6 Realtors tax and accounting engagements in full — what the client came to us with, what we did, and what it was worth. Each one is specific to realtors work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Scaling without breaking
Growth Handled Without A Missed Filing, $131,000 Freed — Real Estate Brokerage, Vancouver
Client: A real estate brokerage · Where: Vancouver, British Columbia · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Cash freed$131,000
Compliance failuresNone
ReportingMonthly
The situation
A real estate brokerage in Vancouver, British Columbia was opening in a second province — different filing obligations, a different payroll regime, and industry-specific reporting obligations nobody had flagged already in the file.
What we did
We reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances and put monthly reporting in place so the owner could see the cash effect of growth while there was still time to act on it.
The result
Growth was absorbed without a compliance failure. $131,000 of cash was released, and the monthly reporting now flags a problem while it is still small.
Case Study 2 · Objection and relief
Notice Of Objection Allowed In Full, $140,000 Reversed — Land Development Company, Kelowna
Client: A land development company · Where: Kelowna, British Columbia · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Amount reversed$140,000
ObjectionAllowed in full
Account balanceNil
The situation
A land development company in Kelowna, British Columbia had been reassessed for $140,000 and had 10 days left on the objection deadline. The reassessment rested on a previous accountant with no experience of this sector.
What we did
We filed the objection inside the deadline with a complete submission rather than a placeholder, and rebuilt the chart of accounts around how a realtors business actually earns and spends.
The result
The appeals officer allowed the objection in full. $140,000 was reversed and the account returned to a nil balance.
Case Study 3 · CRA review defended
$25,000 Proposed Adjustment Withdrawn In Full — Mortgage Brokerage, Red Deer
Client: A mortgage brokerage · Where: Red Deer, Alberta · Engagement: 10 weeks, fixed fee
Adjustment withdrawn$25,000
File closed in10 weeks
Penalties assessedNone
The situation
A mortgage brokerage in Red Deer, Alberta received a proposal letter opening a review of realtors accounting and tax. The CRA had identified a chart of accounts that told the owner nothing about realtors margin and proposed an adjustment of $25,000, with 30 days to respond.
What we did
We treated the response as an evidence exercise rather than an argument. We reviewed every sector-specific deduction against the current rules and claimed the ones that had been missed, then indexed every supporting document against the specific line the auditor had questioned.
The result
The proposed adjustment was withdrawn in full — all $25,000 of it. The file closed in 10 weeks with no change to the assessed amounts and no penalty.
Case Study 4 · Deadline rescue
$122,000 Late-Filing Penalty Cancelled On Relief Application — Property Management Company, London
Client: A property management company · Where: London, Ontario · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Penalty cancelled$122,000
Relief applicationGranted
ReturnAccepted as filed
The situation
A property management company in London, Ontario had already missed one deadline and was about to miss a second. Behind it sat equipment and asset classes assigned by guesswork rather than the CCA schedule, and a penalty of $122,000 was accruing.
What we did
We split the work into what had to happen before the deadline and what could follow it, then documented the positions to the standard the CRA applies to this sector specifically.
The result
The outstanding return was accepted as filed, and the taxpayer relief application cancelled $122,000 of the penalty already assessed on the earlier year.
Case Study 5 · Missed incentive claimed
$135,000 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Short-Term Rental Operator, Winnipeg
A short-term rental operator in Winnipeg, Manitoba had been filing for 6 years without ever claiming the incentives its activity qualified for. Behind that sat sector incentives that had never been tested against realtors activity.
What we did
We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice, then aligned the reporting calendar with the sector’s own seasonal cycle rather than a generic year-end.
The result
$135,000 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.
Case Study 6 · Records and systems rebuilt
27 Months Reconciled And $9,500 Of Input Tax Recovered — Condo Corporation Manager, Calgary
Client: A condo corporation manager · Where: Calgary, Alberta · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Months reconciled27
Input tax recovered$9,500
Close time9 days
The situation
A condo corporation manager in Calgary, Alberta was carrying sector deductions claimed on a general-business basis rather than the realtors rules. Nothing reconciled, and every filing started with 27 months of cleanup.
What we did
We rebuilt from source rather than correcting on top of the existing file. We reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances, then set the routine that keeps it clean.
The result
27 months reconciled to the bank. The close now takes 9 days, and $9,500 of previously unclaimable input tax was recovered in the process.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Certified Tax Accountant. Figures describe representative engagements of this type; outcomes depend on your own facts. Client names and identifying details are omitted for confidentiality.
