Joel DyckReal Broker SK Ltd.
Saskatoon · From the topic map

How do I know if a Lakeridge two-family is legal?

A Lakeridge two-family is legal only if the City of Saskatoon has issued a building permit and signed off on occupancy for the second unit, which you can confirm by requesting the property's permit file from the city rather than relying on how finished the space looks. A well-built suite with no permit on record is simply not legal.

Start with the City of Saskatoon's property file rather than the listing description or what the seller tells you, since the file shows the permit history, any inspection sign-offs and whether the zoning for that lot actually allows two units in the first place.

If the file comes back thin, that does not necessarily mean the suite has to be torn out, but it does mean a lender may not count its rental income. A home inspection, typically $400 to $600, is the fastest way to check whether the physical separation matches what the file says, and a lawyer should review what it would take to legalize it before that income goes into your offer.

A verbal assurance that everything is fine is worth exactly as much as the paper behind it. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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