Inder Chawla's blog

INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

Bring up pre-listing inspections in a room full of sellers or real estate professionals, and the main objection usually surfaces immediately: "If the inspection finds a problem, we have to disclose it. Why hand buyers a list of reasons to negotiate our price down? Better not to know."

While disclosure is a serious legal consideration in Ontario, focusing solely on the risk of disclosure overlooks a far greater danger: discovering a major defect late in the transaction while under tight offer deadlines.

Uncovering property issues before going to market...

INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

The number of homes available for sale in August 2026 was down noticeably compared to last year in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Following this trend, home sales also edged lower, as the number of transactions was arguably limited by less choice in some neighbourhoods. Less choice and more competition between buyers could ultimately result in renewed price growth in the months ahead.

GTA REALTORS® reported 5,057 home sales through TRREB’s MLS® System in August 2026 – down 2.1 per cent compared to August 2025. New listings entered into the MLS® System...

INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

There is a widespread misconception in the real estate industry that an "as-is, where-is" clause provides absolute legal immunity to sellers. Many sellers believe that once this language is inserted into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale (APS), they are completely shielded from any future liability.

On the flip side, buyers are often overly cautious or fearful when viewing an "as-is" listing, assuming they will have zero legal recourse if a major issue surfaces post-closing.

In reality, both assumptions are incorrect.

While holding a seller liable for an...

INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

A new report from RBC Economics says Canada’s housing market appears to be “finally taking steps” toward a recovery. 

Home resales have been on a “winning streak since April,” the report said, with inventory levelling off and prices showing signs of stabilizing. There is room for gradual progress going forward, as improved affordability and job prospects lift confidence, it added. 

“The key to the outlook will be the extent to which sidelined homebuyers make their way to market,” Robert Hogue, an assistant chief economist at RBC, said in the report.    

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INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

A property survey shows exactly where your land begins and ends. It identifies the property’s legal boundaries using title records, registered plans, and physical boundary markers found on the site by a licensed surveyor. While many Canadian home purchases now close with title insurance instead of an updated survey, that doesn’t mean a survey has lost its value. If you’re planning to build a fence, install a pool, add an addition, or settle a boundary dispute, knowing exactly where your property lines are can save time, money, and costly surprises.

Key...

INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

Canada’s economic landscape shifted significantly in the second quarter, delivering growth that put early-year recession concerns to rest. According to the latest national economic data, the economy expanded at a robust 3.3% annualized rate in Q2, driven by surging exports, renewed business spending, and steady activity in key housing markets.

Alongside a positive revision to early-year figures, the narrative of an impending economic downturn has quickly shifted toward broad-based resilience—though strong headwinds remain on the horizon.

Key Drivers of...

INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

While the journey to first-time homeownership can be full of dizzying highs and lows, understanding the mortgage process can make the trip a lot smoother.

Once you’ve applied and been pre-approved for a mortgage you can start your home search with confidence, knowing what you can afford.

There are generally four things first-time home buyers should do before applying for a mortgage:

First, what is a mortgage and how does it work?

In simple terms, a mortgage is a loan given by a bank or mortgage lender used to buy real estate. It typically involves...

INDER CHAWLA – BROKER (ABR®, SRS®)

The Bank of Canada’s interest rate cuts in June and July likely marked a turning point for struggling housing markets across the country, but so far the impact has been mixed. After a small uptick between May and June, home resales fell again in some markets including Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto in July, according to early reports from local real estate boards. However, activity picked up slightly in Edmonton and Montreal. It will take deeper rate cuts to meaningfully reduce ownership costs and stimulate homebuyer demand more broadly. 

Supply, on the...

INDER CHAWLA, BROKER(ABR®, SRS®)

The Hidden Bill: The Closing Costs First-Time Homebuyers Forget to Budget For

Ask any first-time buyer what they’re saving for, and they’ll instantly answer: the down payment. It’s the largest upfront milestone, no question. But it’s only part of the full financial equation.

Many buyers save every possible dollar to meet their down payment target, only to get blindsided by a second wave of out-of-pocket expenses right before closing day. These costs often arrive with minimal warning, and almost all of them must be paid in liquid cash. Here is a breakdown...

INDER CHAWLA, BROKER(ABR®, SRS®)

Canadian Home Sales Rise for Fourth Consecutive Month in July

You see a headline boasting how Canadian home sales rose once again last month, and you may think that’s the same story across the entire country.

Not necessarily. As always, all real estate markets are local, so just because the number of home sales recorded in July was up another 0.5%—following a 0.5% increase in June—doesn’t mean that’s the case in, say, Regina or Halifax.

But there is an interesting national narrative being built here with the latest data from the Canadian Real Estate...