What is a Real Property Report and why is it important?

The Real Property Report (RPR) is a survey of your property which shows your home, garage, deck, fence, retaining walls and other improvements on your property and where they sit on your lot and in relation to your property.

Pursuant to the terms of your Residential Real Estate Purchase Contract, the seller of a house (and certain bare land condominiums) must provide the buyer of a property with an RPR with a Stamp of Compliance from the City of Calgary. The City of Calgary has many land use by-laws that govern what improvements can be built on a lot and where those improvements are allowed to sit in relation to the property lines.

In order to confirm that homes and other improvements have been built in accordance with the terms of the City of Calgary’s land use by-laws, the City of Calgary reviews RPRs and if everything shown on the RPR conforms to the land use by-laws, the City of Calgary will put a Stamp of Compliance on the RPR confirming this.

If the City of Calgary identifies a structure or improvement not built in accordance with the by-laws, then you either have to obtain a relaxation or encroachment agreement to keep the offending improvement where it is, or you may be forced to remove or relocate the improvement.

It is extremely important to have a current, compliant RPR when you sell your home and to make sure that you have remedied any RPR deficiencies, such as air-conditioning units not having been approved by the City of Calgary, or encroachments from your property into your neighbour’s lot or municipal property, before your purchase contract has been fully executed.

Need legal advice on real estate matters? Get in touch with Mark Sawyer for more information.