Tales from the Trenches
Podcast featuring stories of real estate landmines—and how to avoid them. Coming to you from the desk of veteran Canadian lawyer Barry McGuire.
- Update frequency
- every 12 days
- Average duration
- 9 minutes
- Episodes
- 135
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2022
Asset Planning & Protection
Podcast Episode 76:
“The Power of Trust.“
I’ve got a real bee in my bonnet about Asset Planning & Protection (APP). I have done Focus Workshops all about Legacy Planning, Asset/Corporate Structure, I…
What to Do About Foreclosure
Podcast Episode 75:
“Help, I Can’t Make My Mortgage Payments!”
To mark the 75th episode of Tales from the Trenches, we have a Special Extended Edition all about foreclosures. This Tale is so packed f…
Financing Conditions
Podcast Episode 74:
“Unconditional Mortgage Commitment:
Are You Sure?”
Sometimes a “sure thing” can come apart at the last minute. In this Tale, we have a buyer who found her dream home and was all r…
Do You Need a Land Survey to Sell a Property?
Podcast Episode 73:
“Real Property Reports and Sellers.”
Did you know that a land survey certificate of building locations on a property is no longer valid if there have been improvements like a deck…
How to be a Legal Landlord
Podcast Episode 72:
“The Basics—The Legal Side of Landlording.”
In my 40-plus years of experience as a lawyer, I have observed many common situations that real estate investors have the same question…
How to Defend Against Dishonesty
Podcast Episode 71:
“Some People Aren’t Honest.”
It’s sad to say, but there are dishonest people out there. Some real estate buyers, sellers, lawyers, and realtors will try to pull the wool over your…
Real Estate Investing in Small Towns
Podcast Episode 70:
“Small Town Advantage.”
Smaller municipalities can be an ideal place to invest in real estate. This is particularly true if you focus on an area where there might be many opportun…
I Don’t Really Need a Lawyer, Do I?
Podcast Episode 69:
“Lawyer? I Don’t Need No Stinking Lawyer!”
Experienced investors sometimes do real estate deals without the help of a lawyer. But even knowledgeable people can miss things that a …
Worst Case Condo Investment
Podcast Episode 68:
“Disaster at Penhorwood: Update.”
In a previous Tale, we reviewed the calamitous and stomach turning events at the Penhorwood Condominium complex in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Our re…
Rent-to-Own aka Lease-Options
Podcast Episode 67:
“Coaching Successful Lease-Options.”
When a qualified tenant wants to be a homeowner, but can’t get a mortgage, investors can offer him or her a lease-option. This creative invest…
Agreements For Sale
Podcast Episode 66:
“Creative Cash Takes Time And Effort.”
The foundation of real estate investing is to buy and hold property. Sometimes, however, opportunities come along that require a different s…
Do You Always Need Diligence?
Podcast Episode 65:
“Diligence with Friends and Experts.”
It doesn’t matter who you are working with in a real estate deal, you still need to do your diligence. This means asking questions and readin…
Should I Become a Developer?
Podcast Episode 64:
“Development Is a Senior Strategy.”
Buying and holding single-family homes is a great strategy for anyone starting out in real estate investment. Many people eventually get into m…
Real Rules of Real Estate: RPRS & Realtors
Podcast Episode 63:
“Real Property Reports and Realtors.”
In this Tale, our investor was right to walk away, but they will probably lose their deposit. Avoid using the same realtor for both buyer and…
How to Get a Seller to Do Repairs
Podcast Episode 62:
“Holdbacks or Drawbacks?”
A holdback clause can help insure that the seller takes care of a property’s deficiencies before closing. The language of this item in your purchase cont…
Say No to Condos Less than 8 Units
Podcast Episode 61:
“New Homes And Subdivision.”
Purchasing a new property before it is built is far more complex than buying an existing one. There are even more possible issues when subdividing and…
Rules for Getting Mortgages
Podcast Episode 60:
“Timing and the Lender’s Sandbox.”
When you want a mortgage, you need to play by the lender’s rules. Be sure to disclose the facts of your application or risk losing your funding.…
Buying Long-distance Property
Podcast Episode 59:
“Travel and Tenants.”
Managing properties when they are far from where someone lives can be tricky. Use this fact to help you find motivated sellers. Beware that pre-possession in…
Multifamily Location Is Key
Podcast Episode 58:
“You Are Buying the Neighbourhood.”
When buying a property, you are buying the neighbourhood and neighbourhoods are not homogenous. Do some diligence around schools opening or clo…
Inspecting a Multifamily Property
Podcast Episode 57:
“All the Suites Look Just Like this One.”
When buying a multifamily building, inspect all the suites. Your vision of what is satisfactory and the vision of a seller anxious to sel…