Tarion Talks Podcast

If you’re new to the new home warranty process, don’t worry - you’re not alone. The best place to start is to learn about your warranty timelines and processes. That’s why for this episode of Tarion Talks, we decided to shift our focus back to the basics. To help provide answers to some of the most common warranty questions we hear from new home owners, our host Diana Pham is joined by special guests Marwa Hafez, a Tarion Warranty Services Representative, and Jim Priestman, a Call Centre Representative with Tarion’s Customer Service team. Topics covered in this episode include: A refresher on when your warranty coverage starts, what is covered and for what period of time. How to get started on the MyHome portal which allows you manage your warranty online. An overview of the different warranty forms, and tips for how to fill one out effectively; Builder repair periods, warranty exceptions, emergency situations, and what to do if your builder is “unwilling/unable” to resolve warranty items. A quick refresher on the conciliation process and how it may help you as a new home owner.

For new home buyers, the pre-delivery inspection – or PDI for short – can be an exciting experience. It can also be a little intimidating - after all, most of us are not experts in home construction. For this episode of Tarion Talks, our host Diana Pham is joined by Bob Thoburn, a Director of Stakeholder Relations at Tarion, to learn more about the PDI process and to answer some of the most common questions we hear from homeowners. Topics discussed in this episode include: * A step-by-step walkthrough of how a typical PDI would work in Ontario; * Explaining the PDI form, and what types of issues should be recorded on this important document; * The responsibilities of your builder’s representative during your PDI; * Advice on who you can bring to a PDI, and an explanation of the Appointment of Designate for Pre-Delivery Inspection form; * Tarion’s PDI Checklist and where to find it.

Here in Ontario, condos are an increasingly popular choice among new home buyers – but they’re not without certain risks, and anyone interested in buying a pre-construction condo should be aware of what’s involved. For this episode of Tarion Talks, our host Daniel Caprara is joined by two of Tarion’s condominium experts – Ben Carino, from our legal team, and Assunta Salvato, from our Warranty Services department – to learn more about not only the risks, but some of the more exciting aspects of pre-construction condos as well. Topics discussed in this episode include: * Understanding the Agreement of Purchase and Sale, and how it applies to certain aspects of a pre-construction condominium. * A high-level overview of delays and cancellations, how they occur, and protection that is available to buyers. * Possible variations between what was in your unit’s plans, and what may be found in the finished condominium. * An explanation of “interim occupancy,” and other tips for what you can expect when you first move into a newly-completed condominium unit.

Buying a home is an exciting adventure – it’s one of the biggest purchases most of us will make in our lifetime. However, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when buying a pre-construction house or condominium. So one of the best ways to get organized and feel more confident is by getting as much information as you can. This episode of Tarion Talks is all about getting that information – what questions should you ask? What are the tools at your disposal, even before you’ve reached the purchase stage? To find out, our host Tammy Frade is joined by two guests from Tarion: Angelica Cruz, from the Stakeholder Relations team, and Adrian Brown from the Customer Service team. Topics discussed in this episode include: The differences between buying a new home and buying a resale home; How to use Tarion’s Ontario Builder Directory, a tool for researching new home builders; Other methods – both online and offline – that new home shoppers can use to research a builder; MyHome Planner – Tarion’s app designed specifically for new home hunters – and the different ways it can help you in your search.

When you’ve signed the purchase agreement for your pre-construction house or condo unit, all you can think about is how excited you are to move in. While most new homes are completed and ready for move-in by their scheduled closing dates, there is always a risk that there could be delays. You can’t predict delays, but you can prepare for them by understanding what may cause them, and how you’re protected if they happen. In this episode of Tarion Talks, we dive deeper into the topic of delayed closings and their warranty coverage. Host Diana Pham is joined by Ryan Ding, a Tarion Warranty Services Analyst who is also an expert when it comes to delayed closings. Topics discussed in this episode include: Different factors that may cause a new home to be delayed; An overview of the different types of closing and occupancy dates (including the difference between “firm” and “tentative” dates); Steps homeowners can take, and helpful tools to use, in the event that your builder cannot meet your agreed-upon closing or occupancy date; Circumstances under which your builder may amend your agreement and/or extend your closing/occupancy date; Closing/occupancy delay compensation, and steps you should take when submitting a claim to Tarion.