😳 A QUICK STORY
I had a deal come across my desk…
A father gave his son a Power of Attorney.
Simple, right?
But here’s the twist:
👉 The son had changed his name before the POA was signed
👉 The POA still showed his old name
😬 Problem…
That small detail can make the POA not work for land titles
🌈 WHEN EVERYTHING GOES PERFECT
In a perfect world…
✔️ You get a call: “I have POA for my parent”
✔️ You list with confidence
✔️ The deal closes smoothly
✔️ Everyone is happy
🎉 Easy. Clean. Done.
🤔 WHAT REALLY HAPPENS
Most agents already know:
👉 If someone lacks capacity → you need a POA
👉 If the POA is valid → you can move forward
But there’s still that feeling…
“Is this POA actually okay?”
So what happens?
⏳ It gets pushed down the road
➡️ “The lawyer will deal with it at closing.”
🚨 WHERE DEALS GO SIDEWAYS
By the time I see it…
⏰ We’re close to closing
💨 Everyone is rushing
❌ And sometimes… It’s too late
Because not all POAs are valid for land titles.
In Alberta, a POA must:
✔️ Name the right person
✔️ Be in effect (not just written, but active)
✔️ Be properly signed and witnessed
✔️ Allow for land titles transactions
✔️ Have an original copy
✔️ Be used while the person is still alive
⚠️ And one big one:
👉 A Personal Directive is NOT a POA
💥 WHY THIS MATTERS
Using the wrong POA is kind of like:
✍️ Signing someone else’s name without permission
That can lead to:
❌ Delays
❌ Stress
❌ Deals falling apart
✅ THE SIMPLE FIX
👉 Check the POA BEFORE you list
Even better:
📩 Send it to me early
I’ll quickly tell you:
✔️ If it works
✔️ If something is missing
✔️ If we need to fix it
📞 Call / Text / Email anytime
Even for a quick “does this look okay?”
Let’s keep your deals smooth, safe, and stress-free.
—Erin
PassGo Real Estate Law