If anybody had told me in law school that real estate law was an exciting practice, I would have laughed in their face. Fast forward seven years since I was called to the Ontario bar and here with one third (if not more) of my practice focused on real estate.
Maybe working from home made people realize that their houses needed a bit of love. Maybe by not going to Cancun this year, people started realizing that their front and backyard could use some improvement. Maybe due to very favorable interest rates (lowered in order to encourage us to spend and stimulate the economy), people are lining up at their banks to refinance their mortgages. Or maybe a combination of all these items has caused a red-hot real estate market across the country but also specifically in Ottawa.
This hot market has good news and bad news. The good news is that real estate lawyers are busy. The bad news is that real estate lawyers are busy. However, being busy can never be an excuse for not returning a call or not answering an email.
My recipe to stay afloat is: (1) be organized, (2) set reminders about important dates ahead and any action required, and (3) maintain open channels of communication remains the best strategies to not be overwhelmed. I’ve also learned that saying no to certain files is sometimes the only way to keep your head above water.