contract.
    • Providing legal advice on any issues that the buyer raises – for example, a lack of clarity over land ownership or whether something is a fixture or a fitting.
    • Providing legal advice on any issues you’re struggling with as a seller – for example being unable to locate title deeds, or suddenly discovering that the property has a significant fault.

  • I have a mortgage on the property - does that make a difference to whether I need a legal professional to act on my behalf?

    If you still have a mortgage on the property when you come to sell it (and many people do sell a mortgaged property), your mortgage company may make wish you to have a solicitor involved in the selling process. 


    This is because there is a risk to the loan in the event that the sale goes wrong, or you don’t realize sufficient capital from the sale to repay the mortgage on the property.


    We recommend that you check with your mortgage company before proceeding with the sale to ensure you’re operating in line with the lender’s requirements in this respect.

  • My buyer has backed out of the sale at the last minute - can I sue them?

    Particularly for sellers who sustain some form of financial loss due to a buyer pulling out of the deal at the last minute (for example the value of their property diminishes during the months the sales negotiations have taken, or the seller has spent significant sums on acceding to previous demands from the buyer), suing is a possibility.


    That said, suing an individual costs money and there is no guarantee that your case will be successful.


    In some cases, professional mediation to unpick the cause of the stalling in the purchasing process and find a way forward may be all that’s needed to either get the sale back on track or achieve a mutually satisfactory resolution.

  • I have a property to sell, but it's in probate - can I continue with the sale?

    In most cases, the sale can go ahead, but you will need permission from the court to complete the sale. 


    Tiffen Law Office legal professionals aren’t just fully qualified in dealing with real estate matters, they’re also expert wills and estates lawyers in Edmonton and Tiffen Law Office is recognized as one of the best Edmonton Personal Injury Law Firms.


    If you’ve got a property where expertise in a different area of civil law (such as divorce law, probate, personal injury or estate planning) is required, our team will have sufficient knowledge to advise you appropriately.

Real Estate Problems

From issues with a real estate transfer contract through to disputes over the buying process, issues with property ownership, undisclosed information or even a misrepresented property, there are all sorts of real estate issues that can occur for which legal counsel is desirable. The Tiffen Law Office team can help with all these matters and more.


  • The seller has misrepresented the property, what can I do?

    Yes, a lawyer can act for a buyer and seller.  Both the buyer and seller must agree that the lawyer can act for both sides of the transactions by signing a document with the lawyer.

  • Can you help with title insurance?

    Title insurance is a specific type of insurance that protects property buyers (and lenders, if the property is purchased with a mortgage), from defects relating to the property title. 


    For example, if, after the sale, it’s discovered that there is a charge on the property (an undertaking to a creditor that once the asset is realized, a specific amount will be repaid to the creditor), title insurance would protect the new owner from liability.


    Title insurance isn’t compulsory, although mortgage lenders may insist on it if you’re buying a property using a mortgage.


    The Tiffen Law Office team can arrange title insurance for you if required.

  • Can a lawyer act for both the buyer and the seller of a property?

    No! A lawyer can only act for one party at a time. 


    This applies even once the house sale is complete. For example, if the lawyer has acted for the seller and a problem later emerges with respect to the property, it wouldn’t be ethical to represent the buyer on the matter. 


    In contrast, a conveyancer can work for both the buyer and seller simultaneously.


    Although we don’t work with the buyer and seller of the same property simultaneously, we do represent both buyers and sellers. 


    This gives us a good understanding of the challenges and issues each side faces, enabling us to devise helpful solutions to common problems that emerge during the property transaction process.

Our Services

Tiffen Law Office provides legal advise and counsel on a range of civil matters which include personal injury, wills and estates, and real estate.

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Experienced in Personal Injury Claims

In addition to advising on a wide range of real estate matters for residential clients, we also provide legal advice, counsel and representation in personal injury matters. If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault in a public place or while driving, you could be entitled to compensation.


Unfortunately, obtaining the compensation that’s rightfully yours can be a complex process, which is why many people turn to Tiffen Law Office for high-quality legal advice and representation.


Our aim will always be to secure the very best outcome for our clients. We understand how difficult it is to fight a legal case while suffering from the effects of an accident. Our team works with compassion and empathy to resolve personal injury cases as quickly and favourably as possible.


Request a FREE Initial Consult
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